Richfield, Utah

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Richfield is highlighted in red

Richfield is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,847. It lies in the Mormon Corridor, just off of Interstate 70 about 30 miles east of its junction with Interstate 15. Since it lies about half the distance between Los Angeles, California and Denver, Colorado, Richfield has become a favorite rest stop for travelers going from one metropolitan area to the other.

Though not large, Richfield is remote from larger cities. One has to travel about 100 miles or more in any direction to reach a more populous town. Its remoteness, plus its location on major transportation corridors, makes it central Utah's defacto regional capital, a shopping and "commercial capital of a vast mountain-valley region."^[1]

Though bigger towns are distant, dozens of less populous locations are found in the general area. Many people travel to Richfield to shop, bowl, golf, to attend theater, concerts, or for religious gatherings. They also come to study at the Community College, and to gain access to more substantial medical resources, as Richfield is the closest place that offers these amenities.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Religion
4 History
5 Famous People
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] Geography

Utah Regions, with Richfield District in Red

Richfield is located at 38°45′57″N, 112°5′15″W (38.765939, -112.087638).^GR1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.7 km² (5.3 mi²), all land.

The Utah Department of Transportation divides Utah up into three whole Regions (Ogden, Salt Lake, Provo) and a fourth Region which is split up into three Districts. One of these Districts is named after Richfield.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 6,847 people, 2,166 households, and 1,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 500.7/km² (1,297.4/mi²). There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 170.2/km² (440.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.41% White, 0.39% African American, 3.29% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.

There were 2,166 households out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the city the population was spread out with 35.4% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,024, and the median income for a family was $40,284. Males had a median income of $33,000 versus $20,489 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,320. About 7.0% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

The city has seen a steady increase in population in every Decennial Census since 1890, at which time it was reported to have 1,531 people residing in the city.^[2]

[edit] Religion

Like most settled areas of rural Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS" or "Mormons") plays a prominent role. "The Mormons were unbelievably industrious colonizers. From 1847, when they founded Salt Lake City, until 1877," they founded 360 towns.^[3] Following direction from Brigham Young, Latter-day Saints founded the town and outlying hamlets about 150 years ago, and they remain the vast majority of residents.^[4]

An writer once said that the "[s]eparation of Church and State in [Salt Lake City] is about three blocks," referring to the distance from the Utah State Capitol Building to LDS Church headquarters.^{[citation needed]} In Richfield the separation can fairly be said to be somewhat less than that.^{[citation needed]} Public gatherings at school or in government tend to start with prayer.^{[citation needed]} High School and Junior High students have an option of an hour of "released time" each school day so they can attend off campus religious education, called Seminary.

Even in this heart of Mormon Country, non-Mormons and non-participating Mormons, called "inactives," fill a percentage of elective offices.^[5] However, the city and the surrounding county are heavily Republican. In the 2006 elections no city or county office had a Democrat on the ballot in the whole of Sevier County.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

In 1939 Utah Governor Henry H. Blood vetoed a proposal for a junior college in Richfield. Fifty-seven years later, Snow College opened a Richfield campus, which serves about 600 students per year.

[edit] Famous People

Jake Garn, served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah; the first member of the United States Congress to fly in space - born in Richfield
Joseph Hansen, secretary and guard to Leon Trotsky in Mexico for the last three years before Trotsky was murdered - born in Richfield
Walter Frederick Morrison, the inventor of the Frisbee - born in Richfield

[edit] References

^ Ward Roylance, Utah: A Guide to the State, Salt Lake City, 1982, p. 602
^ http://www.governor.utah.gov/dea/HTMLBriefs/CityCountyBrief/Historic/CityPop.htm
^ Jim Kjelgaard, The Coming of the Mormons, New York, Random House, 1953, p. 174.
^ Leonard Arrington, An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints: 1830 - 1900.
^ Wallace Stegner, Mormon Country, about 1940.