Beaver, Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beaver, Utah
City
Welcome sign for Beaver, November 2011
Location in Beaver County and the state of Utah
Location of Utah in the United States
Beaver, Utah Location in Utah Show map of Utah Beaver, Utah Location in the United States Show map of the United States Beaver, Utah Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Beaver
Settled	February 6, 1856
Incorporated	January 10, 1867
Named for	Beaver River
Government
• Type	City council
Area
• Total	6.68 sq mi (17.30 km2)
• Land	6.68 sq mi (17.30 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	5,909 ft (1,801 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,592
• Density	537.7/sq mi (207.63/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	84713
Area code(s)	435
FIPS code	49-04060
GNIS feature ID	2409807

Beaver is a city located in southwestern Utah, United States. It is the main town, also called the county seat, for Beaver County. In 2020, about 3,592 people lived there. This was more than the 3,112 people who lived there in 2010.

Exploring Beaver's Past

Mt. Baldy seen from Beaver, photographed in 1872.

Long, long ago, thousands of years before Europeans arrived, Indigenous peoples lived in the Beaver area. We know this from archaeological finds, which are clues left behind by ancient cultures. These clues show that people from the Archaic and Fremont periods lived here. There was even a place in the nearby Mineral Mountains where they found obsidian, a type of volcanic glass, that was used to make tools.

The Southern Paiute people lived in this region for a very long time. The first known European explorers to visit were part of the Dominguez–Escalante Expedition in 1776.

Early Roads and Settlements

In the mid-1800s, a group of settlers called Mormons created a trade route. This route went through the Beaver River valley. It connected their new towns in Utah Territory to Los Angeles, which was then part of Mexico. This important path became known as the Southern Route of the California Trail during the California Gold Rush. Later, it was called the Mormon Road or California Road.

After the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), the United States gained control of California and the Southwest. The Mormon Road was improved in 1855. It was made easier for wagons to travel. This road became a busy path for trade in the winter.

Beaver was founded in 1856 by Mormon pioneers. It was one of many settlements built along this important road in Utah. These towns were often about 30 miles apart, which was a day's journey by horseback. Beaver was built between other settlements in the Pahvant Valley and Parowan Valley.

Growth and Development

In 1873, the U.S. Army built Fort Cameron near Beaver. This fort helped protect the Mormon settlements. From 1870 to 1896, Beaver was also home to the Second Judicial Court of the Utah Territory. This court handled legal matters for several surrounding counties.

More Mormon settlers moved to the Beaver Valley in 1856. They organized a local church group, called a stake, in 1869. Early settlers also worked to build mills for lumber and grain. They also started industries like making wool, tanning leather, and dairy farming. Many people raised livestock.

Beaver was the first town in Utah to have electricity! A hydroelectric power plant was built on the Beaver River in the early 1900s. This plant still helps power Beaver today.

Beaver is also famous for its water. In 2006, it won a contest for the best-tasting rural water in the United States. Then, in 2010, Beaver won the top prize for best-tasting water in the entire world! You can even see signs along the highway that proudly share this fact.

Beaver's Natural Surroundings

Beaver is located in the eastern part of Beaver County. It sits right next to Interstate 15, which is a major highway in Utah. To the east, you can see the tall Tushar Mountains. Some of these mountain peaks reach over 12,000 feet high!

The Beaver River flows from these mountains. It runs right through the city of Beaver. Then, it continues west towards Minersville and the Escalante Desert. To the west of Beaver are the Mineral Mountains. The South Hills are located to the south.

Travel and Landmarks

Interstate 15 runs along the western side of Beaver. You can get into the city from exits 109 and 112. If you drive north on I-15, you can reach Salt Lake City in about 199 miles. Going south, you can get to Las Vegas in about 223 miles.

Other roads connect Beaver to nearby towns. Utah State Route 153 goes east over the Tushar Mountains to Junction. Utah State Route 21 travels west through the Beaver River Valley to Minersville.

The American Discovery Trail, a long trail for hiking and biking, also passes through Beaver. A special landmark in Beaver is a large letter B on a hillside. You can easily see it from the freeway! The city covers a total area of about 16.8 square kilometers, which is all land.

Beaver's Climate

Beaver has a cool, dry climate, typical for mountain regions. Summers have hot days but cool nights. Winters are cold with some snow.

During summer, days are usually hot and dry. Sometimes, like in July 1936, heavy thunderstorms can happen. Because there isn't much cloudiness, summer nights are cooler than in bigger cities like Salt Lake City. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Beaver was 102°F (39°C). This happened on June 21, 1913, and July 26, 1931.

Winters are cold but not usually too harsh. It's generally dry, with about 34 inches of snow each winter. Temperatures often drop below freezing at night. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -34°F (-37°C) on February 9, 1933.

Beaver's Government

How Beaver is Governed

Beaver has a city council that helps run the town. There are five council members and a mayor. The city also has a city manager. This person handles the daily business of the city.

The people currently serving in these roles are:

• Mayor: Matt Robinson
• Council Members: Lance Cox, Tyler Schena, Alison Webb, Hal Murdock, Robin Bradshaw
• City Manager: Jason Brown

Beaver's Population Facts

Population in 2020

According to the 2020 census, Beaver had 3,592 residents. The average age of people in Beaver was 32.9 years old. About 30.6% of the residents were under 18 years old. Also, 13.2% of residents were 65 years or older.

There were 1,094 households in Beaver. In 38.9% of these homes, children under 18 lived there. Most households, 57.8%, were married couples living together. About 24.9% of all households were individuals living alone.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Beaver's population was 3,112 people. This was a good increase from the year 2000. The population density was about 479.56 people per square mile. Most of the people in Beaver, about 88.37%, were white.

Population in 2000

In the year 2000, Beaver had 2,454 people living there. There were 856 households and 653 families. The population density was about 535.5 people per square mile. The main racial group was White, making up 94.74% of the city. About 5.05% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, 32.9% of the population was under 18 years old. About 15.0% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age was 32 years.

Famous People from Beaver

Beaver has been home to some interesting people:

• Butch Cassidy, a famous person from the Wild West
• Betty Compson, an actress
• Philo Farnsworth, who invented electronic television
• Abe Murdock, a U.S. senator and representative from Utah
• Ida Hunt Udall, a diarist and homesteader

See also

In Spanish: Beaver (Utah) para niños