Salt Lake City

**Salt Lake City** is a city in the United States of America. It is the capital and largest city of the state of Utah. It was founded by the Mormons and is the official headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is named after the Great Salt Lake, which is 15 miles to the west of downtown. The city's population was 199,723 in 2020.

The city was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and his Mormon followers. They extensively irrigated and cultivated the arid valley. Due to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, the city was originally named "Great Salt Lake City"–the word "great" was dropped from the official name in 1868. Although Salt Lake City is still home to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), less than half the population of Salt Lake City proper is Mormon today.

Immigration of international LDS members, mining booms, and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad initially brought economic growth, and the city was nicknamed the "Crossroads of the West". It was traversed by the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway, in 1913, and presently two major cross-country freeways, I-15 and I-80, intersect in the city. Salt Lake City has since developed a strong outdoor recreation tourist industry based primarily on skiing. It was host to the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is the industrial banking center of the United States.

## Education

In 1847 pioneer Jane Dillworth held the first classes in her tent for the children of the first LDS families. In the last part of the 19th century, there was much controversy over how children in the area should be educated. LDS and non-LDS parents could not agree on the level of religious influence in schools. Today, many LDS youths in grades 9 through 12 attend some form of religious instruction, referred to as seminary. Students are released from public schools at various times of the day to attend seminary. LDS seminaries are usually located on church-owned property adjacent to the public school and within walking distance.

Because of high birth rates and large classrooms, Utah spends less per student than any other state. At the same time, Utah spends more per capita than any state with the exception of Alaska. Recently, money was approved for the reconstruction of more than half of the elementary schools and one of the middle schools in the Salt Lake City School District, which serves most of the area within the city limits. There are twenty-three K-6 elementary schools, five 7-8 middle schools, three 9-12 high schools (Highland, East, and West, with the former South High being converted to the South City campus of the Salt Lake Community College), and an alternative high school (Horizonte) located within the school district. In addition, Highland has recently been selected as the site for the charter school Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts (SPA). Many Catholic schools are located in the city, including Judge Memorial High School. Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School, established in 1867 by Episcopal Bishop Daniel Tuttle, is the area's premier independent school.

The Salt Lake City Public Library system consists of the main library downtown, and five branches in various neighborhoods. The main library, designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, opened in 2003. In 2006, the Salt Lake City Public Library was named "Library of the Year" by the American Library Association.

Colleges in Salt Lake City include the University of Utah, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College, Stevens-Henager College, Eagle Gate College, The Art Institute of Salt Lake City and LDS Business College. Utah State University and BYU also operate education centers in the city. There are also many trade and technical schools such as Healing Mountain Massage School and the Utah College of Massage Therapy. The University of Utah has good research and medical programs. It was one of the original four universities to be connected to ARPANET, the predecessor to the Internet, in 1969, and was also the site of the first artificial heart transplant in 1982.

## Events

- 1847 - The Mormon pioneers first arrive to settle Utah.
- 2002 - The Olympic Winter Games were held in Salt Lake City.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Salt Lake City
- **official name**: City of Salt Lake City
- **settlement type**: List of capitals in the United States, State capital
- **imagesize**: 290px
- **image flag**: Flag of Salt Lake City (2020).svg
- **nickname**: "The Crossroads of the West"
- **map caption**: Interactive map of Salt Lake City
- **pushpin map**: Utah#USA
- **pushpin relief**: yes
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: United States
- **subdivision type1**: U.S. state, State
- **subdivision type2**: List of counties in Utah, County
- **subdivision name1**: Utah
- **subdivision name2**: Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt Lake
- **named for**: Great Salt Lake
- **established title**: Platted
- **established title2**: Municipal corporation, Incorporated
- **government type**: Strong Mayor, Strong Mayor–council
- **leader title**: List of mayors of Salt Lake City, Mayor
- **leader name**: Erin Mendenhall (Democratic Party (United States), D)
- **total type**: City
- **unit pref**: Imperial
- **area total sq mi**: 110.81
- **area total km2**: 286.99
- **area land sq mi**: 110.34
- **area land km2**: 285.77
- **area water sq mi**: 0.47
- **area water km2**: 1.22
- **elevation ft**: 4265
- **elevation m**: 1300
- **population total**: 200133
- **population as of**: 2020 United States Census, 2020
- **population density sq mi**: 1797.52
- **population urban**: 1,178,533 (US: List of United States urban areas, 41st)
- **population density urban km2**: 1,514.7
- **population density urban sq mi**: 3,923.0
- **population metro**: 1,257,936 (US: List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 47th)
- **population blank1 title**: Combined statistical area, CSA
- **population blank1**: 2,746,164 (US: List of Combined Statistical Areas, 22nd)
- **population demonym**: Salt Laker
- **demographics type2**: GDP
- **demographics2 title1**: Salt Lake (County)
- **demographics2 info1**: $111.0 billion (2022)
- **demographics2 title2**: Salt Lake City (MSA)
- **demographics2 info2**: $135.4 billion (2022)
- **postal code type**: ZIP Codes
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area codes
- **area code**: Area codes 801 and 385, 801, 385
- **timezone**: Mountain Time Zone, Mountain
- **utc offset**: −7
- **utc offset dst**: −6
- **pushpin label**: Salt Lake City
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standard, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 49-67000
- **blank1 name**: Geographic Names Information System, GNIS feature ID
- **blank1 info**: 1454997
- **blank name sec2**: Major airport
- **blank info sec2**: Salt Lake City International Airport
- **population density km2**: 701.84