St. George, Utah
Encyclopedia
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state
of Utah
, and the county seat
of Washington County, Utah
. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles (192 km) northeast of Las Vegas
, Nevada
, and 303 miles (488 km) south of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15.
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, St. George had a population of 72,897. From 1990, St. George became one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas within the United States. This trend continued through 2007, when growth slowed substantially. In 2009, the metropolitan area (defined as Washington County
) had an estimated 137,473 residents.
St. George is the population and commercial center of Utah's Dixie
, a nickname given to the area when Mormon
pioneers grew cotton
in the warm climate. St. George's trademark is its geology — red bluffs make up the northern part of the city with two peaks covered in lava rock in the city's center. The northeastern edges of the Mojave Desert
are visible to the south. Zion National Park
can be seen to the east, and the Pine Valley Mountains
loom over the city to the north and northwest. The climate has more in common with the Desert Southwest than the rest of the state, with scorching hot summers and mild, mostly snowless winters.
St. George was founded as a cotton mission in 1861 under the direction of Brigham Young
, the President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons or LDS Church)— part of a greater church effort to become self-sufficient. While the early settlers did manage to grow cotton, it was never produced at competitive market rates; consequently, cotton farming was eventually abandoned.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War
in 1861, Brigham Young organized the settlement of what is now Washington County, Utah.
The settlement was named after George A. Smith
, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In April 1877, the LDS Church completed the St. George Utah Temple
. It is the Church's third temple
, and, currently, its longest continually-operating temple.
The pioneers planted mulberry
trees throughout the valley to be used to feed the silkworms that they used to produce silk
. The last line of these trees exist on Pomegranate Way in Bloomington
.
St. George was the location of the 1997 United States Academic Decathlon
national finals.
The area began booming in the 1970s, growing more than 90% that decade, first as a retirement hotspot and tourist gateway to Utah's color country.
) atomic bomb (nicknamed "Harry") at the Nevada Test Site
. The bomb later gained the name "Dirty Harry
" because of the tremendous amount of off-site fallout
generated by the bomb. Winds carried fallout 135 miles (220 km) to St. George, where residents reported "an oddly metallic sort of taste in the air."
St. George received the brunt of the fallout of above-ground nuclear testing
in the Yucca Flats/Nevada Test Site
northwest of Las Vegas. Winds routinely carried the fallout of these tests directly through St. George and southern Utah. Marked increases in cancer
s such as leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, bone cancer, brain tumors, and gastrointestinal tract cancers were reported from the mid-1950s through 1980.
A 1962 United States Atomic Energy Commission
report found that "children living in St. George, Utah may have received doses to the thyroid
of radioiodine as high as 120 to 440 rads" (1.2 to 4.4 Gy).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 64.9 square miles (168.0 km²), of which, 64.4 square miles (166.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) of it (0.72%) is water.
St. George lies in the lowest elevation region of the state, Dixie, with most of the city lying below 3,000 feet (900 m). The city is surrounded by mountains and red sandstone butte
s, and it lies at the very northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert
. The Virgin River
flows through the city. The Santa Clara River also flows on the west side of the city before merging with the Virgin River to the south. In early 2005, major flooding occurred within these two rivers. One person was killed and several houses were destroyed by the raging Santa Clara River.
The city borders the northern Arizona
state line, and is located between the towns of Santa Clara
and Ivins
to the west and Washington
to the east. The core of the city, including its downtown, Dixie State College
, convention center, and hospital, are located in a small valley overlooking the Virgin River and surrounded by low lava and sandstone bluffs. The city's southern section, Bloomington, is more typical of the Mojave Desert
, with desert scrub and gravel dominating the landscape. The southeast part of the city contains some farming along the Virgin River, but like the west and northwest parts of the city has become increasingly dominated by suburban-style development.
In Southern Utah, soil and rock formations are red in appearance due to the presence of iron oxide
. Although portions of the older section of the city (particularly the southern part near the Virgin River) lie on floodplain alluvium, much of St. George is built directly upon Jurassic, Triassic, and Permian period sedimentary bedrock. The following formations—listed in chronological order—can be found within the city limits.
Kaibab Limestone
(Permian): Grey fossiliferious limestone, exposed at the center of the Virgin River anticline along Horseman Park Drive and in the low hills to the south of South Bloomington Hills.
Moenkopi Formation
(Triassic): Chocolatey-red and white banded mudstone, shale, limestone, and siltstone containing thick layers of gypsum, exposed at Bloomington, South Bloomington Hills, and the south side of Webb Hill
.
Shinarump Conglomerate (Triassic): Yellow to brown cliff-forming sandstone and conglomerate containing fossilized oyster shells and petrified wood. Forms the cliff faces north of Bloomington, on Webb Hill, and along the Virgin River south of 1450 South Street. This is actually the lowest member of the Chinle formation.
Chinle Formation
(Triassic): Purple, white, grey and locally green bentonitic shale weathering to clay. Because of the softness of the strata, structures built on this formation run a higher risk of settling or slippage. The Chinle formation underlies large portions of St. George, including North Bloomington Hills, much of Green Valley, and much of the east part of the city around Riverside Drive and Pine View High School.
Moenave Formation
(Jurassic): Red and orange sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. There is some confusion about distinguishing between the Springdale sandstone member of the Moenave formation and the overlying Navajo sandstone, which is similar in appearance, in the St. George area. It is now generally assumed that the red cliffs to the north of the old part of the city (north of Red Hills Parkway) and at the Dixie Red Hills golf course are part of the Moenave formation. Other exposures include cuts into the east and west Black Hills and the southern part of Dixie Downs.
Kayenta Formation
(Jurassic): Red, orange, and purple sandstone, shale, and mudstone. Forms slopes below the massive Navajo sandstone in the northern part of the city including northern Dixie Downs and along Snow Canyon Parkway.
Navajo Sandstone
(Jurassic): Grey to brown, red, and (in its upper layers) white massive sandstone. Forms cliff faces above Snow Canyon Parkway and white outcrops at Winchester Hills.
Basaltic lava flows from the Quaternary period form the black ridges to the east and west of the old part of St. George city. The volcanic eruptions producing these flows are thought to date back 1.2 million years.
St. George straddles the line between the Colorado Plateau
region to the east with its mesas, and the basin and range to the west with its broad landscapes and cactus forests. Other points of geologic interest include the Virgin River anticline; the rock has eroded away in the center leaving shear walls surrounding the "Purgatory Flats" area to the east of St. George. Another geologic feature is Pine Valley Mountain, composed of one solid piece of granite
, it is one of the largest laccolith
s in the world.
border, on July 4, 2007. The high-temperature record in Utah before that was 117 °F (47 °C), recorded in St. George itself on July 5, 1985. The record high minimum temperature (a.k.a. the record warm low temperature) is 89 °F (32 °C), set on July 15, 1970. In winter, temperatures frequently drop below freezing overnight (due to radiational cooling resulting from low humidity), but temperatures warm into the 50s°F (low 10s°C) during the day. Both the record low temperature of -11 °F (-24 °C) and record low maximum (a.k.a. cold high) temperature of 17 °F (-8 °C) were set on January 22, 1937.
St. George lies in a desert and averages 8.25 inches (210 mm) of precipitation annually. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, except for a dry period from late April through June (after the Pacific storm season but before the monsoon). Precipitation mostly comes from the Pacific Ocean from late fall through winter and early spring. The storm track usually lifts north of the city by mid-April. The summer monsoon
from the Gulf of California
can bring localized but often intense thunderstorms from mid-July through mid-September. One such storm dropped the record single day precipitation in the city, with 2.39 in (61 mm) on August 31, 1909. Snow is rare, averaging 3.2 inches (8.1 cm) annually. It has been recorded as early as October 29 (in 1971) and as late as April 11 (in 1927). The record single day snowfall is 10.0 in (25.4 cm), set on January 5, 1974.
operates post offices. The post offices are St. George and St. George Downtown.
One of St. George's most significant corporations is SkyWest Airlines
, which has its corporate headquarters in St. George. Wal-Mart
has a large distribution center located near St. George. In 2003, Intermountain Health Care opened a new $100-million, 196-bed, 420000 square feet (39,019.3 m²) hospital building.
A large part of the economy of southwestern Utah comes from tourism. St. George is in proximity to Zion National Park
and Bryce Canyon National Park
, as well as several state parks and recreational areas. It is a little less than an hour's drive from the Tony-award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival
. Golf
also plays a large part in the city's tourism industry. St. George offers one of the highest number of golf courses per capita in the country. Special events such as the St. George Marathon
and the Huntsman Senior Games draw thousands to St. George each year. The St. George Marathon is currently the 13th largest marathon in the country.
and Interstate 40
corridors via U.S. Route 93
, 120 miles (193.1 km) southwest. Utah State Route 7
is a partially-constructed freeway, with a seven mile spur connecting I-15 to the city's airport.
St. George has no rail service. The Union Pacific line between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas is about 60 miles (96.6 km) north and west of the city. Community growth has led to construction of a new regional airport. The $175 million new airport opened in 2011, with daily jet service to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.
SunTran is St. George's public transit system and operates four bus routes in the city.
. The St. George Utah Temple
is also the longest-continually operating temple. Although in St. George both Catholic and Protestant
denominations are well represented, the overwhelming portion of the population of the city belong to the LDS faith (~78% using 1990 statistics).
from 1999 to 2001, winning the league championship in 2000. A new franchise, managed by former major league player Darell Evans, was awarded to Utah's Dixie in 2007. The team, the St. George Roadrunners, played in the independent Golden Baseball League
before being taken over by the league and moved to Henderson, Nevada
in 2010.
Three of the city's high schools (Dixie, Pine View, and Snow Canyon) play in 4A state competition. A fourth school, Desert Hills High School, began play in 2008 as a 3A school. Dixie State College participates in the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference
. Some famous DSC athletes are Corey Dillon
, Anton Palepoi
, Reno Mahe
, and Scott Brumfield
, who all played in the NFL. Marcus Banks
, Lionel Hollins
, Keon Clark
, and Mo Baker are Dixie players who played in the NBA, and former Rebels Bradley Thompson
and Brandon Lyon
currently play in the major leagues. Former Boston Red Sox
pitcher Bruce Hurst
played at Dixie High School, and later managed the now defunct Zion Pioneerzz in its inaugural season (1999).
The city also hosts nationally-known events, such as the St. George Marathon
, NJCAA Softball National Championships, Huntsman World Senior Games, and an Ironman Triathlon
.
, and Las Vegas Review-Journal
/ Las Vegas Sun
are also heavily distributed in St. George and offer home delivery. The Dixie Press Online, an online newspaper covering news in St. George and the region, went online in September 2010.
St. George has local television station KCSG
Channel 14, a MyNetworkTV
affiliate, which broadcasts local news at 6:30PM and 9:00PM. The major television network affiliates are Salt Lake City stations that have broadcast translators in the St. George area. The Las Vegas NBC
affiliate, KSNV has a local translator on which some of its programming airs two hours later than the same programming broadcast on KSL
.
KDXU 890 is the main news radio station in St. George. It carries local programming
from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. In July 2007, Sports Radio 1210 AM became an ESPN Radio network affiliate in Southern Utah. Music stations in the area include Sunny 106.1 and B92.1/96.7
The two leading radio broadcasting companies in Southern Utah are Cherry Creek Radio & Canyon Media broadcasting. Cherry Creek Radio St. George broadcasts 8 local stations including News Station KDXU 890, which carries local programming from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. KNPR, the National Public Radio affiliate from Las Vegas, has a translator near St. George and features news reports from Southern Utah with some frequency. Sunny 106.1FM broadcasts music from the 90's & today. B92.1/96.7 KXBN-FM, broadcasting "today's hit music." Sports Radio 1210 AM-KUNF-ESPN, broadcasting sporting events & talk. Star 98FM-KREC, playing adult contemporary. The Fox 102.3/107.3 KXFF FM, broadcasts "super Hits of the 60's & 70's and more." Canyon Media Broadcasting has four local stations: 99.9FM KONY Country; KZHK 95.9FM The Hawk (classic rock); 94.1 FM The Planet; and KZNU Fox News Radio 1450AM.
There are three low power FM
stations in St. George: KOEZ-LP, broadcasting a variety of Spanish-language programming at 105.1; KWBR-LP, broadcasting a classical music format at 105.7; and KTIM-LP
.
St. George is home to the St. George Opera House
, which regularly presents theatrical performances.
, a four-year institution. It is also home to Dixie Applied Technology College
. In addition to the colleges, St. George is also home to the College Education Center of Stevens-Henager College
Salt Lake City/Murray. It has four high schools, Dixie High School
, Pine View High School, Desert Hills High School
, and Snow Canyon High School
, as well as a number of elementary, intermediate, and middle schools. The school district serving the city is Washington County School District
. Nearby Ivins
is home to Utah's first charter high school, Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, which provides an alternative education with no tuition costs to any Utah resident.
Three high schools in St. George have gay-straight alliance
clubs founded in the autumn of 2010, The New York Times
reported early in 2011, although the alliance organizers encountered hostility from some students.
As of the 2000 census
, there were 49,663 people, 17,367 households, and 13,042 families residing in the city. The population density
was 771.2 people per square mile (297.7/km²). There were 21,083 housing units at an average density of 327.4 per square mile (126.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.27% White, 0.24% African-American, 1.64% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 2.87% from other races
, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.72% of the population.
There were 17,367 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years old or older. The average household size was 2.81 individuals and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,505, and the median income for a family was $41,788. Males had a median income of $31,106 versus $20,861 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,022. About 7.4% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
"For example, a single issue of the weekly newspaper published in St. George, Utah (population
4,562), reports a variety of public-spirited undertakings. The Red Cross is conducting a membership drive. The Business and Professional Women's Club is raising funds to build an additional dormitory for the local junior college by putting on a circus in which the members will be both clowns and animals The Future Farmers of America (whose purpose is "to develop agricultural leadership, cooperation, and citizenship through individual and group leadership") are holding a father-son banquet. A local business firm has given an encyclopedia to the school district. The Chamber of Commerce is discussing the feasibility of building an all-weather road between two nearby towns. Skywatch volunteers are being signed up. A local church has collected $1,393.11 in pennies for a children's hospital 350 miles away. The County Farm Bureau is flying one of its members to Washington, 2,000 miles away, to participate in discussions of farm policy. Meetings of the Parent Teachers Associations are being held in the schools. "As a responsible citizen of our community", the notice says, "you belong,in the PTA"(...)
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Washington County, Utah
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles (192 km) northeast of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and 303 miles (488 km) south of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15.
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, St. George had a population of 72,897. From 1990, St. George became one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas within the United States. This trend continued through 2007, when growth slowed substantially. In 2009, the metropolitan area (defined as Washington County
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
) had an estimated 137,473 residents.
St. George is the population and commercial center of Utah's Dixie
Dixie (Utah)
Dixie is the nickname for southwestern Utah. It was first settled in the early 1860s, when farmers were sent south by Brigham Young to grow cotton, hoping to capitalize on the lack of availability of cotton due to the American Civil War. St. George, Grafton, Duncans Retreat, Adventure, and Northup...
, a nickname given to the area when Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneers grew cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
in the warm climate. St. George's trademark is its geology — red bluffs make up the northern part of the city with two peaks covered in lava rock in the city's center. The northeastern edges of the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
are visible to the south. Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
can be seen to the east, and the Pine Valley Mountains
Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Dixie National Forest in the U.S. state of Utah. It is the fourth-largest wilderness area located entirely within the state...
loom over the city to the north and northwest. The climate has more in common with the Desert Southwest than the rest of the state, with scorching hot summers and mild, mostly snowless winters.
History
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, the President
President of the Church (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed successors, such as Brigham Young, Joseph Smith III,...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons or LDS Church)— part of a greater church effort to become self-sufficient. While the early settlers did manage to grow cotton, it was never produced at competitive market rates; consequently, cotton farming was eventually abandoned.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in 1861, Brigham Young organized the settlement of what is now Washington County, Utah.
Fearing that the war would take away the cotton supply, he began plans for raising enough in this western country to supply the needs of his people. Enough favorable reports had come to him from this warm country below the rim of the Great BasinGreat BasinThe Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, that he was convinced cotton could be raised successfully here. At the general church conference in Salt Lake City on October 6th, 1861, about three hundred families were “called" to the Dixie mission to promote the cotton industry. Most of the people knew nothing of this expedition until their names were read from the pulpit; but in nearly every case, they responded with good will, and made ready to leave within the month’s time allotted to them. The families were selected so as to ensure the communities the right number of farmers, masons, blacksmiths, businessmen, educators, carpenters, as needed.
The settlement was named after George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In April 1877, the LDS Church completed the St. George Utah Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
. It is the Church's third temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
, and, currently, its longest continually-operating temple.
The pioneers planted mulberry
Mulberry
Morus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae. The 10–16 species of deciduous trees it contains are commonly known as Mulberries....
trees throughout the valley to be used to feed the silkworms that they used to produce silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. The last line of these trees exist on Pomegranate Way in Bloomington
Bloomington, Utah
Bloomington is a populated place in Washington County, Utah, United States, which now forms part of the city of St. George, as a suburb.Access to Bloomington is achieved by "Exit 4" on Interstate 15, or by Tonaquint Drive on the North side of the "Bloomington Circle", a loop that encircles the...
.
St. George was the location of the 1997 United States Academic Decathlon
United States Academic Decathlon
The United States Academic Decathlon is an annual high school academic competition organized by the non-profit United States Academic Decathlon Association. The competition consists of seven multiple choice tests, two performance events, and an essay...
national finals.
The area began booming in the 1970s, growing more than 90% that decade, first as a retirement hotspot and tourist gateway to Utah's color country.
Nuclear contamination
On May 19, 1953, the United States government detonated the 32-kiloton (130 TJJoule
The joule ; symbol J) is a derived unit of energy or work in the International System of Units. It is equal to the energy expended in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre , or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second...
) atomic bomb (nicknamed "Harry") at the Nevada Test Site
Nevada Test Site
The Nevada National Security Site , previously the Nevada Test Site , is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of the city of Las Vegas...
. The bomb later gained the name "Dirty Harry
Upshot-Knothole Harry
Upshot-Knothole Harry was a nuclear weapons test conducted by the United States as part of Operation Upshot-Knothole. It took place on May 19, 1953 in Yucca Flat, in the Nevada Test Site....
" because of the tremendous amount of off-site fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
generated by the bomb. Winds carried fallout 135 miles (220 km) to St. George, where residents reported "an oddly metallic sort of taste in the air."
St. George received the brunt of the fallout of above-ground nuclear testing
Nuclear testing
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness, yield and explosive capability of nuclear weapons. Throughout the twentieth century, most nations that have developed nuclear weapons have tested them...
in the Yucca Flats/Nevada Test Site
Nevada Test Site
The Nevada National Security Site , previously the Nevada Test Site , is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of the city of Las Vegas...
northwest of Las Vegas. Winds routinely carried the fallout of these tests directly through St. George and southern Utah. Marked increases in cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
s such as leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, bone cancer, brain tumors, and gastrointestinal tract cancers were reported from the mid-1950s through 1980.
A 1962 United States Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
report found that "children living in St. George, Utah may have received doses to the thyroid
Thyroid
The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage...
of radioiodine as high as 120 to 440 rads" (1.2 to 4.4 Gy).
Geography
United 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 64.9 square miles (168.0 km²), of which, 64.4 square miles (166.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) of it (0.72%) is water.
St. George lies in the lowest elevation region of the state, Dixie, with most of the city lying below 3,000 feet (900 m). The city is surrounded by mountains and red sandstone butte
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
s, and it lies at the very northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. The Virgin River
Virgin River
The Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River in the U.S. states of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The river is about long. It was designated Utah's first wild and scenic river in 2009, during the centennial celebration of Zion National Park.-Course:...
flows through the city. The Santa Clara River also flows on the west side of the city before merging with the Virgin River to the south. In early 2005, major flooding occurred within these two rivers. One person was killed and several houses were destroyed by the raging Santa Clara River.
The city borders the northern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
state line, and is located between the towns of Santa Clara
Santa Clara, Utah
Santa Clara is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,630 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles , of which, 4.9 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of it...
and Ivins
Ivins, Utah
Ivins is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated at 7,205 in 2006. Although Ivins was a town in 2000, it has since been classified as a fifth-class city by state law.-History:...
to the west and Washington
Washington, Utah
Washington is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 8,186 at the 2000 census, and 18,761 as of the 2010 Census. Washington is east of St...
to the east. The core of the city, including its downtown, Dixie State College
Dixie State College of Utah
Dixie State College of Utah is a college located in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
, convention center, and hospital, are located in a small valley overlooking the Virgin River and surrounded by low lava and sandstone bluffs. The city's southern section, Bloomington, is more typical of the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
, with desert scrub and gravel dominating the landscape. The southeast part of the city contains some farming along the Virgin River, but like the west and northwest parts of the city has become increasingly dominated by suburban-style development.
Geology
Iron oxide
Iron oxides are chemical compounds composed of iron and oxygen. All together, there are sixteen known iron oxides and oxyhydroxides.Iron oxides and oxide-hydroxides are widespread in nature, play an important role in many geological and biological processes, and are widely utilized by humans, e.g.,...
. Although portions of the older section of the city (particularly the southern part near the Virgin River) lie on floodplain alluvium, much of St. George is built directly upon Jurassic, Triassic, and Permian period sedimentary bedrock. The following formations—listed in chronological order—can be found within the city limits.
Kaibab Limestone
Kaibab Limestone
The Kaibab is a geologic formation that is spread across the U.S. states of northern Arizona, southern Utah, east central Nevada and southeast California. This geologic unit is part of the Park City Group in Nevada and Utah and is sometimes locally classified as a geologic group in Utah...
(Permian): Grey fossiliferious limestone, exposed at the center of the Virgin River anticline along Horseman Park Drive and in the low hills to the south of South Bloomington Hills.
Moenkopi Formation
Moenkopi Formation
The Moenkopi is a geological formation that is spread across the U.S. states of New Mexico, northern Arizona, Nevada, southeastern California, eastern Utah and western Colorado. This unit is considered to be a group in Arizona. Part of the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range, this formation was...
(Triassic): Chocolatey-red and white banded mudstone, shale, limestone, and siltstone containing thick layers of gypsum, exposed at Bloomington, South Bloomington Hills, and the south side of Webb Hill
Webb Hill
Webb Hill is a mountain located approximately south of St. George, Utah, in Washington County. The mountain houses numerous radio and television tower facilities that serve the local area. The mountain's geology is common with the surrounding region....
.
Shinarump Conglomerate (Triassic): Yellow to brown cliff-forming sandstone and conglomerate containing fossilized oyster shells and petrified wood. Forms the cliff faces north of Bloomington, on Webb Hill, and along the Virgin River south of 1450 South Street. This is actually the lowest member of the Chinle formation.
Chinle Formation
Chinle Formation
The Chinle is a geologic formation that is spread across the U.S. states of northern Arizona, Nevada, Utah, western New Mexico, and western Colorado. The Chinle is controversially considered to be synonymous to the Dockum Group in eastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, southwestern Kansas, the...
(Triassic): Purple, white, grey and locally green bentonitic shale weathering to clay. Because of the softness of the strata, structures built on this formation run a higher risk of settling or slippage. The Chinle formation underlies large portions of St. George, including North Bloomington Hills, much of Green Valley, and much of the east part of the city around Riverside Drive and Pine View High School.
Moenave Formation
The Moenave Formation is a Mesozoic geologic formation. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.-See also:* List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations...
(Jurassic): Red and orange sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. There is some confusion about distinguishing between the Springdale sandstone member of the Moenave formation and the overlying Navajo sandstone, which is similar in appearance, in the St. George area. It is now generally assumed that the red cliffs to the north of the old part of the city (north of Red Hills Parkway) and at the Dixie Red Hills golf course are part of the Moenave formation. Other exposures include cuts into the east and west Black Hills and the southern part of Dixie Downs.
Kayenta Formation
Kayenta Formation
The Kayenta Formation is a geologic layer in the Glen Canyon Group that is spread across the Colorado Plateau province of the United States, including northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. This rock formation is particularly prominent in southeastern Utah, where it is seen in the...
(Jurassic): Red, orange, and purple sandstone, shale, and mudstone. Forms slopes below the massive Navajo sandstone in the northern part of the city including northern Dixie Downs and along Snow Canyon Parkway.
Navajo Sandstone
Navajo Sandstone
Navajo Sandstone is a geologic formation in the Glen Canyon Group that is spread across the U.S. states of northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, and Utah; as part of the Colorado Plateau province of the United States...
(Jurassic): Grey to brown, red, and (in its upper layers) white massive sandstone. Forms cliff faces above Snow Canyon Parkway and white outcrops at Winchester Hills.
Basaltic lava flows from the Quaternary period form the black ridges to the east and west of the old part of St. George city. The volcanic eruptions producing these flows are thought to date back 1.2 million years.
St. George straddles the line between the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
region to the east with its mesas, and the basin and range to the west with its broad landscapes and cactus forests. Other points of geologic interest include the Virgin River anticline; the rock has eroded away in the center leaving shear walls surrounding the "Purgatory Flats" area to the east of St. George. Another geologic feature is Pine Valley Mountain, composed of one solid piece of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, it is one of the largest laccolith
Laccolith
A laccolith is a sheet intrusion that has been injected between two layers of sedimentary rock. The pressure of the magma is high enough that the overlying strata are forced upward, giving the laccolith a dome or mushroom-like form with a generally planar base.Laccoliths tend to form at relatively...
s in the world.
Climate
Because of the city's low elevation and southerly location, St. George is the hottest part of the state and has a Subtropical arid climate (Koppen BWk), with maximum daily July temperatures averaging about 102 °F (39 °C). The hottest temperature ever recorded in Utah, 118 °F (48 °C), was recorded as being in a place south of St. George, near the ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
border, on July 4, 2007. The high-temperature record in Utah before that was 117 °F (47 °C), recorded in St. George itself on July 5, 1985. The record high minimum temperature (a.k.a. the record warm low temperature) is 89 °F (32 °C), set on July 15, 1970. In winter, temperatures frequently drop below freezing overnight (due to radiational cooling resulting from low humidity), but temperatures warm into the 50s°F (low 10s°C) during the day. Both the record low temperature of -11 °F (-24 °C) and record low maximum (a.k.a. cold high) temperature of 17 °F (-8 °C) were set on January 22, 1937.
St. George lies in a desert and averages 8.25 inches (210 mm) of precipitation annually. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, except for a dry period from late April through June (after the Pacific storm season but before the monsoon). Precipitation mostly comes from the Pacific Ocean from late fall through winter and early spring. The storm track usually lifts north of the city by mid-April. The summer monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
from the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
can bring localized but often intense thunderstorms from mid-July through mid-September. One such storm dropped the record single day precipitation in the city, with 2.39 in (61 mm) on August 31, 1909. Snow is rare, averaging 3.2 inches (8.1 cm) annually. It has been recorded as early as October 29 (in 1971) and as late as April 11 (in 1927). The record single day snowfall is 10.0 in (25.4 cm), set on January 5, 1974.
Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates post offices. The post offices are St. George and St. George Downtown.
Economy
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
, which has its corporate headquarters in St. George. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
has a large distribution center located near St. George. In 2003, Intermountain Health Care opened a new $100-million, 196-bed, 420000 square feet (39,019.3 m²) hospital building.
A large part of the economy of southwestern Utah comes from tourism. St. George is in proximity to Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
and Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau...
, as well as several state parks and recreational areas. It is a little less than an hour's drive from the Tony-award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival
Utah Shakespearean Festival
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a festival of repertory productions of the works of William Shakespeare and other dramatists. The Festival is held during the summer and fall on the campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah.-Awards:...
. Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
also plays a large part in the city's tourism industry. St. George offers one of the highest number of golf courses per capita in the country. Special events such as the St. George Marathon
St. George Marathon
The St. George Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of St. George, Utah on the first Saturday in October. The first race run was in November of 1977. It was originated and organized in just a few months by Sherm Miller, who worked for the Parks and Recreation Department...
and the Huntsman Senior Games draw thousands to St. George each year. The St. George Marathon is currently the 13th largest marathon in the country.
Transportation
The city is on the Interstate 15 corridor, 125 miles (201.2 km) south of the western terminus of Interstate 70. It has access to the Interstate 10Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
and Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
corridors via U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 is a major north–south United States highway in the western United States. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 60 in Wickenburg, Arizona. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border north of Eureka in Lincoln County, Montana, where the roadway continues into Roosville,...
, 120 miles (193.1 km) southwest. Utah State Route 7
Utah State Route 7
State Route 7 , also known as Southern Parkway, is a state highway in the extreme southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Utah, currently linking the southern periphery of St George to southeastern St George...
is a partially-constructed freeway, with a seven mile spur connecting I-15 to the city's airport.
St. George has no rail service. The Union Pacific line between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas is about 60 miles (96.6 km) north and west of the city. Community growth has led to construction of a new regional airport. The $175 million new airport opened in 2011, with daily jet service to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.
SunTran is St. George's public transit system and operates four bus routes in the city.
Religion
Like the rest of Utah, the history of St. George is strongly connected with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). St. George was originally settled by Mormon pioneers, and the name eventually bequeathed to it came from early Mormon leader George A. SmithGeorge A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
. The St. George Utah Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
is also the longest-continually operating temple. Although in St. George both Catholic and Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
denominations are well represented, the overwhelming portion of the population of the city belong to the LDS faith (~78% using 1990 statistics).
Sports
The St. George community has been the home to two minor-league independent baseball teams. The first, the St. George Pioneerzz (originally the Zion Pioneerzz), played in the independent Western Baseball LeagueWestern Baseball League
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. It's member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002....
from 1999 to 2001, winning the league championship in 2000. A new franchise, managed by former major league player Darell Evans, was awarded to Utah's Dixie in 2007. The team, the St. George Roadrunners, played in the independent Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
before being taken over by the league and moved to Henderson, Nevada
Henderson RoadRunners
The Henderson RoadRunners are an independent professional baseball team based out of Henderson, Nevada. They are members of the Western Division in the North American League and were scheduled to begin play in 2011 at Lied Field at Morse Stadium on the campus of the College of Southern Nevada in...
in 2010.
Three of the city's high schools (Dixie, Pine View, and Snow Canyon) play in 4A state competition. A fourth school, Desert Hills High School, began play in 2008 as a 3A school. Dixie State College participates in the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference
Pacific West Conference
The Pacific West Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division II...
. Some famous DSC athletes are Corey Dillon
Corey Dillon
Corey James Dillon is a former American football running back. He played his ten-season career for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, wearing jersey number 28 for both teams. Dillon played college football the University of Washington where he wore the number 4.-High school...
, Anton Palepoi
Anton Palepoi
Anton Palepoi is a former American football defensive end. He attended high school at Hunter High School in West Valley City, Utah where he played basketball and football for the Wolverines. He played at UNLV in college before moving to the NFL. He played for Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and...
, Reno Mahe
Reno Mahe
Sateki Reno Mahe, Jr. is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at BYU.-Early life:...
, and Scott Brumfield
Scott Brumfield
Scott Brumfield is a former professional football player. Brumfield was an Offensive Guard for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was not drafted, but later signed on to the Bengals as a free-agent in 1996. He played six seasons in the NFL. Brumfield suffered a severe spinal-cord injury that left his legs...
, who all played in the NFL. Marcus Banks
Marcus Banks
Arthur Lemarcus Banks III, commonly known as Marcus Banks , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA....
, Lionel Hollins
Lionel Hollins
-External links:***...
, Keon Clark
Keon Clark
Arian Keon Clark is a former American National Basketball Association player.After a collegiate career at two different junior colleges and UNLV, Clark was selected 13th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1998 NBA Draft but was traded to the Denver Nuggets...
, and Mo Baker are Dixie players who played in the NBA, and former Rebels Bradley Thompson
Bradley Thompson
Bradley Thompson is an American television producer and writer, best known for episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , The Twilight Zone , Battlestar Galactica , and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation with writing partner David Weddle...
and Brandon Lyon
Brandon Lyon
Brandon James Lyon is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Houston Astros. He throws a 4-seam fastball, 12-6 curveball, slider, and changeup.-Toronto Blue Jays:...
currently play in the major leagues. Former Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitcher Bruce Hurst
Bruce Hurst
Bruce Vee Hurst is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. He was even named World Series M.V.P...
played at Dixie High School, and later managed the now defunct Zion Pioneerzz in its inaugural season (1999).
The city also hosts nationally-known events, such as the St. George Marathon
St. George Marathon
The St. George Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of St. George, Utah on the first Saturday in October. The first race run was in November of 1977. It was originated and organized in just a few months by Sherm Miller, who worked for the Parks and Recreation Department...
, NJCAA Softball National Championships, Huntsman World Senior Games, and an Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
.
Media
The Spectrum, which is owned by Gannett, is the local, daily newspaper. The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning NewsDeseret Morning News
The Deseret News is a newspaper published in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is Utah's oldest continuously published daily newspaper. It has the second largest daily circulation in the state behind The Salt Lake Tribune. The Deseret News is owned by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of...
, and Las Vegas Review-Journal
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Las Vegas Review-Journal is published in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, and one of two daily newspapers in Las Vegas . It is the flagship publication of Stephens Media LLC...
/ Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sun
The Las Vegas Sun is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It is one of Las Vegas, Nevada's two daily newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group....
are also heavily distributed in St. George and offer home delivery. The Dixie Press Online, an online newspaper covering news in St. George and the region, went online in September 2010.
St. George has local television station KCSG
KCSG
KCSG is a full-service television station in Cedar City/St. George, Utah, broadcasting locally in digital on UHF channel 14 in Cedar City as the affiliate of Me-TV for the state of Utah. Founded June 11, 1984, the station began broadcasting in May 1990 and was licensed June 21, 1990. It is owned by...
Channel 14, a MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate, which broadcasts local news at 6:30PM and 9:00PM. The major television network affiliates are Salt Lake City stations that have broadcast translators in the St. George area. The Las Vegas NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate, KSNV has a local translator on which some of its programming airs two hours later than the same programming broadcast on KSL
KSL-TV
KSL-TV, virtual channel 5, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. KSL-TV is owned by Bonneville International Corporation, which is in turn owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
KDXU 890 is the main news radio station in St. George. It carries local programming
Local programming
The term Local Programme, Local Programming, Local Content or Local Television refers to a television programme made by a television station or independent television producer for broadcast only within the station's transmission area or television market...
from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. In July 2007, Sports Radio 1210 AM became an ESPN Radio network affiliate in Southern Utah. Music stations in the area include Sunny 106.1 and B92.1/96.7
The two leading radio broadcasting companies in Southern Utah are Cherry Creek Radio & Canyon Media broadcasting. Cherry Creek Radio St. George broadcasts 8 local stations including News Station KDXU 890, which carries local programming from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. KNPR, the National Public Radio affiliate from Las Vegas, has a translator near St. George and features news reports from Southern Utah with some frequency. Sunny 106.1FM broadcasts music from the 90's & today. B92.1/96.7 KXBN-FM, broadcasting "today's hit music." Sports Radio 1210 AM-KUNF-ESPN, broadcasting sporting events & talk. Star 98FM-KREC, playing adult contemporary. The Fox 102.3/107.3 KXFF FM, broadcasts "super Hits of the 60's & 70's and more." Canyon Media Broadcasting has four local stations: 99.9FM KONY Country; KZHK 95.9FM The Hawk (classic rock); 94.1 FM The Planet; and KZNU Fox News Radio 1450AM.
There are three low power FM
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
stations in St. George: KOEZ-LP, broadcasting a variety of Spanish-language programming at 105.1; KWBR-LP, broadcasting a classical music format at 105.7; and KTIM-LP
KTIM-LP
KTIM-LP is a low power FM radio station broadcasting environmental news, information, education, and music. Licensed to St. George, Utah, USA, the station serves the St. George area. The station is owned and operated by Wastecon Environmental Inc. a non-profit 501c3 environmental education...
.
St. George is home to the St. George Opera House
St. George Opera House
The St. George Opera House, also known as the St. George Social Hall, is a historic building in St. George, Utah. It was originally built by the St. George Gardeners' Club as a wine cellar. As wine demand decreased, the building was expanded to host theatrical productions. It operated in this...
, which regularly presents theatrical performances.
Education
St. George is home to Dixie State College of UtahDixie State College of Utah
Dixie State College of Utah is a college located in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
, a four-year institution. It is also home to Dixie Applied Technology College
Dixie Applied Technology College
Dixie Applied Technology College is a public technical training institution located in St. George, Utah and is part of the statewide Utah College of Applied Technology system...
. In addition to the colleges, St. George is also home to the College Education Center of Stevens-Henager College
Stevens-Henager College
Stevens–Henager College, headquartered in Ogden, Utah, United States, North America, is a private, for-profit, coeducational college, owned by CollegeAmerica. Established in 1891, the college has five campuses in Idaho and Utah. It offers online and on-campus programs in varied educational spectra...
Salt Lake City/Murray. It has four high schools, Dixie High School
Dixie High School (Utah)
Dixie High School is in St. George, Utah at 350 East 700 South. It is a Utah Class 3A school with around 1000 students. The school's mascot is the Flyers and is represented by a World War I-era biplane pilot.-History:...
, Pine View High School, Desert Hills High School
Desert Hills High School (Utah)
-External links:* * *...
, and Snow Canyon High School
Snow Canyon High School
-Sports:SCHS competes in the 4A division. Prior to 2007, it was in the 3A division. In the 2011-12 school year season it will be returning to the 3A division.-State championships:* Girls volleyball: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010* Baseball: 2001, 2007...
, as well as a number of elementary, intermediate, and middle schools. The school district serving the city is Washington County School District
Washington County School District (Utah)
Washington County School District is a school district headquartered in St. George, Utah, with 26,184 students enrolled as of February 2011. The district serves students in Washington County, Utah....
. Nearby Ivins
Ivins, Utah
Ivins is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated at 7,205 in 2006. Although Ivins was a town in 2000, it has since been classified as a fifth-class city by state law.-History:...
is home to Utah's first charter high school, Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, which provides an alternative education with no tuition costs to any Utah resident.
Three high schools in St. George have gay-straight alliance
Gay-straight alliance
Gay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
clubs founded in the autumn of 2010, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported early in 2011, although the alliance organizers encountered hostility from some students.
Demographics
As of 2009 the city population was estimated at 72,550. Many of these new residents are retirees who moved to the area because of the mild winters. In September 2005, St. George was declared the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States.As of the 2000 census
Census
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...
, there were 49,663 people, 17,367 households, and 13,042 families residing in the city. 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 771.2 people per square mile (297.7/km²). There were 21,083 housing units at an average density of 327.4 per square mile (126.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.27% White, 0.24% African-American, 1.64% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 2.87% 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 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.72% of the population.
There were 17,367 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years old or older. The average household size was 2.81 individuals and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,505, and the median income for a family was $41,788. Males had a median income of $31,106 versus $20,861 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 $17,022. About 7.4% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Juanita BrooksJuanita BrooksJuanita Pulsipher Brooks was an American historian and author, specializing in the American West and Mormon history, including books related to the Mountain Meadows massacre, to which her ancestor Dudley Leavitt was sometimes linked.-Biography:Born Juanita Leone Leavitt, Brooks was born and raised...
, Mormon writer, editor and historian - Julius ErvingJulius ErvingJulius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
, former NBA star - Jeffrey R. HollandJeffrey R. HollandJeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
, LDS religious leader - Bruce HurstBruce HurstBruce Vee Hurst is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. He was even named World Series M.V.P...
, former Major League Baseball pitcher - Asia CarreraAsia CarreraAsia Carrera is a former American pornographic actress.- Early life and education :Asia Carrera was born in New York City to a Japanese father and German mother, the eldest of four siblings. She was raised in Little Silver, New Jersey, attending the Little Silver School District and Red Bank...
, adult film star - Doug JolleyDoug JolleyDoug Jolley is a former American football tight end in the National Football League.-Life:Jolley attended Brigham Young University, where he was a first-team All-Mountain West selection in 2001. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and was a starter on...
, NFL tight end - Tracy HickmanTracy HickmanTracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
, fantasy author - Jay Don BlakeJay Don BlakeJay Don Blake is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour; he currently plays on the Champions Tour....
, NCAA golfer - Lavell EdwardsLaVell EdwardsR. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
, former BYU football coach - Dia Frampton, Runner-up in the inaugural season of The VoiceThe Voice (U.S. TV series)The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
Notable natives
- John "Cat" Thompson (1906–1990) - basketball player; member of the Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
- Bruce HurstBruce HurstBruce Vee Hurst is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. He was even named World Series M.V.P...
(b. 1958) - MLB baseball pitcher (All-Star - Boston Red Sox 1987) - Amanda RighettiAmanda RighettiAmanda Righetti is an American actress and film producer. She is best known for her roles in The Mentalist, Friday the 13th and The O.C. In 2008, Righetti was the winner of the Best Actress award at the New York International Independent Film Video Festival for the Short Film category.-Early...
(b. 1983) - actress (The OC, ReunionReunion (TV series)Reunion is an American television series that aired on FOX in late 2005. The series was intended to chronicle 20 years in the lives of a group of six high school friends from Bedford, New York, with each episode following one year in the lives of the six, beginning with their high school graduation...
, The MentalistThe MentalistThe Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
) - Robert AdamsonRobert Adamson (actor)Robert Gillespie Adamson IV is an American actor. He's best known for his role as Charles Antoni on the television series Lincoln Heights.-Personal life:...
(b. 1985) - actor (Lincoln HeightsLincoln Heights (TV series)Lincoln Heights is an American drama television series about Eddie Sutton, a Mission Vista police officer who moves his family back to his old neighborhood, Lincoln Heights, to start a new life and to help out his old neighborhood...
) - Meg and Dia Frampton - members of the singing group Meg and Dia
Notable businesses
- West Coast Stock Car Hall of FameWest Coast Stock Car Hall of FameThe West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame is a Hall of Fame for people associated with late-model stock car racing on the West Coast of the United States. Many NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series champions are inducted in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is located at Toyota Speedway at...
, construction scheduled between late 2010 until mid 2011 - SkyWest AirlinesSkywest AirlinesSkywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
Corporate Office - National Headquarters - Cafe RioCafe RioCafe Rio is a fast casual restaurant chain prominent in the Western United States with branches in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Maryland, Utah, Virginia, and Idaho, serving a variety of Mexican-style food. As of September 2011, the chain has 43 restaurants. The 44th and 45th locations...
Company founded here before subsequent corporate move to Salt Lake City, UT in 2004 after its sale.
Popular culture
Some movies that were filmed in St. George:- The Conqueror
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidButch Cassidy and the Sundance KidButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman...
- The CarThe CarThe Car is a 1977 thriller/horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, and Ronny Cox, and tells the story of a mysterious car which goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the...
- Harry's WarHarry's War (1981 film)Harry's War is a feature length independent film from American Film Consortium and Taft International Pictures, released in 1981. Starring Edward Herrmann, Geraldine Page, Karen Grassle, David Ogden Stiers, Elisha Cook, Salome Jens and Noble Willingham...
- The Electric HorsemanThe Electric HorsemanThe Electric Horseman is a 1979 adventure and romance feature film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and directed by Sydney Pollack. It was the third time Redford and Fonda starred together in a feature film, having previously teamed on The Chase and Barefoot in the Park .-Plot:Sonny Steele ...
- Jeremiah JohnsonJeremiah JohnsonJeremiah Johnson is a 1972 western film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford as the title character and Will Geer as "Bear Claw" Chris Lapp...
- Romancing the StoneRomancing the StoneRomancing the Stone is a 1984 American action-adventure romantic comedy. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, it stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. The film was followed by a 1985 sequel, The Jewel of the Nile....
- High School Musical 2
- The FlyboysThe FlyboysThe Flyboys is a 2008 American adventure film starring Jesse James, Reiley McClendon, Stephen Baldwin, and Tom Sizemore.-Plot:...
- Jurassic ParkJurassic Park (film)Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
- On Our OwnOn Our Own (film)On Our Own is a 1988 family film, from Feature Films for Families, about four children, Mitch, Kate, Travis and Lori. After being abandoned by their father and with the death of their mother they are forced to move into a children's home...
- The city was mentioned briefly in the Fred SavageFred SavageFredrick Aaron "Fred" Savage is an American actor, director and producer of television and film.He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series The Wonder Years and as the grandson in The Princess Bride...
film, The Wizard (1989). - The city was mentioned in the season three premiere of Breaking BadBreaking BadBreaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
as the city from where one of the flights involved the the mid-air collision was being operated. - The city was mentioned in the sociologic book of Edward C. BanfieldEdward C. BanfieldEdward Christie Banfield was an American political scientist, best known as the author of The Moral Basis of a Backward Society , and The Unheavenly City . One of the leading scholars of his generation, Banfield was an adviser to Republican presidents...
, The Moral Basis of a Backward SocietyThe Moral Basis of a Backward SocietyThe Moral Basis of a Backward Society is a book by Edward C. Banfield, a political scientist who visited Montegrano , Italy in 1955 and observed a self interested , family centric society which sacrificed the public good for the sake of nepotism and the immediate family...
. Bansfield created a comparation between St. George and the Italian village in Lucania, ChiaromonteChiaromonteChiaromonte is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
(literary named Montegrano): St George was taken as an example of community welfare.
"For example, a single issue of the weekly newspaper published in St. George, Utah (population
4,562), reports a variety of public-spirited undertakings. The Red Cross is conducting a membership drive. The Business and Professional Women's Club is raising funds to build an additional dormitory for the local junior college by putting on a circus in which the members will be both clowns and animals The Future Farmers of America (whose purpose is "to develop agricultural leadership, cooperation, and citizenship through individual and group leadership") are holding a father-son banquet. A local business firm has given an encyclopedia to the school district. The Chamber of Commerce is discussing the feasibility of building an all-weather road between two nearby towns. Skywatch volunteers are being signed up. A local church has collected $1,393.11 in pennies for a children's hospital 350 miles away. The County Farm Bureau is flying one of its members to Washington, 2,000 miles away, to participate in discussions of farm policy. Meetings of the Parent Teachers Associations are being held in the schools. "As a responsible citizen of our community", the notice says, "you belong,in the PTA"(...)
- The city was destroyed by nuclear weapons in the US television series JerichoJericho (TV series)Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
.
External links
- City of St. George official website
- St. George Area Chamber of Commerce
- Spectrum Newspaper Local Newspaper
- St. George News free online newspaper