Wales, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wales, Utah
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Wales Community Hall, November 2019
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Location in Sanpete County and the state of Utah.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Sanpete |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Named for | Wales, the ancestral land of a large share of the early settlers |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.40 sq mi (1.03 km2) |
| • Land | 0.40 sq mi (1.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,627 ft (1,715 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 302 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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373 |
| • Density | 939.55/sq mi (362.55/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
84667
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| Area code(s) | 435 |
| FIPS code | 49-80860 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1446954 |
Wales is a small town located in Sanpete County, Utah, in the United States. In 2010, about 302 people lived there. A mayor and council members help run the town. It's a quiet place with no big stores or gas stations. However, it does have a park, a fire station, a library, and a cemetery.
Contents
The Story of Wales
The town of Wales got its name from the country of Wales. This is because many early settlers came from there. In 1854, Brigham Young sent people to this area to mine for "rock that burns." This rock was coal.
How Coal Was Discovered
A Native American man named Tabison, who was a leader of the Ute, showed Brigham Young a small piece of coal. Young was the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the time. He recognized the rock as coal and asked if anyone knew how to mine it.
Welsh Miners Arrive
Some Welsh immigrants volunteered to help. They had experience mining coal in the United Kingdom. John Evans Rees and his cousin John Price were among these brave miners. They were sent to the hills on the west side to start mining operations.
From Coal Bed to Wales
The community was first called Coal Bed. But in 1857, its name was changed to Wales. This honored the homeland of the miners. Wales used to be a busy mining center with its own railroad station. However, the mines and trains were eventually closed. This happened when more productive coal mines were found in Scofield. Today, many people living in Wales are descendants of those original miners.
Where Wales Is Located
Wales sits on the west side of the Sanpete Valley. It is right at the foot of the San Pitch Mountains.
Town Size and Land
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Wales covers a total area of about 0.3 square miles (0.8 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Who Lives in Wales
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 83 | — | |
| 1880 | 306 | 268.7% | |
| 1890 | 233 | −23.9% | |
| 1900 | 331 | 42.1% | |
| 1910 | 294 | −11.2% | |
| 1920 | 280 | −4.8% | |
| 1930 | 243 | −13.2% | |
| 1940 | 223 | −8.2% | |
| 1950 | 179 | −19.7% | |
| 1960 | 130 | −27.4% | |
| 1970 | 89 | −31.5% | |
| 1980 | 153 | 71.9% | |
| 1990 | 189 | 23.5% | |
| 2000 | 219 | 15.9% | |
| 2010 | 302 | 37.9% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 373 | 23.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 219 people living in Wales. These people made up 64 households and 54 families. The town had about 731 people per square mile. Most residents were White, with a small percentage from other backgrounds. About 7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Families and Age Groups
Many households in Wales had children under 18 living with them. Most families were married couples living together. The average household had about 3.4 people.
The population included people of all ages. About 34% were under 18 years old. Around 13% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 26 years old.
Education in Wales
Wales is part of the North Sanpete School District. This district runs North Sanpete High School, which serves students from Wales and nearby areas.
See also
In Spanish: Wales (Utah) para niños
