Monroe, Utah
Encyclopedia
Monroe is a city in Sevier County, Utah
, United States
. The population was 2,256 at the 2010 United States Census. The city is home to both Mystic Hot Springs and South Sevier High School.
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.2 km²), all of it land. Monroe is bordered by mountains on the east and south, and farmers fields to the west and north.
Monroe is home to naturally occurring hot springs
with travertine
deposits, a result of the Monroe-Red Hill geothermal system found along the Sevier fault. On the east side of town, hot water surfaces at a temperature of 168°F and a rate of about 200 gallons per minute. A travertine
mound has formed, known as the Monroe Mound. This deposit stretches one mile across, 200 yards wide, and a few hundred feet thick. There is another hot water source about a mile north of town called the Red Hill Hot Springs. It also surfaces at 168°F, but at a rate of about 100 gallons per minute. The Red Hill mound is about one-third of a mile across, and deep red in color.
of 2000, there were 1,845 people, 707 households, and 480 families residing in the Monroe. The population density
was 521.7 people per square mile (201.2/km²). There were 707 housing units at an average density of 199.9 per square mile (77.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.83% White, 0.22% African American, 1.41% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races
, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.69% of the population.
There were 636 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,907, and the median income for a family was $37,415. Males had a median income of $31,797 versus $17,981 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,331. About 5.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
, who had immigrated to Utah. At first the town was called South Bend (due to the proximity to a bend in the Sevier River
), but soon after its settlement it was renamed Alma, in honor of the Book of Mormon
prophet. It is estimated that by the end of 1864 around 20 families were living in Alma. They spent the first year building small homes and dugouts
, along with clearing space for fields and pastures.
In April 1865 the Black Hawk War
broke out between local Native Americans and the Settlers of both the Sevier and Sanpete Counties. The war drastically ended the progress which was being made in creating farms and homes in and around Alma.
Alma had been settled in the middle of the Native American’s hunting grounds and as a result they started to go hungry. During the war Native Americans were constantly trying to steal the Settler’s stock for food, and they were successful during several raids.
Sometime during 1865 work began on a fort to provide protect for both the Setters and their stock. The fort was completed and contained several homes, a blacksmith shop, along with a corral and stockyard for the animals. This fort, named Fort Alma, provided protection for about two years, but things continued to get more dangerous and in April 1867 the Settlers of Alma were evacuated. Most of the evacuees made temporary homes in Sanpete County, until they could return home.
An attempt to resettle Alma was made during 1868, but the Settlers ran into Native Americans near Cedar Ridge (now Vermillion, Utah) and a battle ensued. They were unsuccessful in resettling Alma, and it was not until March 1871 that Settlers were finally able to return to Alma. The following year they applied for a Post Office under the city name of Monroe, in honor of U.S. President James Monroe
. By the end of 1872 the telegraph had been extended through Monroe, which connected it with the rest of Utah. In 1889 Monroe was incorporated as a town and remained that way until 1921 when it was incorporated as a city.
, and many dressing rooms. Many people came from miles around by horse and buggy
to enjoy soaking and dancing. In 1930 Farnsworth bought the hot springs. He was the leader of a band, and it became the house band. The slogan for the Monroe hot springs was, "the home of mirth and merriment". The hot springs enjoyed many years of prosperity until around 1950. The site is currently known as Mystic Hot Springs.
Monroe currently has a Texaco Gas Station, a Do-it Best Hardware, Sagebrush Grill Steak House, Bullies Drive-In, Monroe Main Center (Guitar dealer and movie rentals), a dentist, and a dance studio. Monroe also has many new subdivisions. Today Monroe is also nicknamed "The Little Green Valley" due to the many fields that surround the city.
from the neighboring towns of Central Valley
, Annabella
, Elsinore
, Joseph
and Sevier
to Monroe to attend school. Navajo
placement students are also traditionally bused to the schools from a dormitory in Richfield
.
Sevier County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,256 at the 2010 United States Census. The city is home to both Mystic Hot Springs and South Sevier High School.
Geography
Monroe is located in rural central Utah, at 38°37′46"N 112°7′13"W (38.629338, -112.120275). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.2 km²), all of it land. Monroe is bordered by mountains on the east and south, and farmers fields to the west and north.
Monroe is home to naturally occurring hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
with travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
deposits, a result of the Monroe-Red Hill geothermal system found along the Sevier fault. On the east side of town, hot water surfaces at a temperature of 168°F and a rate of about 200 gallons per minute. A travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
mound has formed, known as the Monroe Mound. This deposit stretches one mile across, 200 yards wide, and a few hundred feet thick. There is another hot water source about a mile north of town called the Red Hill Hot Springs. It also surfaces at 168°F, but at a rate of about 100 gallons per minute. The Red Hill mound is about one-third of a mile across, and deep red in color.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,845 people, 707 households, and 480 families residing in the Monroe. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 521.7 people per square mile (201.2/km²). There were 707 housing units at an average density of 199.9 per square mile (77.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.83% White, 0.22% African American, 1.41% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.69% of the population.
There were 636 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,907, and the median income for a family was $37,415. Males had a median income of $31,797 versus $17,981 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,331. About 5.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
History
A few early, exploratory settlers came to Monroe in late 1863. They were followed by the first permanent group of settlers, who arrived in Monroe during February 1864. Most, if not all, of the first Settlers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces its current dispensation beginnings to Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in Western New York. Initial converts were drawn to the church in part because of the newly published Book of Mormon, a self-described chronicle of indigenous American...
, who had immigrated to Utah. At first the town was called South Bend (due to the proximity to a bend in the Sevier River
Sevier River
The Sevier River , extending , is the longest Utah river entirely in the state and drains an extended chain of mountain farming valleys to the intermittent Sevier Lake...
), but soon after its settlement it was renamed Alma, in honor of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
prophet. It is estimated that by the end of 1864 around 20 families were living in Alma. They spent the first year building small homes and dugouts
Dugout (shelter)
A dugout or dug-out, also known as a pithouse, pit-house, earth lodge, mud hut, is a shelter for humans or domesticated animals and livestock based on a hole or depression dug into the ground. These structures are one of the most ancient types of human housing known to archeologists...
, along with clearing space for fields and pastures.
In April 1865 the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War (Utah)
The Black Hawk War, or Black Hawk's War, from 1865 to 1872, is the name of the estimated 150 military engagement between Mormon settlers in the Four Corners region and members of the Ute, Paiute, Apache and Navajo tribes, led by a local Ute chief, Antonga Black Hawk...
broke out between local Native Americans and the Settlers of both the Sevier and Sanpete Counties. The war drastically ended the progress which was being made in creating farms and homes in and around Alma.
Alma had been settled in the middle of the Native American’s hunting grounds and as a result they started to go hungry. During the war Native Americans were constantly trying to steal the Settler’s stock for food, and they were successful during several raids.
Sometime during 1865 work began on a fort to provide protect for both the Setters and their stock. The fort was completed and contained several homes, a blacksmith shop, along with a corral and stockyard for the animals. This fort, named Fort Alma, provided protection for about two years, but things continued to get more dangerous and in April 1867 the Settlers of Alma were evacuated. Most of the evacuees made temporary homes in Sanpete County, until they could return home.
An attempt to resettle Alma was made during 1868, but the Settlers ran into Native Americans near Cedar Ridge (now Vermillion, Utah) and a battle ensued. They were unsuccessful in resettling Alma, and it was not until March 1871 that Settlers were finally able to return to Alma. The following year they applied for a Post Office under the city name of Monroe, in honor of U.S. President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
. By the end of 1872 the telegraph had been extended through Monroe, which connected it with the rest of Utah. In 1889 Monroe was incorporated as a town and remained that way until 1921 when it was incorporated as a city.
History of Monroe Hot Springs
In 1882, Thomas Cooper and his wife homesteaded the area on the east side of town where hot springs water emerged. They built a wood box to collect the water and offered it as a soaking pool. Later, around 1905, a building was erected. There was a dance floor, an indoor swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, and many dressing rooms. Many people came from miles around by horse and buggy
Horse and buggy
A horse and buggy or horse and carriage refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses...
to enjoy soaking and dancing. In 1930 Farnsworth bought the hot springs. He was the leader of a band, and it became the house band. The slogan for the Monroe hot springs was, "the home of mirth and merriment". The hot springs enjoyed many years of prosperity until around 1950. The site is currently known as Mystic Hot Springs.
Monroe Today
Education
The schools for most of the surrounding areas are also located in Monroe, which has an Elementary School (Monroe Elementary), Middle School, and High School (South Sevier High School). School age children are traditionally busedSchool bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
from the neighboring towns of Central Valley
Central Valley, Utah
Central Valley is a town in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 415 at the 2008 census estimate....
, Annabella
Annabella, Utah
Annabella is a town in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 603 at the 2000 census, a modest increase over the 1990 figure of 487.- History :...
, Elsinore
Elsinore, Utah
Elsinore is a town in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 733 at the 2000 census.-History:The community was first settled in the spring of 1874 by James C. Jensen, Jens Iver Jensen, and others. The area was settled by Danish converts to Mormonism, and named after Kronborg...
, Joseph
Joseph, Utah
Joseph is a town in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 269 at the 2000 census. The town was named for Joseph A. Young, a local leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and Sevier
Sevier, Utah
Sevier is an unincorporated community in southwestern Sevier County, Utah, United States. It lies in the valley of the Sevier River along U.S. Route 89 southwest of the city of Richfield, the county seat of Sevier County. Its elevation is 5,584 feet . Although Sevier is unincorporated, it...
to Monroe to attend school. Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
placement students are also traditionally bused to the schools from a dormitory in Richfield
Richfield, Utah
Richfield is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Utah, in the United States, and is the largest city in southern-central Utah. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,551. It lies in the Mormon Corridor, just off of Interstate 70 about 40 miles east of its junction with...
.
Notable Residents
- The Michelsen FamilyMichelsen FarmsteadThe Andreas Michelsen Farmstead, originally built in 1902 by Andreas himself as a two room house. In 1912 the house was added onto, to make 7 rooms in total, little has changed since...
immigrated from Denmark in 1882 and moved to Monroe where they had seven children as well as their oldest daughter who was born in Denmark. The family was than called on a mission in 1900 to help build an irrigation canal and establish the community of Stirling, AlbertaStirling, AlbertaStirling is a village in the County of Warner No. 5, Alberta, Canada. The village is located on Highway 4, approximately southeast of Lethbridge and northwest of the United States-Canada border....
. Their original house still remains and has now been turned into a interpretive center known as the Michelsen FarmsteadMichelsen FarmsteadThe Andreas Michelsen Farmstead, originally built in 1902 by Andreas himself as a two room house. In 1912 the house was added onto, to make 7 rooms in total, little has changed since...
a living museum in Stirling.