Provo, Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Provo, Utah
City
City of Provo
Downtown Provo
Flag
Motto(s):  "Welcome Home"
Location within Utah County
Provo, Utah Location in Utah Show map of Utah Provo, Utah Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Utah
Founded	1849
Incorporated	April 1850
Named for	Étienne Provost
Government
• Type	Strong mayor
Area
• City	44.19 sq mi (114.44 km2)
• Land	41.69 sq mi (107.97 km2)
• Water	2.50 sq mi (6.47 km2)
Elevation	4,551 ft (1,387 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	115,162
• Density	2,762.34/sq mi (1,066.61/km2)
• Metro	620,000
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP Codes	84601-84606
Area codes	385, 801
FIPS code	49-62470
GNIS ID	1444661

Provo ( PROH-voh) is the fourth-largest city in Utah, United States. It is 43 miles (69 km) south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and county seat of Utah County and is home to Brigham Young University (BYU).

Provo lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. With a population at the 2020 census of 115,162. Provo is the principal city in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area, which had a population of 526,810 at the 2010 census. It is Utah's second-largest metropolitan area after Salt Lake City.

Provo is the home to Brigham Young University, a private higher education institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Provo also has the LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center (MTC). The city is a focus area for technology development in Utah, with several billion-dollar startups. The city's Peaks Ice Arena was a venue for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002. Sundance Resort is 13 miles (21 km) northeast, up Provo Canyon.

In 2015, Forbes cited Provo among the "Best Small And Medium-Size Cities For Jobs," and the Bureau of Labor Statistics found Utah County had the year's highest job growth. In 2013, Forbes ranked Provo the No. 2 city on its list of Best Places for Business and Careers. Provo was ranked first for community optimism (2012) and first in health/well-being (2014).

History

Ft. Utah in 1850

The area was originally called Timpanogots (meaning "rocky") and was inhabited by the Timpanogos (meaning "fish eaters"). It was the largest and most settled area in modern-day Utah. The ample food from the Provo River made the Timpanogos a peaceful people. The area also served as the traditional meeting place for the Ute and Shoshone tribes and as a spot to worship their creator.

Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, is considered the first European explorer to have visited the area, in 1776. He was guided by two Timpanogos Utes, whom he called Silvestre and Joaquin. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin desert. The Europeans did not build a permanent settlement, but traded with the Timpanogos whom they called Lagunas (lake people) or Come Pescado (fish eaters).

In 1847, the Mormon Pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, which was just north of Timpanogos Mountain. At first, they were friendly with the Mormons. But, as relations deteriorated with the Shoshoni and Utes because of land claims and stealing of livestock by the Indians, tensions rose. Because of the reported stolen goods of settlers by the Utes, Brigham Young gave a small militia orders "to take such measures as would put a final end to their [Indian] depredations in future.” This ended in what is known as the Battle Creek Massacre, in modern-day Pleasant Grove, Utah. The Mormons continued pushing into Timpanog lands. In 1849, 33 Mormon families from Salt Lake City established Fort Utah. In 1850, Brigham Young sent an army from Salt Lake to drive out the Timpanogos in what is called the Provo War. The ruthlessness of the Mormon invaders angered the Timpanog, which contributed to the Walker War and Black Hawk War. Fort Utah was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825.

Geography

Rock Canyon in Provo

Provo lies in the Utah Valley at an elevation of 4,549 feet (1,387 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.2 square miles (114.4 km²), of which 41.7 square miles (107.9 km²) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), or 5.66%, is water.

The Wasatch Range contains many peaks within Utah County along the east side of the Wasatch Front. One of these peaks, known as Y Mountain, towers over the city. There is a large hillside letter Y made of whitewashed concrete halfway up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate Brigham Young University (original plans included construction of all three letters: BYU). Wild deer (and less frequently, cougars, and moose) still roam the mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The scenery allows for hiking, skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities.

A panoramic view of Provo after sunset, February 2014.

Demographics

2010 census

At the 2010 census, 112,488 people, 31,524 households and 21,166 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,697.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,041.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.8% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian, 2.5% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 6.6% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.2% of the population.

There were 31,524 households, of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.41.

22.3% of residents are under the age of 18, 36.4% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 10.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

Religion

The breakdown in 2010 for Utah County was as follows: Most people (90.6%) were Christian, with Latter-day Saints constituting 88.7% of the population. Catholics constituted 1.3% and Protestants constituted 0.6%. Other religions constituted 0.3% of the population. 9.1% of the population did not adhere to any religion.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Cosmo the Cougar at America's Freedom Festival at Provo.

Every July, Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival at Provo which includes the Stadium of Fire at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium, home to Brigham Young University's NCAA football team. The Independence Day festivities are quite popular among local residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope, David Hasselhoff, Reba McEntire, Mandy Moore, Huey Lewis and the News, Toby Keith, Sean Hannity, Fred Willard and Taylor Hicks. In 2015, the event included performances by Journey and Olivia Holt, and was hosted by the television personality Montel Williams.

Provo has two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano is an annual family-oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances.

The city has hosted an annual LGBT Provo Pride Festival since 2013.

Points of interest

Provo City Library in the former Brigham Young Academy

The Provo Tabernacle prior to destruction by fire in 2010 (later renovated into Provo City Center Temple)

The Provo Utah Temple

The Utah Valley Convention Center

Covey Center for the Arts

The Covey Center for the Arts, a performing arts center, is located on 425 West Center Street. It features plays, ballets, art showcases and musical performances throughout the year. The size of the building is 42,000 total square feet. The main performance hall seats 670 people. There are three dance studios furnished with piano, ballet bars and mirrors. Another theater is the Brinton Black Box Theater that seats 60 for smaller more intimate events. There are also two art galleries: 1,620 square-foot Secured Gallery and the Eccles Gallery in the lower lobby.

LDS Missionary Training Center

Provo is the location of the LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center. Each week some 475 LDS missionaries enter for 3–12 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field, becoming part of more than 58,000 in more than 120 countries. About 1,100 instructors (many returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The center in Provo began construction in July 1974 and was completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of 17 such centers in the world.

Provo City Library at Academy Square

The Provo City Library is a public library which occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy built in 1892. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277,000 media. The library is located on University Avenue and 550 North.

Provo Recreation Center

Finished construction in 2013, the center provides a location for aquatic recreation next to the Provo Power plant.

Provo Utah Temple

The Provo Utah Temple is located at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple is among the busiest the LDS Churches due to its proximity to Brigham Young University and the Missionary Training Center.

Provo City Center Temple

The Provo City Center Temple used to be the Provo Tabernacle, an LDS tabernacle completed in 1898 that is owned by the LDS Church. It was almost completely destroyed by fire on December 17, 2010. Only the brick skeleton of the Provo Tabernacle remained at the corner of 100 South and University Avenue. On October 1, 2011, Thomas S. Monson, president of the LDS Church, announced that the Provo Tabernacle would be rebuilt using the surviving original exterior to serve as a second LDS temple in Provo. The completion of the new temple will make Provo only the second city with two temples within its city limits, the other being South Jordan, Utah. It is also only the second instance of a tabernacle being repurposed as a temple, the first being the Vernal Utah Temple.

Utah Valley Convention Center

The Utah Valley Convention Center opened in 2012. It has 83,578 square feet of combined meeting, pre-function and garden space.

Other points of interest

Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon.

The Provo River

• Bridal Veil Falls (Utah), Provo Canyon, Utah County, Utah - A scenic waterfall located 10 miles Northeast of Provo
• Brigham Young University Arboretum
• BYU Museum of Paleontology
• Crandall Historical Printing Museum, located at 275 East Center Street; this museum focuses on different printing methods and impact on society
• LaVell Edwards Stadium - home of the NCAA college football BYU Cougars as well Stadium of Fire, an annual 4th of July fireworks show and concert
• The Marriott Center - home of the NCAA college basketball BYU Cougars. The Marriott Center is also used for large university gatherings, such as devotionals, guest lectures, and graduation ceremonies
• (Mount Timpanogos) Timpanogos Peak - the mountain shaped like a "Lady" lies on her back forms the northern horizon of Provo
• Peaks Ice Arena, hockey venue for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games
• Crandall Historical Printing Museum, located at 275 East Center Street; this museum focuses on different printing methods and impact on society
• The Provo River, a river known for fishing and the Provo River Parkway, a paved bicycle and walking trail adjacent to the river
• Reed O. Smoot House, a National Historic Landmark, located at 183 East 100 South
• Seven Peaks Water Park, the largest water park in Utah.
• The Shops At Riverwoods, a center of residences, retails, and entertainment located at the mouth of Provo Canyon
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, a national forest on the Wasatch Front bordering the east edge of Provo and Utah Valley
• Utah Lake, a fresh-water lake popular for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities

Transportation

The FrontRunner at Utah Transit Authority's Provo station, July 2013

Amtrak's Provo station, July 2013

Interstate 15 runs through western Provo, connecting it with the rest of the Wasatch Front and much of Utah. US-89 runs northwest to southeast through the city as State Street, while US-189 connects US-89 with I-15, BYU, and Orem to the north. At the north edge of the city, US-189 heads northeast into Provo Canyon, where it connects with Heber.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Provo station, operating its California Zephyr daily in both directions between Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California (in the San Francisco Bay Area). Provo also can be accessed by Greyhound Bus Lines and the extensive Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus system. UTA's commuter rail service, the FrontRunner, opened an extension to Provo from Salt Lake City on December 10, 2012. The Provo Intermodal Center, adjacent to the Amtrak station, connects the FrontRunner with local bus routes, as well as Greyhound service.

The Provo Municipal Airport is Utah's second busiest airport in terms of the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. Allegiant Airlines offers commercial service to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Tucson. Salt Lake City International Airport is the closest international airport.

Sister cities

Provo City has three sister cities designated by Sister Cities International

Flag	Country	City/Town
	China	Nanning
	China	Chengdu
	Germany	Meissen

	Saratoga Springs / Utah Lake	Orem	Deer Creek State Park / Charleston, Daniel Wallsburg
	Fairfield / Utah Lake		Independence
		Provo
	Genola / Utah Lake	Payson, Spanish Fork, Springville	Uinta National Forest

Economy

Local companies

Provo has more than 100 restaurants (with over 60 in the downtown area) and a couple of shopping centers. The Shops At Riverwoods and Provo Towne Centre, both shopping malls, operate in Provo. Several small shops, music venues and boutiques have popped up downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun to host "gallery strolls" every first Friday of the month that feature local artists. There are many dining establishments in and around downtown Provo. A few exclusively downtown Provo examples include A Beuford Giffords, also known as ABGs, one of only two bars in Provo and the only bar to host live music every weekend; and Tommy Burger, a burger stand noted for burgers and Chicago-style hot dogs.

Five Provo companies are listed on Inc.com's Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $26.2 million. Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 4109, with $41.4 million in revenue), and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $6.1 million in revenue). The global recreation and entertainment company Ryze Trampoline Parks, with locations throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S., is headquartered in Provo.

Novell, the dominant personal computer networking company from the mid-1980s through mid-1990s, was headquartered in Provo and occupied several buildings there at the height of its success. It was eventually acquired by The Attachmate Group and then by Micro Focus, which still maintains facilities there.

The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to the homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah County. They also provide volunteer opportunities.

International companies

Novell headquarters

Nu Skin headquarters

• Action Target, a shooting range manufacturer.
• Aquaveo is a water modeling software company.
• Morinda Bioactives (formerly Tahitian Noni International) is a multi-level marketing health and skin care manufacturer whose products are based on the Tahitian fruit called noni.
• North American Arms, a firearms manufacturer.
• Nu Skin Enterprises, a multi-level marketing firm for skin care products, was founded in 1984.
• Qualtrics, a private research software company.
• Vivint (formerly APX Alarm Security Solutions) is a residential security company with customers.

Top employers

According to Provo's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Education

Brigham Young University taken from the east of the campus

Pre-game entertainment parachuters at LaVell Edwards Stadium

Higher education

BYU is a private university operated by the LDS Church. BYU is the third-largest private university in the United States, with more than 34,000 students. It is the flagship of the Church Educational System of higher education. On the campus is the Spencer W. Kimball Tower, the tallest building in Provo.

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a private, for-profit university emphasizing graduate healthcare education. The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). RMUoHP offers programs in nursing practice, physical therapy, occupational therapy and health science. RMUoHP will be building Utah County's first new medical school.

Provo College is a private, for-profit educational institution that specializes in career education. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Provo College offers associate degrees and diplomas in fields such as nursing, medical assisting, criminal justice, graphic design, and office administration.

Primary and secondary education

All public schools in Provo are run through the Provo School District. The school board has seven members, each representing a different district of the city. There are thirteen elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools. Provo High School was the first school in Utah County to be an IB World school. The school has a record of 4A state basketball championships, more state champions than any other school in the state. Timpview High School has a record of 4A state football championships.

See also

In Spanish: Provo (Utah) para niños