Piute County, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Piute County
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Grass Valley and the Sevier Plateau from SR-25
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Location within the U.S. state of Utah
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 Utah's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Utah |
| Founded | January 16, 1865 |
| Named for | Paiute Native Americans |
| Seat | Junction |
| Largest town | Circleville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 766 sq mi (1,980 km2) |
| • Land | 758 sq mi (1,960 km2) |
| • Water | 7.9 sq mi (20 km2) 1.0% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,438 |
| • Density | 1.8773/sq mi (0.7248/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
Piute County (pronounced PY-yoot) is a county located in south-central Utah, United States. In 2020, about 1,438 people lived here. This makes it the second-smallest county in Utah by population. The main town and county seat is Junction. The largest town is Circleville.
Contents
History
Piute County was created on January 16, 1865. It was formed from parts of Beaver County. The county got its name from the Paiute tribe of Native Americans. Its borders have changed a few times over the years. The current borders have been in place since 1931.
In the 1860s, people looking for valuable minerals, called prospectors, moved into central and southern Utah. This led to the creation of mining towns like Bullion and Webster. Mining slowed down by the early 1900s. However, gold mining in the Tushar Mountains produced a lot of gold between 1868 and 1959.
During World War I, a mine in the eastern Tushar Mountains became very important. It produced potash and alumina, which were key materials for the war. A town called Alunite grew around this mine from 1915 to 1930. But when the war ended, the town became empty. Today, Alunite is an abandoned ghost town.
Geography
The Sevier River flows north through the western part of Piute County. Near Kingston, it joins with the East Branch of the Sevier River. Just north of Kingston, a dam creates Piute Reservoir.
Two mountain ranges run north to south across the county. The eastern range is in the east-central part. The western range, called the Tushar Mountains, forms the county's western border. Otter Creek flows south through the eastern part of the county. It is dammed to create Otter Creek Reservoir in the southeast.
The highest point in Piute County is Delano Peak. It is in the Tushar Mountains and stands at 12,174 feet (3,711 meters) above sea level. The county covers a total area of 766 square miles (1,984 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Utah by total area.
Neighboring Counties
- Sevier County (north)
- Wayne County (east)
- Garfield County (south)
- Beaver County (west)
Protected Natural Areas
- Dixie National Forest (part)
- Fishermans Bench Recreation Site
- Fishlake National Forest (part)
- Otter Creek State Park
- Piute State Park
Lakes and Reservoirs
Piute County has many lakes and reservoirs. Some of the larger ones include:
- Barney Lake
- Big Flat Reservoir
- Dead Horse Reservoir
- Dog Lake
- Otter Creek Reservoir
- Piute Reservoir
- Rock Canyon Reservoir
- Smiths Reservoir
- Windy Ridge Reservoir
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 82 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,651 | 1,913.4% | |
| 1890 | 2,842 | 72.1% | |
| 1900 | 1,954 | −31.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,734 | −11.3% | |
| 1920 | 2,770 | 59.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,956 | −29.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,203 | 12.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,911 | −13.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,436 | −24.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,164 | −18.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,329 | 14.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,277 | −3.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,435 | 12.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,556 | 8.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,438 | −7.6% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, the population of Piute County was 1,438 people. This means there were about 1.9 people per square mile. There were slightly more females (723) than males (715).
About 24% of the population was under 18 years old. About 49% were between 18 and 64 years old. And about 27% were 65 years or older. The average age in the county was 44.7 years.
Most households in Piute County (83%) owned their homes. About 17% rented their homes.
Communities
Towns
- Circleville
- Junction (county seat)
- Kingston
- Marysvale
Unincorporated Communities
These are small communities that are not officially towns:
- Angle
- Greenwich
- Thompsonville
Former Communities
These towns no longer exist:
Education
The schools in Piute County are part of the Piute School District.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Piute para niños
