Park Valley, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Park Valley, Utah
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Buildings in Park Valley, August 2012
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 Park Valley, Utah
Location in Utah
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Box Elder |
| Settled | 1869 |
| Founded by | William P. Thomas |
| Elevation | 5,548 ft (1,691 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
84329
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| Area code(s) | 435 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1431110 |
Park Valley is a small community in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. It is called an unincorporated community because it does not have its own local government like a city or town.
Contents
About Park Valley
Park Valley is located in the northwestern part of Utah. It is about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Salt Lake City, which is Utah's capital. The main road, Utah State Route 30, goes right through the middle of the valley.
The valley itself is shaped like an oval. It is about 30 miles (48 km) long from east to west and 25 miles (40 km) wide from north to south. This covers a large part of the western end of Box Elder County.
What Makes Up Park Valley?
Park Valley is at the northern end of the Great Basin. The Raft River Mountains to the north separate the Great Basin from the Snake River Plain. The area known as Park Valley includes several smaller places that used to be separate communities.
Some of these places are Rosette, Dove Creek, Muddy, Rosebud, and Kelton. Other places, like Ten-Mile, Clear Creek, Rosen Valley, Terrace, Golden, and Matlin, are now almost forgotten. All these areas are now known together as Park Valley.
The main part of Park Valley, sometimes called "Park Valley proper," is the community center. Here you can find the church, a store, a hotel, a park, and the schoolhouse.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 70 | — | |
| 1880 | 275 | 292.9% | |
| 1890 | 196 | −28.7% | |
| 1900 | 279 | 42.3% | |
| 1910 | 260 | −6.8% | |
| 1920 | 173 | −33.5% | |
| 1930 | 167 | −3.5% | |
| 1940 | 140 | −16.2% | |
| 1950 | 142 | 1.4% | |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau | |||
History of Park Valley
People have traveled through the Park Valley area for a long time. In 1826, an explorer named Jedediah Smith passed through. Later, in 1841, the Bartleson-Bidwell Party brought the first wagons through the valley.
Early Settlement
The Transcontinental Railroad was built near Park Valley, and it played a big part in how the area was settled. Even before the railroad tracks were connected at Promontory in 1869, the railroad started to affect Park Valley.
The first person to settle permanently in Park Valley was William P. (Cotton) Thomas. He moved from Brigham City in 1869. He started a cattle ranch near a place called Dove Creek. The many trees along the creek and the beautiful view of the valley inspired the name "Park Valley."
Gold Discovery
Park Valley saw a small increase in population in 1890. This happened when gold was discovered in the area.
Climate
Park Valley has a semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry, but not a true desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot.
