Tooele County, Utah
Tooele County | |
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UTC−6 (MDT) | |
Congressional district | 2nd |
Website | tooeleco |
Tooele County (
Tooele County is part of the
The western half is mostly covered by the Great Salt Lake Desert and includes the city of Wendover (the immediate neighbor of West Wendover, Nevada) and Ibapah. Within the central section lies Skull Valley, between the Cedar and the Stansbury Mountains. It contains a few small towns as well as the Dugway Proving Ground. The population centers are on the eastern edge in the Tooele Valley, between the Stansbury and Oquirrh Mountains. This area contains the cities of Tooele, Grantsville, Erda, and Lake Point as well as the unincorporated community of Stansbury Park. Tooele Army Depot is located on the southern edge of the valley. The Stockton Bar geologic feature separates Tooele Valley and Rush Valley, in which the towns of Stockton, Vernon, Faust, and Rush Valley are located. Additional small towns, Ophir and Mercur, are located in two canyons on the south western side of the Oquirrh Mountains.
Tooele is home to one of the nine statewide regional campuses of Utah State University (located in the city of Tooele).
History
Evidence of several indigenous
The Great Salt Lake Desert, which comprises much of the northern portion of the county, provided a major stumbling block for the ill-fated Donner-Reed Party in 1846. Its crusty sand slowed the group's wagons to such an extent that the group spent six days crossing its 80-mile length, severely sapping the group's resources and leading to their eventual disaster.
In 1847,
The Goshutes did not accept Mormon encroachment on their traditional homeland. The Mormons occupied the best camping sites near reliable springs, hunted in Goshute hunting grounds, and overgrazed the meadowland, leaving it unfit for sustaining the animals and plants used by the Goshutes. Mormons believed that Utah was a promised land given to them by God, and did not recognize any Goshute claim to the land.[5]: 5 Goshutes began confiscating Mormon cattle that trespassed onto their property.[7] In response, the Mormons ordered their armies to kill the Goshutes. In 1850, they ambushed a Goshute village, but the Goshutes were able to defend themselves without casualties. Later that year, a contingent of at least 50 men attacked the Goshute camp, killing nine and suffering no casualties. In 1851, General Daniel H. Wells took 30 people prisoners. After they tried to escape, Wells executed them.[5]: 11–12 Similar attacks occurred throughout the 1850s with Goshutes typically being on the losing side.
By June 10, 1851, the county government was organized. On that date the county attachment to Salt Lake County was terminated. By 1852, Grantsville, Batesville, and Pine Canyon (later named Lincoln) were settled.
In 1855 the town of Richville was designated county seat, but it soon became clear that Tooele was much larger. In 1861 the territorial legislature allowed the county to select a new seat, and Tooele was selected.
In 1859 Robert B. Jarvis, a
Twenty-two overland
Connor acted ruthlessly toward the natives. He killed over 300 Shoshone in Southern
General Connor, who was
Tooele County as originally defined extended into present-day Nevada. The county's borders were adjusted in 1852, in 1854, in 1856, in 1861, and in 1862. When Nevada Territory was created in 1862, the county's borders were impacted, and when the Territory became a state (1864), Tooele County was formally divested of all its Nevada area. Two more boundary adjustments were made in 1870 and 1880, after which it has retained its boundaries to the present.[3]
Republic of Tooele
From 1874 to 1879, non-Mormon politicians from the Liberal Party of Utah gained control of Tooele County, the first time any non-Mormons had success in Utah politics. Whimsically, they called the county the Republic of Tooele.
The 1874 election marked the first success of the
The incumbent Mormon People's Party observed several Tooele polling places on election day and lodged complaints of fraud after the Liberal Party triumphed by about 300 votes out of 2,200. The People's Party alleged Liberal Party supporters had voted more than once, that many had not been residents for the required six months, and they were not taxpayers—according to territorial law, only taxpayers could vote in elections. The People's Party called attention to the 2,200 votes cast in the election although only 1,500 Tooele County property taxpayers were on record. Incumbents refused to yield control of the Tooele County recorder's office and the Tooele County Courthouse because of the alleged fraud.
Governor Woods dismissed the complaints and certified the Liberal victory. Third District Court Judge James B. McKean ruled that no evidence showing illegal activity had been presented. McKean construed
The recorder's office was seized when it was momentarily abandoned, but a contingent of People's Party supporters and incumbents held the county courthouse night and day. The marshals and Liberal Party candidates, outnumbered, attempted to negotiate with the armed and barricaded Mormons. Aware that a show of aggression could spark a battle, the parties were nonetheless unable to come to an agreement to hand over power.
Judge McKean issued an even more strongly worded injunction, and Brigham Young advised his followers that they had an obligation to obey the federal courts. The county courthouse was abandoned, thus beginning about five years of Liberal Party rule. However, the Utah territorial legislature, which had the last say on the qualifications of its members, refused to seat the Liberal Party representative from Tooele County.
The Liberals won an unopposed 1876 election.
In 1876, the territorial legislature passed bills requiring voter registration and requiring women's suffrage for local elections—women had been voting in territorial elections since 1870. The Liberal Party, typically supported by male miners casually interested in politics, opposed both measures. In 1878 the Liberal majority in Tooele County disappeared, and the People's Party regained control in 1879 after more than six months of Liberal procedural delays.
The Republic of Tooele era was characterized by subsequent politicians as one of excessive spending. The county was left with about $16,000 debt, significantly more than it started with.[citation needed]
Modern Tooele
Mining continued to play an important part in Tooele County into the 20th century, but the county benefited from two major military bases located in the western portion of the county.
Since the 1980s, much of Tooele County's economic prospects have centered around private
News coverage for the county is provided by the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin newspaper.
On September 8, 2004, the Genesis spacecraft crashed into the desert floor of the Dugway Proving Ground in Tooele County.
The county's western portion is home to the
Geography
Tooele County lies on the west side of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. Its northeast border abuts the Great Salt Lake. Three significant mountain ranges run north–south through the county. Its east boundary line is delineated by the crestline of the Oquirrh Mountains, which separate the Tooele Valley from the Salt Lake Valley. The Stansbury Mountains parallel the Oquirrhs in the eastern part of the county, and the Cedar Mountains also run parallel to the other two through the east-central part of the county. There are also isolated prominences across the county, especially at its SW corner. The county terrain is largely arid and unused for agriculture unless irrigation water is available.[11] The county generally slopes to the north. Its highest elevation is Deseret Peak in the Stansburys, at 11,031 ft (3,362 m) ASL. The county has a total area of 7,286 square miles (18,870 km2), of which 6,941 square miles (17,980 km2) is land and 345 square miles (890 km2) (4.7%) is water.[12]
Covering vast amounts of the Great Salt Lake desert west of Salt Lake Valley, Tooele County is the second largest county in Utah and among the driest. The Skull Valley Indian Reservation lies in Skull Valley, between the Cedar and Stansbury mountain ranges.
Major highways[11]
Adjacent counties
- Box Elder County - north
- Weber County - northeast (across Great Salt Lake)
- Davis County - east (across Great Salt Lake)
- Salt Lake County - east
- Utah County - east
- Juab County - south
- White Pine County, Nevada -southwest
- Elko County, Nevada - west
Protected areas[11]
- Salt Springs Waterfowl Management Area
- Timpie Springs Waterfowl Management Area
- Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (part)
- Wasatch National Forest (part)
- Deseret Peak Wilderness Area
Lakes[11]
- Atherley Reservoir
- Big Spring (near Callao)
- Big Spring (Skull Valley)
- Big Spring (near Timpie Springs)
- Black Spring
- Blue Lake (Salt Springs Waterfowl Management Area)
- Blue Lakes (in and near Grantsville)
- Chadman Spring
- Cold Spring
- Deep Creek Reservoir
- Dry Lake (Dugway Proving Ground)
- Dry Lake (East Tintic Mountains)
- Grantsville Reservoir
- Greasewood Pond
- Great Salt Lake (partially)
- Horseshoe Springs
- Jacobs Hole
- JB Reservoir
- Jenning Springs
- Kanaka Lake
- Last Chance Lakes
- Mill Pond
- Muskrat Spring
- North Table Mountain Reservoir
- North Willow Lake
- Oswald Reservoir
- Redden Springs
- Rock Bottom Pond
- Rocky Spring
- Rush Lake
- Salt Springs
- Scribner Spring
- Settlement Canyon Reservoir
- Simpson Springs
- South Willow Lake
- Staley Reservoir
- Stansbury Lake
- SunTen Lake I
- SunTen Lake II
- Swimming Hole
- Timpie Springs
- Valley Reservoir
- Vernon Reservoir
- Warm Spring (near Rush Valley)
- Warm Springs (near Grantsville)
- Willow Patch Springs
- Wilson Health Springs
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 1,008 | — | |
1870 | 2,177 | 116.0% | |
1880 | 4,497 | 106.6% | |
1890 | 3,700 | −17.7% | |
1900 | 7,361 | 98.9% | |
1910 | 7,924 | 7.6% | |
1920 | 7,965 | 0.5% | |
1930 | 9,413 | 18.2% | |
1940 | 9,133 | −3.0% | |
1950 | 14,636 | 60.3% | |
1960 | 17,868 | 22.1% | |
1970 | 21,545 | 20.6% | |
1980 | 26,033 | 20.8% | |
1990 | 26,601 | 2.2% | |
2000 | 40,735 | 53.1% | |
2010 | 58,218 | 42.9% | |
2020 | 72,698 | 24.9% | |
US Decennial Census[13] 1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15] 1990–2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[18] |
2000 census
As of the
There were 12,677 households, out of which 47.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.00% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.10% were non-families. 16.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.51.
The county population contained 35.00% under the age of 18, 11.50% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 16.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,773, and the median income for a family was $50,438. Males had a median income of $37,861 versus $24,179 for females. The
Environmental concerns
Heavy industry and the resulting pollution of the air, soil, and groundwater has affected the region in several ways. The US Environmental Protection Agency has reported that Tooele-based US Magnesium discharges dangerous toxins and cancerous byproducts. In 2008, the US Government considered listing the area as a Superfund site. Tooele County was listed in 1989 as having the worst air in Utah, according to Federal agencies and environmental groups.[19] The Tooele County Health Department notes that the chemical output of the heavy industry can be particularly dangerous in the winter, because the region's climate and setting create winter inversions, suspending the toxins in the air, and posing "serious health concerns".[20]
Due to the history of toxic waste disposal in the area, Tooele County and Utah residents have opposed plans to dispose of nuclear waste in the county boundaries. A high level nuclear waste site proposed to be built at the Goshute Tribe Reservation in Skull Valley faced opposition until the plan slowly fizzled out.[21] Projects to dispose of depleted uranium at Energy Solution's Clive facility continue to cause controversy.[22]
Politics and government
From 1932 through 1968, Tooele County tended Democratic, selecting the Democratic nominee in every election save 1956 (but being blue enough to vote for Stevenson in 1952). From 1972 on, however, it has become powerfully Republican, voting Democratic only once in this period thus far, for Bill Clinton in 1996 (with a low plurality and by a narrow margin).
Position | District | Name | Affiliation | First elected | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senate
|
12 | Daniel Thatcher | Republican | 2010[23] | |
Senate
|
17 | Scott Sandall | Republican | 2018[24] | |
House of Representatives | 21 | Douglas Sagers | Republican | 2010[25] | |
House of Representatives | 68 | Merrill Nelson | Republican | 2012[26] | |
Board of Education | 3 | Matt Hymas | Republican | 2020[27] |
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 21,014 | 66.67% | 8,943 | 28.37% | 1,561 | 4.95% |
2016 | 11,169 | 50.79% | 4,573 | 20.79% | 6,250 | 28.42% |
2012 | 14,268 | 73.77% | 4,524 | 23.39% | 550 | 2.84% |
2008 | 10,998 | 62.98% | 5,830 | 33.38% | 635 | 3.64% |
2004 | 12,181 | 73.10% | 4,130 | 24.78% | 353 | 2.12% |
2000 | 7,807 | 62.56% | 4,001 | 32.06% | 672 | 5.38% |
1996 | 3,881 | 41.68% | 3,992 | 42.87% | 1,439 | 15.45% |
1992 | 3,676 | 35.79% | 3,270 | 31.84% | 3,325 | 32.37% |
1988 | 5,539 | 56.50% | 4,166 | 42.49% | 99 | 1.01% |
1984 | 6,478 | 63.95% | 3,584 | 35.38% | 68 | 0.67% |
1980 | 6,024 | 62.03% | 3,132 | 32.25% | 556 | 5.72% |
1976 | 4,657 | 50.34% | 4,371 | 47.25% | 223 | 2.41% |
1972 | 5,641 | 66.02% | 2,621 | 30.67% | 283 | 3.31% |
1968 | 3,422 | 41.39% | 4,250 | 51.41% | 595 | 7.20% |
1964 | 2,511 | 32.40% | 5,239 | 67.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 3,016 | 45.10% | 3,665 | 54.80% | 7 | 0.10% |
1956 | 3,390 | 55.82% | 2,683 | 44.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 3,209 | 47.68% | 3,521 | 52.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
1948 | 2,036 | 41.69% | 2,798 | 57.29% | 50 | 1.02% |
1944 | 1,753 | 38.45% | 2,802 | 61.46% | 4 | 0.09% |
1940 | 1,476 | 35.93% | 2,625 | 63.90% | 7 | 0.17% |
1936 | 1,029 | 30.27% | 2,361 | 69.46% | 9 | 0.26% |
1932 | 1,407 | 42.34% | 1,865 | 56.12% | 51 | 1.53% |
1928 | 1,707 | 54.22% | 1,421 | 45.14% | 20 | 0.64% |
1924 | 1,295 | 52.47% | 674 | 27.31% | 499 | 20.22% |
1920 | 1,387 | 56.15% | 916 | 37.09% | 167 | 6.76% |
1916 | 1,124 | 40.61% | 1,528 | 55.20% | 116 | 4.19% |
1912 | 950 | 44.21% | 646 | 30.06% | 553 | 25.73% |
1908 | 1,106 | 56.03% | 808 | 40.93% | 60 | 3.04% |
1904 | 1,289 | 63.44% | 639 | 31.45% | 104 | 5.12% |
1900 | 1,259 | 52.70% | 1,114 | 46.63% | 16 | 0.67% |
1896 | 274 | 13.99% | 1,684 | 86.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
Education
All parts of Tooele County are in the
Tooele is home to one of the nine statewide regional campuses of Utah State University.
Communities
Cities
- Erda
- Grantsville
- Lake Point
- Tooele (county seat)
- Wendover
Towns
Census-designated places
Townships
- Pine Canyon (aka Lincoln)
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns
See also
References
- ^ "Tooele County, Utah". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "Utah: Individual County Chronologies". Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Best for job growth - Tooele County, UT Money
- ^ a b c Todd M. Compton. Becoming a "Messenger of Peace": Jacob Hamblin in Tooele (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 28, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ISBN 0-913738-44-1.
- ^ "Dennis R. Defa. Goshute Indians Utah History Encyclopedia, p. 228, (Allan Kent Powell ed., 1994)". Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ^ Christensen, Lisa. "Deseret Chemical Depot finally destroys last chemical weapons". Tooele Transcript-Bulletin. Retrieved November 5, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) - Tooele, UT Archived April 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b J. Matthew Shumway and Richard H. Jackson, "Place Making, Hazardous Waste, and the Development of Tooele County, Utah". The Geographical Review, 98 (2008), pp. 433-455.
- ^ a b c d Tooele County UT Google Maps (accessed 25 March 2019)
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- ^ 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah
- ^ "Tooele County led US in amount of Toxic Air Pollution Emitted in '89". DeseretNews.com. July 24, 1991. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ^ "Winter Inversions. Tooele County Health Department". tooelehealth.org. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ^ "Utan N-Waste site backers call it quits".
- ^ "Energy Solutions Depleted Uranium". Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
- ^ "Senator Thatcher Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ "Senator Sandall Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ "Rep. Sagers, Douglas V." Utah House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ "Rep. Nelson, Merrill F." Utah House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Matt Hymas". www.schools.utah.gov. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 16, 2023. - Text list
Further reading
- (1994) "Tooele County" article in the Utah History Encyclopedia. The article was written by Miriam B. Murphy and the Encyclopedia was published by the University of Utah Press. ISBN 9780874804256. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022, and retrieved on March 27, 2024.