Panguitch, Utah

Panguitch, Utah
City

Panguitch Main Street

Location in Garfield County and state of Utah
Coordinates: 37°49′20″N 112°26′5″W / 37.82222°N 112.43472°W / 37.82222; -112.43472Coordinates: 37°49′20″N 112°26′5″W / 37.82222°N 112.43472°W / 37.82222; -112.43472
Country United States
State Utah
County Garfield
Settled 1864
Incorporated June 10, 1899
Named for Southern Paiute for "big fish"
Government
 • Mayor Eric Houston
 • Manager Lori Talbot
Area
 • Total 2.14 sq mi (5.53 km2)
 • Land 2.14 sq mi (5.53 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 6,624 ft (2,019 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,520
 • Estimate (2015) 1,481
 • Density 694/sq mi (267.8/km2)
Time zone Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP code 84759
Area code(s) 435
FIPS code 49-57740[1]
GNIS feature ID 1444170[2]
Website panguitch.com

Panguitch /ˈpeɪŋɡwɪtʃ/ is a city in and the county seat of Garfield County, Utah, United States.[3] The population was 1,520 at the 2010 census,[4] and was estimated in 2015 to be 1,481.[5]

Geography

Panguitch is located in western Garfield County at 37°49′20″N 112°26′5″W / 37.82222°N 112.43472°W / 37.82222; -112.43472 (37.822234, -112.434650),[6] in the valley of the Sevier River. U.S. Route 89 passes through the center of town, leading north 33 miles (53 km) to Junction and south 45 miles (72 km) to Orderville. Utah State Route 143 leads southwest from Panguitch 17 miles (27 km) to Panguitch Lake in Dixie National Forest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km2), all of it land.[4]

Climate

Panguitch has a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with summers featuring hot afternoons and cold mornings, and cold, dry winters. The high altitude and relatively high latitude means that mornings are cold throughout the year and freezing for most of it: between 1971 and 2000 an average of 227.7 mornings fell below freezing and 16.5 mornings fell to or below 0 °F (−17.8 °C). Maxima, however, can be expected to top freezing on all but fourteen afternoons during an average year, and the winters are so dry that snowfall is light, averaging only 19.2 inches or 0.49 metres with median cover never much above 1 inch or 0.025 metres. The most snowfall in a month has been 32.0 inches (0.81 m) in the famously cold January 1949, and the most in a season 48.5 inches (1.23 m) from July 1951 to June 1952. Mild, dry winters like 1976/1977 and 1980/1981 can in contrast see negligible snowfall for an entire season.

In a manner more akin to Arizona than northern Utah, most of the limited precipitation occurs during the July to October monsoon season, but Garfield County is usually too far north to receive the monsoon’s full benefit. The wettest month on record has been August 1987 with 5.17 inches (131.3 mm), and the wettest day August 18, 1984 with 1.87 inches (47.5 mm). 1967 with 17.06 inches (433.3 mm) has been the wettest calendar year, whereas in 1989 only 6.15 inches (156.2 mm) fell.

Climate data for Panguitch, Utah (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 63
(17)		 69
(21)		 76
(24)		 85
(29)		 96
(36)		 98
(37)		 102
(39)		 99
(37)		 94
(34)		 85
(29)		 77
(25)		 63
(17)		 102
(39)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 52
(11)		 56
(13)		 65
(18)		 74
(23)		 82
(28)		 90
(32)		 93
(34)		 90
(32)		 85
(29)		 77
(25)		 66
(19)		 55
(13)		 92
(33)
Average high °F (°C) 41.0
(5)		 45.2
(7.3)		 53.4
(11.9)		 60.9
(16.1)		 71.4
(21.9)		 82.2
(27.9)		 87.1
(30.6)		 83.9
(28.8)		 77.4
(25.2)		 64.8
(18.2)		 50.6
(10.3)		 40.9
(4.9)		 63.3
(17.4)
Average low °F (°C) 10.2
(−12.1)		 14.6
(−9.7)		 21.2
(−6)		 26.1
(−3.3)		 33.0
(0.6)		 39.7
(4.3)		 46.7
(8.2)		 45.5
(7.5)		 37.0
(2.8)		 26.4
(−3.1)		 17.5
(−8.1)		 10.0
(−12.2)		 27.3
(−2.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −9
(−23)		 −7
(−22)		 6
(−14)		 14
(−10)		 21
(−6)		 29
(−2)		 37
(3)		 37
(3)		 25
(−4)		 14
(−10)		 −2
(−19)		 −9
(−23)		 −13
(−25)
Record low °F (°C) −38
(−39)		 −31
(−35)		 −15
(−26)		 −2
(−19)		 10
(−12)		 17
(−8)		 29
(−2)		 25
(−4)		 14
(−10)		 −10
(−23)		 −22
(−30)		 −32
(−36)		 −38
(−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.57
(14.5)		 0.59
(15)		 0.67
(17)		 0.57
(14.5)		 0.64
(16.3)		 0.49
(12.4)		 1.14
(29)		 1.80
(45.7)		 0.98
(24.9)		 1.24
(31.5)		 0.75
(19)		 0.46
(11.7)		 9.9
(251.5)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.6
(14.2)		 5.3
(13.5)		 2.1
(5.3)		 0.9
(2.3)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.3
(0.8)		 2.4
(6.1)		 2.6
(6.6)		 19.2
(48.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01) 5 5 5 5 5 3 8 10 6 5 4 4 67
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 16
Source: NOAA[7]

History

Aerial photo of Panguitch.

Panguitch was first settled in March 1864, when Jens Nielsen, a Danish convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), led a group of pioneers eastward from Parowan and Beaver to the Sevier River. Due to the area's high elevation, 6,600 feet (2,000 m) above sea level, the settlers' initial crops did not mature and the community suffered severely during the first harsh winter. At a crisis point, seven men left the community to seek flour and foodstuffs from surrounding communities. Heavy snow forced the abandonment of wagons and teams, and the men finished their rescue mission on foot, reportedly by laying one quilt after another upon the snow to maintain their footing.[8]

Due to a conflict with native tribes, the Black Hawk War in Utah, the community was temporarily abandoned in 1867 but was resettled in 1871. Some residents specializing in timber and livestock production were quite successful until economic shifts following World War I. Due to the establishment of Bryce Canyon National Park and the designation of nearby areas as national forests, tourism has since played a major role in the local economy.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880846—
18901,01520.0%
1900883−13.0%
19101,33851.5%
19201,47310.1%
19301,5414.6%
19401,97928.4%
19501,501−24.2%
19601,435−4.4%
19701,318−8.2%
19801,3431.9%
19901,4447.5%
20001,62312.4%
20101,520−6.3%
Est. 20161,665[9]9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,623 people, 502 households, and 392 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,194.0 people per square mile (460.8/km²). There were 620 housing units at an average density of 456.1 per square mile (176.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.02% White, 0.49% African American, 2.46% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.16% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.90% of the population.

There were 502 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.55.

In the city, the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,500, and the median income for a family was $39,904. Males had a median income of $28,259 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,439. About 6.2% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

In the science-fiction film Contact (1997), a fictional religious fanatic and suicide bomber named Joseph, played by Jake Busey, filmed his explanation for his death in a hotel in Panguitch.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Panguitch city, Utah". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ Latter-day Saint (Mormon) and Utah characters and references in the movie Contact (1997) and in the novel Contact, by Carl Sagan
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