Provo, Utah
This metropolitan city has a population of 112,488 and ranks third in terms of size in Utah, after Salt Lake and Ogden. The presence of Brigham Young University and the largest Missionary Training center for the Latter-day Saints church have made this city more noticeable. Other cities in Utah are moderately conservative but it is Provo that bears the tag of being the most conservative city in the whole of the United States. It has earned this title from a study released by the Bay Area Center for Voting and Research. It was considered one of the top ten places suitable to raise a family by Forbes in 2010.
Provo has a lot to offer those who enjoy city life as well as the outdoors. It has something to appeal to everyone's senses. Many businesses in the city also thrive.
Provo History
It is believed that the indigenous people of Utah were the Anasazi and the Fremont tribes. They lived in the state even before the advent of European explorers, but these tribes disappeared around the 15th century. Around the 18th century the Navajo and other Uto-Aztecan tribes like Goshute, the Shoshone and the Paiute settled in this region. These people were present in the region when the Europeans explored the place. The lineages of these tribes are believed to be present in most of the cities in Utah, including metropolitan areas like Provo and Orem.
Provo was first discovered by a Spanish Franciscan missionary named Father Silvestre Velez who also had a great appetite for exploring places. He visited this area in 1776 and this exploration was recorded as the first "European Exploration across the Great Basin Desert". When the Mormon families from Salt Lake City came in and settled in Provo in the year 1849, they named it Fort Utah. The name was easily agreed upon as the 33 Mormon families constituted the majority of the population back then, but later the name was changed to Provo by a French-Canadian trapper named Étienne Provost in the year 1825.
After Brigham Young became the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, he led a group of over 70,000 Mormon pioneers and set out in the search for a place to practice their religion without any interference. They settled in the Salt Lake City which according to them was apt for their purpose owing to its barren desert land which would make it difficult for explorers to interfere in their purpose. Contrary to what they had planned, the church converts came pouring in from the east and began to initiate settlements along the Wasatch Front, which included Provo.
The battle of Provo is chronicled as the fieriest battle in the rather unvaried history of the city. It was waged by the Mormon settlers against the Ute leaders over the murders at the Battle Creek in 1850. When the leaders decided to build Fort Utah and hence settle in the Utah Valley the insurgency became intense and the murder of Old Bishop added fuel to the fire. This trail of events led to a battle of Provo which was fought at the fort. Around 50 Ute leaders died in this battle. As a result of this battle, Fort Utah was removed from its original location near the Utah Lake and was rebuilt in Provo, which now stands as the Pioneer Park.
About Provo, Utah
It is not a rare occurrence to spot a wild animal on the streets of Provo, in fact, wild deer, cougars and moose frequent the city streets which lures tourists to the city. Local residents along with visitors prefer hiking, skiing and fishing in the picturesque surroundings of the city. The climatic conditions vary vastly over the year. The city experiences hot and dry summers and fairly cold winters. It rains scantily as one might expect, with a few spells of shower during monsoons.
Bay Area Center for Voting Research released a study according to which, Provo is the most conservative city not only in Utah, but in the whole of the United States. This makes the city subject to a lot of criticism. The local political discussions manage to create a furor in the other parts of the United States throughout the year. The members of the LDS church form the majority of the city's population and have a moderately conservative to very conservative approach.
The city is famous for the quality of education imparted by the educational institutes present in it and Brigham Young University is one of them. This university is the third largest private university in the U.S. and is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its campus houses the largest building in Provo, the Spencer W. Kimball Tower. The former building of Brigham Young Academy, built in 1892 is now occupied by Provo City Library. The building was registered in the National Register of Historic Places as well.
After it was ranked as the second best place for business or careers in 2010, the city witnessed an increase of a whopping 47 percent in its population which earned it the title of "the city with the greatest population increase" in 2010. Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival every July at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Events like "Festival Latino-Americano" in Provo celebrate Hispanic culture with performances and ethnic food stalls whereas the "Sego Festival" showcases talented artists, filmmakers and musicians. Both of these events attract a lot of tourists from the US and from other parts of North America as well.
About Utah County, Utah
Provo is a part of Utah County named after the Ute or Yuta Indians who occupied this region for many centuries. It accounts for the majority of population in Utah. Provo, which is the largest city in this county, also happens to be the third largest populated city in Utah. The city of Lehi is the center of population in Utah and this city is a part of the Utah County. The Metropolitan Statistical Area of Provo-Orem includes this county and thus explains the metropolitan culture in it. It is one of the seven counties present in the United States that have the same name as their states.
Utah County's county seat is located in Provo since it is the most developed city in this county. This county spreads over an area of 2,141 square miles, out of which 143 square miles is covered by water. Its adjacent counties include Salt Lake County, Tooele County, Wasatch County, Sanpete County and Juab County. About 30% of the people living here are of British decent followed by 10% of German decent. The county is governed by three officials namely the Sheriff, the Attorney and the Clerk, elected by the local people.
Utah County attracts a lot of students because of the presence of Brigham Young University in Provo and Utah Valley University in Orem. Tourism is the most thriving industry in Utah County and even the state offers exceptional views throughout the year. Major tourist spots in and near Utah County include Uinta National Forest, Mantila Sal forest and the Ashley National Forest. The topography being suitable for adventure sports, Utah County is famous for hiking, boating and biking as well. The county is also rich in heritage with 3 art museums and photography galleries. Residents can hunt for animals like elk and deer and fish in the ponds as a part of their leisure activities. Utah county is also famous for its carnivals, horse racing events and other festivals.