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11/10/2024 5:14:50 AM
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Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT 

The capital and largest city of Utah, United States, is Salt Lake City (SLC), which is frequently abbreviated to Salt Lake. The most populated county in Utah, Salt Lake County, has its seat here. The city, which had 200,133 residents in 2020, is at the center of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which had 1,257,936 residents in 2020. The Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo Combined Statistical Area, which includes Salt Lake City, is a major metropolis with a population of 2,746,164 (as of 2021 estimations), ranking it as the 22nd largest in the country. It is located within the larger Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo metropolitan area. It also serves as the larger of the only two significant metropolitan centers in the Great Basin (the other being Reno, Nevada). 

Early pioneer immigrants under Brigham Young's leadership established Salt Lake City on July 24, 1847. They did so in an effort to flee the persecution they had endured while residing further east. The pioneers who would become known as the Mormons arrived in a semi-arid valley and started designing and constructing a vast irrigation system that would be able to feed the populace and encourage future growth. The Salt Lake meridian originates in the southeast corner of Temple Square, which is where the Salt Lake Temple is located in the heart of Salt Lake City. The city's street grid is built on a conventional compass grid pattern. The city was initially known as Great Salt Lake City because of its proximity to the Great Salt Lake. The word "Great" was removed from the city's name in 1868. 

The city was given the moniker "The Crossroads of the West" because of the LDS Church's (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) immigration of foreign members, mining booms, and the building of the first transcontinental railroad. The Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road, passed through it in 1913. I-15 and I-80, two important cross-country freeways, now meet in the city. I-215 is a beltway that runs through the city. 

Skiing, outdoor recreation, and religious tourism are the main pillars of Salt Lake City's thriving tourism sector. It served as the venue for the Winter Olympics in 2002 and is a contender for the Winter Olympics in 2030. It is renowned for its politically liberal culture, which contrasts with the state's overall strong conservatism. A sizable LGBT community resides there, and the Utah Pride Festival is held there every year. It serves as the nation's industrial banking hub. Several colleges and universities are also located in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, including the University of Utah, the state's premier research institution. More recently, Salt Lake City's water security has been put under stress due to Utah's ongoing drought, which has led the Great Salt Lake to reach record-low levels and had an effect on the local and state economies. 

  

Geography 

The average elevation of Salt Lake City, which covers an area of 110.4 square miles (286 km2), is 4,327 feet (1,319 m) above sea level. Between the Jordan River and the Great Salt Lake, the city's lowest point is located at 4,210 feet (1,280 m), while its highest point is Grandview Peak, which rises to 9,410 feet (2,868 m). 

The Great Salt Lake, the rugged Wasatch Range, and the Oquirrh Mountains surround the city, which is located in the northeastern portion of the Salt Lake Valley. City Creek, Emigration, Millcreek, and Parley's, which border the eastern city limits, are only a few of the tiny canyons that its encircling mountains contain. 

Air quality has become an issue because of Salt Lake City's expanding population and that of the neighboring metropolitan area, as well as the city's location. During the winter, the Great Basin is prone to significant temperature inversions that trap pollutants and worsen the air quality. When air pollution exceeds federal safety requirements, the Utah Division of Air Quality monitors air quality and issues notifications for optional and required actions. Democratic legislators have presented legislation in the Utah State Legislature to make public transit free between January and July, when air quality is typically at its worst, and protests have been conducted at the Utah State Capitol. By 2040, it is anticipated that the population of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area would have doubled, severely straining the area's air quality. 

Large marshes and mudflats separate Salt Lake City from the Great Salt Lake. Two to three times a year, for a few hours, the metabolic activities of bacteria in the lake cause a phenomenon known as "lake stink," which smells like rotten chicken eggs. A outflow from Utah Lake, the Jordan River flows through the city and empties into the Great Salt Lake. 

Twin Peaks, which rises to 11,330 feet, is the tallest mountain peak that Salt Lake City residents can see (3,450 m). In the Wasatch Mountains, Twin Peaks is located southeast of Salt Lake City. The Wasatch Fault, which runs along the western base of the Wasatch, is thought to have a high probability of causing an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5. In the event of an earthquake, catastrophic destruction is anticipated, with the liquefaction of the city's clay- and sand-based soil and potential permanent flooding by the Great Salt Lake causing the majority of the harm. An earthquake of 5.7 magnitude, the strongest in the Salt Lake City region in modern times, struck Magna, to the southwest of Salt Lake City, on March 18, 2020. This earthquake caused some moderate damage throughout the valley. 

The Oquirrhs, the second-highest mountain range, reach a peak elevation of 10,620 feet (3,237 m) at Flat Top. Almost joining the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains are the south-facing, east-west oriented Traverse Mountains, which rise to a height of 6,000' (1830m). The mountains close to Salt Lake City are clearly visible from the city and have sharp vertical relief brought on by ancient earthquakes, with Twin Peaks' ascent from the Salt Lake Valley floor achieving the maximum difference of 7,099 feet (2164 m) in elevation. 

The old lakebed of Lake Bonneville, which was present at the conclusion of the last ice age, forms the floor of the Salt Lake Valley. Many Lake Bonneville shorelines are clearly visible as terraces on the benches or foothills of close-by mountains. 

  

Climate 

Salt Lake City has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk), yet it also has a Mediterranean climate (Csa) and a humid continental climate (Dsa) due to its dry and hot summers and cold, rainy, but rarely bitterly cold, winters. With the exception of early to midsummer, when rain is scarce, late summer and early fall monsoon activity can maintain precipitation at a fairly constant level throughout the year. Due to its distinctive terrain, the Salt Lake City region's temperature is moderated, preventing excessive highs and lows in most cases. 

Huge storms that travel in from the Pacific Ocean following the jet stream from October to May are the main cause of precipitation in Salt Lake City. When the jet stream retreats far to the north in the middle to late summer, afternoon thunderstorms fueled by monsoon moisture rising from the Gulf of California are the dominant source of precipitation. Although though these storms can produce a lot of rain, they rarely produce major storms and are often localized. On August 11, 1999, an F2 tornado struck downtown, killing 1 person, wounding 60 others, and causing $170 million in damage. Tropical storm remnants from the East Pacific are extremely unlikely to hit the city in the Fall. The remnants of Hurricane Olivia contributed to September 1982's 7.04 inches (179 mm) of record-breaking monthly precipitation. The wettest year on record was 1983, with 24.26 inches (616 mm), while the driest was 1979, with 8.70 inches (221 mm). The worst incidents were in 1952 and particularly in 1983, when spring snowmelt from the nearby mountains caused localized stream flooding throughout late spring and early summer, compelling city engineers to turn several downtown streets into waterways. 

A total of 60 inches (152 cm) of snow occurs on average from November 6 to April 18, while considerable snow has fallen as early as September 17 and as late as May 28. The snowiest season, 1951–1952, saw 117.3 inches (298 cm) of snowfall, while the least snowy season, 1933–1934, saw 16.6 inches (42 cm). The month with the most snowfall on record was January 1993, when 50.3 inches (128 cm) of snowfall were measured. 

Precipitation in the city is significantly influenced by the adjacent Great Salt Lake. From six to eight times per year, the lake effect creates lake-effect snow, some of which can result in enormous snowfall volumes, and can intensify rain from summer thunderstorms. Around 10% of the city's annual precipitation is thought to be caused by the lake effect. 

The weather in Salt Lake City varies greatly from season to season. In the summer, there are typically 56 days each year with minimum temperatures of 90 °F (32.2 °C), 23 days with minimum temperatures of 95 °F (35 °C), and 5 days with minimum temperatures of 100 °F (37.8 °C). Yet, just 22% of the daytime in July is humid. Although rarely freezing, winters can be fairly cold. The city only averages 6.3 days at or below 10 °F (12.2 °C), despite having an average of 127 days with low temperatures that fall to or below freezing and 26 days with high temperatures that fail to reach above freezing. The record high temperature is 107 °F (42 °C), which was first attained on July 26, 1960, and was most recently attained on September 7, 2022. The record low temperature is 30 °F (34 °C), which was attained on February 9, 1933. 

Strong zones of high pressure frequently remain stationary over the Great Basin in the middle of winter, which causes strong temperature inversions. The valley experiences air stagnation and thick smog for several days to weeks at a time as a result, which can lead to the worst air pollution levels in the country. The tropospheric ozone will occasionally reach its peak in July and August due to this phenomenon, however in 2015 it began at the beginning of June. The American Lung Association assessed Salt Lake City's air quality as the sixth worst in the US in 2016. Both the ozone and particle matter grades were F. Because the microscopic contaminants can lodge deeply in lung tissue, particulate pollution is thought to be particularly hazardous. Ozone pollution and particulate pollution both raise the risk of stroke, heart attack, respiratory illness, cancer, and early mortality. Premature birth, congenital abnormalities, low and very low birth weights, and even mortality have all been linked to outdoor air particles. 

The Great Salt Lake has shrunk by two-thirds and has reached its lowest recorded levels as a result of severe drought and water diversions. This has left hundreds of square miles of dry lake bed and exposed millions of people living in the rapidly expanding metropolitan area to dust storms laced with arsenic and other toxic chemicals. Around 65% of the water that is diverted is used for agriculture, but as Utah's population rises, so does the demand for water. 

  

Economy 

Salt Lake City's modern economy is service-oriented. Traditionally known as the "Crossroads of the West" for its railroads, when surrounding steel, mining, and railroad industries offered a substantial source of wealth with Silver King Coalition Mines, Geneva Steel, Bingham Canyon Mine, and oil refineries. Government, trade, transportation, utilities, and professional and business services are currently the city's main sectors. Without counting visitors or students, Salt Lake City's daytime population increases to nearly 315,000. 

The city is heavily influenced by the local, state, and federal governments. Trade, transportation, and utilities also contribute significantly to employment, with the Delta hub at Salt Lake City International Airport serving as the region's largest employer. Professional and business services are equally important, and Intermountain Healthcare, the largest healthcare organization in the Intermountain West, is one of the major employers in the health services and health educational sectors. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sinclair Oil Corporation, and the University of Utah are a few further significant employers. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also owns and runs Deseret Management Corporation and its subsidiaries, which have their headquarters in the city, in addition to its central offices. 

Zions Bancorporation and Questar Corporation, two Fortune 1000 firms, are based in Salt Lake City. AlphaGraphics, Alsco, Sinclair Oil, Smith's Food and Pharmacy (owned by national grocer Kroger), MonaVie, Myriad Genomics, Creminelli Fine Meats, and Vehix.com are just a few of the famous companies with their headquarters in the city. Arctic Circle Restaurants, FranklinCovey, and Overstock.com are notable companies with local offices in the metropolitan area. Once owned by Macy's, Inc., Metropolitan Salt Lake was also home to American Stores, the Skaggs Companies, and ZCMI, one of the first department shops. Former ZCMI locations now use the Macy's name. The following high-tech companies have significant suburban presences: Adobe, eBay, Unisys, Siebel, Micron, L-3 Communications, Telarus, and 3M. In Salt Lake City, Goldman Sachs maintains its second-largest presence. According to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, it is a "Gamma" global city. 

Major suburban call centers, conventions, and tourism are some other economic activity. Since the Olympic Winter Games in 2002, more hotels and restaurants have been erected specifically for the festivities. Since the Salt Palace convention center's completion in the late 1990s, which serves as a venue for trade exhibitions and conventions like the Novell BrainShare conference, the convention sector has grown. Salt Lake City began its campaign in 2020 to host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2030. 

  

Education 

The first classes for the kids of the first LDS families were held in Jane Dillworth's tent in 1847. There was a lot of debate about how local youngsters should be educated in the latter half of the 19th century. The amount of religious influence in schools was a point of contention between LDS and non-LDS individuals. In addition to the sessions in their public schools, many LDS children in grades 9 through 12 now attend something called seminary. At certain times throughout the day, students are let out of public schools to attend services. LDS seminaries are frequently on church-owned land that is close to the public school and accessible by foot. 

Utah spends more per capita (of the state's total population) than any other state except Alaska, but spending less per student than any other state due to high birth rates and huge classrooms. Money is never easy to come by, but many companies donate to help schools. To raise money, several districts have established foundations. More than half of the elementary schools and one middle school in the Salt Lake City School District, which serves the majority of the territory inside the city borders, will soon undergo rebuilding thanks to recently granted funding. Within the school district, there are 23 K–6 primary schools, 5–7 middle schools, 3–12 high schools (Highland, East, and West; the previous South High has been transformed into the South City campus of the Salt Lake Community College), and 1 alternative high school (Horizonte). Moreover, the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts charter school was just chosen to open its doors in Highland (SPA). The city is home to many Catholic schools, notably Judge Memorial Catholic High School. The area's top independent school is Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School, founded in 1867 by Episcopal Bishop Daniel Tuttle. 

The Salt Lake City Public Library system comprises of the central branch in the city center and five outlying branches. In 2003, the main library's creation by renowned architect Moshe Safdie became operational. The American Library Association named the Salt Lake City Public Library "Library of the Year" in 2006. 

The University of Utah, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College, Eagle Gate College, Violin Making School of America (formerly known as Peter Prier & Sons Violins), and Ensign College are some of the postsecondary institutions in Salt Lake City (formally LDS Business College). Moreover, there are educational facilities run by Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and Neumont College of Computer Science. Also, there are other trade and technical institutions, like the Utah College of Massage Therapy and Healing Mountain Massage School. The University of Utah is renowned for its academic offerings in medicine and research. In 1969, it was one of the first four colleges to join ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet, and in 1982, it hosted the first artificial heart transplant. 

  

Sports and Leisure 

In the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City, winter activities like skiing and snowboarding are very popular. Within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the city, there are 8 ski resorts. In the Wasatch Mountains, to the southeast, are Alta, Brighton, Solitude, and Snowbird, while Park City, close by, is home to three other resorts. Since the 2002 Winter Olympics, the popularity of ski resorts has surged by a third. In the mountains, it's common to go hiking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking, and engaging in other outdoor pursuits during the summer. Boating, fishing, and other water sports are popular in the numerous tiny reservoirs and rivers in the Wasatch Mountains. 

Two of the most important and popular basketball matches have taken place in Salt Lake City. The Special Events Center on the campus of the University of Utah hosted the 1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game, where Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had their first meeting in their storied rivalry. In the most watched collegiate basketball game in history, Johnson's Michigan State team defeated Bird's previously unbeaten Indiana State squad. At the Delta Center, where Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was contested, Michael Jordan played his farewell game with the Chicago Bulls. In the most watched game in National Basketball Association history, Jordan's Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz to capture their sixth title (NBA). 

  

Competitive Sports 

The NBA's Utah Jazz, who relocated to Salt Lake City from New Orleans in 1979, play their home games at Vivint Arena (formerly known as the Delta Center and later known as EnergySolutions Arena). They are the sole representative of one of the state's four premier professional sports leagues. With the help of the Hall of Fame pair of Karl Malone and John Stockton, the team has seen consistent success, at one point making the playoffs in 22 of 25 seasons. Although they shared two Western Conference titles, the team has yet to take home an NBA championship. Between 1970 and 1975, the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) played their home games in Salt Lake City. They had some of the highest fan support of any ABA club and had won one championship in the city (in 1971), but they collapsed only months before the ABA-NBA merger, preventing them from being absorbed by the NBA. The struggling Jazz may have been influenced by their success when they decided to move to Salt Lake City in 1979. The Utah Starzz, a founding member of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), were based in Salt Lake City in 1997. The group changed its name to the San Antonio Silver Stars after moving. 

The Major League Soccer Team Real Salt Lake was created in 2004 and began play at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah until moving to the soccer-specific America First Field (formerly Rio Tinto Stadium) in neighboring Sandy in 2008. In the 2009 MLS Cup, the squad defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy to win their first MLS championship. RSL made it to the CONCACAF Champions League finals in 2011 but lost 3-2 on aggregate. They also made it to the MLS Cup Final in 2013. The club expanded in 2019 to include the National Women's Soccer League's Utah Royals FC, a professional women's squad. Nevertheless, the club suspended operations in December 2020 and transferred its player-related assets to Kansas City NWSL. Moreover, the city has hosted a number of international soccer matches. 

The Utah Warriors is a Major League Rugby side that competes professionally. Zions Bank Stadium serves as their home field. 

The Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League brought the sport of arena football to the area in 2006. In their debut season, they had the highest league-wide average attendance. The future of the Blaze was uncertain following the collapse of the original AFL in 2009. Yet in 2010, a brand-new league known as the Arena Football League started up. The Blaze team was revived and is currently competing in the new league. Also located in the city were the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF. 

Moreover, the city is home to two minor league teams. The Salt Lake Bees, the Triple-A club of the Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League, were founded in 1994 as the Buzz and play at Smith's Ballpark. In 2002, they adopted the name "Stingers," and in 2006, they adopted the moniker "Bees," which was previously used by a baseball team in Salt Lake City. The International Hockey League (IHLUtah )'s Grizzlies, who later played in the American Hockey League, were founded in 2005 to take the place of the former Grizzlies franchise, which had been around since they moved from Denver in 1995. (AHL). The Maverik Center in neighboring West Valley City is where they perform. 

 

Population 

Utah's Salt Lake County is home to the city of Salt Lake City. Moreover, Salt Lake County's County seat is there. It is the largest city in Utah and the 127th largest city in the United States with a projected population of 203,707 in 2023. Salt Lake City's population has grown by 1.99% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 199,723 in 2020, and is now rising at a pace of 0.66% annually. Salt Lake City, which spans more than 111 miles, has a population density of 1,840 people per square mile. 

The poverty rate of Salt Lake City is 17.73%, with an average household income of $88,127. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Salt Lake City, the median age is 32.5 years, 32.1 years for men and 33 years for women. 

The capital and largest city in the state of Utah is Salt Lake City, also known as SLC or Salt Lake. Together with Reno, Nevada, Salt Lake City is the largest metropolis in the Intermountain West and one of just two significant metropolitan regions in the Great Basin. 

In 2000, there were 1.34 million people living in the Weber, Davis, and Salt Lake counties that make up the Salt Lake City-Ogden metro region. Since then, Davis and Weber counties have been removed from the Salt Lake City metro region while Tooele and Summit counties have been added by the Census Bureau. With 2.4 million residents, the greater Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, Utah Combined Statistical Area is made up of a 120-mile Wasatch Front development corridor. 

18% of Salt Lake County's population and 6.75% of Utah's overall population live in Salt Lake. With a population density of more than 1,689 persons per square mile, or 1,050 per square kilometer, the city proper is more populous than the surroundings.