Salt Lake City, Utah Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
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As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 181,743 (159,936 in 1990). The population of the Salt Lake Metro Area is over 1 million. It is the largest city in the state and the county seat of Salt Lake County. Residents are called "Salt Lakers".
The current mayor of the city is Ross C. ("Rocky") Anderson.
Salt Lake City was the host of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
''Please see main article: History of Salt Lake City
On July 24, 1847 143 men, three women and two children members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founded Salt Lake City on the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake. They were led by Brigham Young who led the Saints after the death of the religion's founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Upon arrival to the Salt Lake valley, Young reportedly confirmed a vision by saying, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on." Originally named "Great Salt Lake City", the city became Utah's state capital on January 4, 1896.
In 2002 Salt Lake City played host to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
History
Government & Politics
Since 1979 Salt Lake City has maintained a non-partisan Mayor-council form of government. The full-time mayor is elected to four year terms without term limit. The last such election occurred in 2003. Salt Lake City's seven part-time city councilors are also elected to four year terms. Three council elections are held the same year as mayoral elections and the other four are staggered two years from these votes. Each council seat is defined by geographic boundaries, so each councilor represents about 26,000 citizens.
- Rocky Anderson – Mayor (term expires 2007)
- Carlton Christensen – 1st District Council Member (term expires 2005)
- Van Blair Turner – 2nd District Council Member (term expires 2007)
- Eric Jergensen – 3rd District Council Member (term expires 2005)
- Nancy Saxton – 4th District Council Member (term expires 2007)
- Jill Remington Love – 5th District Council Member (term expires 2005)
- Dave Buhler – 6th District Council Member (term expires 2007)
- Dale Lambert – 7th District Council Member (term expires 2005)
See also: List of mayors of Salt Lake City.
The city itself is laid out in a grid plan with most streets running precisely north-south or east-west. The origin of the grid is the south-east corner of Temple Square, the location of the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Street addresses are coordinates within the grid system. 100 units is equal to 1/8th of a mile, the length of blocks in downtown Salt Lake City. For instance, one might speak of the intersection of 700 East and 3300 South or 7th East and 33rd South. Both styles indicating the same coordinate. Blocks become more irregularly spaced farther from the city center, but the entire county uses the same unit length and origin. [1].
City layout
Neighborhoods
Salt Lake City has quite a number of informal neighborhoods that are well known throughout the city and even noted on most local maps. One of the most recognizable is The Avenues to the northeast. The Avenues are a district of old houses built at a similar time on perfectly rectangular blocks defined by streets named after letters of the alphabet, and avenuess (1st, 2nd, etc). Other neighborhoods include:
The east side of town (Sugar House, Capitol Hill, Federal Heights, etc.) is often characterized as the "good" side, whereas the westside (Rose Park and Glendale) is the "bad" side. These characterizations are based on historical prejudices. When the railroad first came to Salt Lake, it ran primarily through the west side, and large industrial complexes grew up around it. Many primarily non-Mormon immigrants settled there to work, whereas the majority of Mormon citizens stayed on the east of town. After World War II, much of the affordable housing was built in Rose Park and Glendale. As these families gained wealth, they moved to more desirable homes on the east. The neighborhoods were left with mostly poorer residents, and crime became rampant. These distinctions are still apparent.
The LDS church also divides the city (and other locations where it is strong) into stakess and wardss. A stake is roughly analogous to a diocese, and a ward is similar to a parish. Due to the pervasive influence of the LDS church within Utah, even those who aren't members of the LDS church are often aware of what ward they are in.
The freeways in Salt Lake City are: I-15, running north/south; I-80, running east/west; and the I-215 Belt Route, running 3/4 of the way around the city. Other highways include Utah 201 (also called "the 201" or the "21st South freeway") and US 89 (known as State Street within Salt Lake City, but runs the length of the state from north to south.). Regular maintenance on these roadways had been delayed for a few years, but in anticipation of the 2002 Winter Olympics, major overhauls were made.
Plans exist for a freeway running the length of the west side of the valley from Brigham City in the north to Nephi in the south, connecting with I-215 in Salt Lake County. This freeway is know as the Legacy Highway and has caused quite a bit of controversy. It is currently stalled because environmentalists' lawsuits forced the re-evaluation of the environmental impact statement.
A light rail system, known as TRAX, had also been planned for years. In anticipation of the 2002 Winter Olympics this system was funded and built. It began service on December 4, 1999. Plans for a future link into other parts of the city are already in the works, including several proposed lines. Suggestions include a line to Sugar House, a link to the airport, and several alternative plans to bring TRAX into West Valley City, West Jordan, and Draper. It is administered by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), was added to link downtown with the suburbs, as well as the University of Utah.
There are also plans for a commuter rail that by 2020 should extend from Brigham City, north of Ogden, to Payson, which is south of Provo. This is the approximate length of the Wasatch Front. The first segment, between Salt Lake City and Ogden, is expected to be completed by 2007.
UTA also runs the bus system in Salt Lake. The combined bus and rail services reach almost everywhere within Salt Lake City, and many points in the valley and beyond, serving the entire length of the Wasatch Front. Other services provided by UTA include a paratransit service, which has curbside pickup for disabled riders, express busses running between Salt Lake and its major suburbs, and winter service to the ski resorts in the Wasatch Mountains.
Salt Lake City is serviced by the Salt Lake City International Airport. In 2004 Delta Air Lines announced that they were considering removing Salt Lake as a major hub. Many people were worried this would hurt the city's economy, as the airline brings millions of people into the city each year. In the end Delta decided not only to keep Salt Lake as a hub, but also to expand it. The airline announced they would add 58 flights (including 13 nonstop) beginning in February 2005, while cutting back on its service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, thus "de-hubbing" it.
Three taxicab services exist in Salt Lake City. They are Ute Cab, City Cab, and Yellow Cab. Recently there has been a controversy over city government not allowing new taxi services to form. Many believe the three existing cab companies could use more competition and accuse Mayor Anderson, a former cabbie, of preferential treatment.
Other important buildings are the Delta Center, One Utah Center, the historic Tabernacle, the Salt Lake LDS Temple (which is Utah's number one tourist attraction), and the newer LDS Conference Center which seats about 20,000. Another popular attraction is the architecturally unique Salt Lake City Public Library, which ranks number two among Utah's most popular tourist destinations (right after Temple Square and before Zion National Park).
The Wells Fargo Center is sometimes referred to as the American Stores Tower, but American never moved in as it merged with Albertsons in 1999.
Hogle Zoo is at the foot of the mountains on the east bench, and Liberty Park just southeast of downtown.
Future plans for Salt Lake include the Living Earth Aquarium (which is already running on a limited scale at the Gateway Mall) and the Leonardo, which will be a multi-faceted art, culture, and science center. The Leonardo will be housed in the old Salt Lake City main library building.[1]
See also: Buildings and sites of Salt Lake City, Utah
Winter snow-skiing included destinations such as Alta and Deer Valley (which both allow only skiing). Both skiing and snowboarding are available at Snowbird, Park City, Solitude, Brighton. These and other ski resorts can be reached in less than a half-hour drive from some places in the metro. The proximity of the ski resorts adds to the Utah boast of the "Greatest Snow on Earth". The ski resorts see frequent storms which deposit light, dry snow due to a phenomenon called the "lake effect" where moisture picked up over the Great Salt Lake precipitates in the Wasatch Mountains.
Salt Lake City is home to the Utah Jazz National Basketball Association team, as well as the Salt Lake Stingers minor league baseball team. The Stingers are the Anaheim Angels Triple A affiliate. The city also hosts a hockey team, the Utah Grizzlies and a minor league mens' soccer team, the Utah Blitzz. MLS announced that Salt Lake City will receive its latest expansion team in 2005, which will be named Real Salt Lake.
Although the city is often stereotyped as entirely Mormon, it is in fact culturally diverse. The city is the location of many cultural activities, Mormon and otherwise. Some popular annual cultural celebrations include:
The economy of the city is primarily services-oriented. While nearby Kennecott Copper Mine provided a strong source of income during the 19th century, the city has evolved to an economy built on transit hubs, call-centers, and seasonal tourism. The 2002 Olympic Winter Games gave a great boost to the area's economy.
KSL-TV, channel 5 is one of Utah's oldest television stations. Other media include newspapers, such as the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News, and the Salt Lake City Weekly.
For more information see: List of Salt Lake City media.
Films shot in Salt Lake City
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 285.9 km² (110.4 mi²). 282.5 km² (109.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.3 km² (1.3 mi²) of it is water.
The total area is 1.17% water.
The city is located in a large valley, the Salt Lake Valley, separated by the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Oquirrh Mountains to the west.
Winter weather is not as harsh as in some other locations within the Rocky Mountain region because of the moderating effect of the Great Salt Lake to the northwest of the city. Temperatures seldom fall below 0°F/-18°C for any length of time. However, temperature inversions in winter commonly result in cold, foggy weather in the city while the surrounding mountains enjoy warmer temperatures and sunshine.
Summers are likewise moderated somewhat by the lake, and also by the city's elevation (4,290 feet at Temple Square). Days over 100°F/38°C occur on average 8 times per year, but such days are not terribly uncomfortable due to the typically low humidity, which, combined with the altitude, produce a large daily range in temperatures, and hence, rather cool nights, in summer (both precipitation and humidity are highest in late winter and early spring, and lowest in late summer and early autumn).
Snowfall is frequent from December through March, but it is unusual for any one storm to accumulate more than 12 inches/30 cm on the valley floor (average winter temperatures in the city are not quite cold enough to support a stable, constant snow cover all winter long every year). Bench locations near the mountains often receive substantially more. The summer monsoon rising from Mexico and Arizona occasionally pass through the region starting in mid-July and continue through September, bringing intense thunderstorm activity; otherwise, summers are generally dry.
The racial makeup of the city is:
In the city the population is spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who are 65 years of age or older.
The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 101.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,944, and the median income for a family is $45,140. Males have a median income of $31,511 versus $26,403 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,752. 15.3% of the population and 10.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 18.7% are under the age of 18 and 8.5% are 65 or older.
About half of Salt Lake City's population are members of the LDS Church. This rises to about 90% for the State's more rural municipalities, averaging about 75% for Utah as a whole.
This is an Article on Salt Lake City, Utah. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Salt Lake City, Utah Transportation
Major attractions
Salt Lake City's downtown core houses an impressive collection of old and new structures with several twenty-plus story steel and glass towers adjacent to late nineteeth century brick and mortar. The tallest building in the city is the Wells Fargo Center, at 24 stories and 422 ft, although the LDS Church Office Building has more stories, at 28, and is only slightly shorter, at 420 ft. Furthermore, the Church Office Building actualy appears higher as it's on slightly higher ground.Recreation & Sports
Culture & Celebrations
Economy
Higher education
Post-secondary educational options in Salt Lake City include:Media
Salt Lake has many diverse media outlets. Major ones include:Salt Lake City in film
The following are films which are set in or around Salt Lake City, Utah:
Note that Utah is a right-to-work state, and as such, has become a popular filming location, because actors and labor are not required to follow rules for the Screen Actors Guild. Salt Lake City provides a good, generic western US urban landscape, often playing the substitute for Los Angeles, Denver, or unnamed cities.
Television shows shot in Salt Lake City
Geography & Climate
Salt Lake City is located at 40°45'17" North, 111°53'33" West (40.754700, -111.892622)1.of Salt Lake City, Utah. North is to the left of the photo.]]
Like most of the cities stretching north and south of Salt Lake City (See Ogden and Provo), it lies at the base of the Wasatch Mountains which in some places rise impressively 6,000 feet above the valley floor. This metro area is known commonly as the Wasatch Front.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 181,743 people, 71,461 households, and 39,803 families residing in the city. The population density is 643.3/km² (1,666.1/mi²). There are 77,054 housing units at an average density of 272.7/km² (706.4/mi²).
There are 71,461 households out of which 27.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% are married couples living together, 10.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.3% are non-families. 33.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.24.Religious affiliation
Trivia
External links