American Fork is a city in north-central
Utah County
Utah County is the second-most populous county in the U.S. state of Utah. The county seat and largest city is Provo, which is the state's third-largest city, and the largest outside of Salt Lake County. As of the 2020 United States Census, the ...
,
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, United States, at the foot of
Mount Timpanogos
Mount Timpanogos, often referred to as Timp, is the second-highest mountain in Utah's Wasatch Range. Timpanogos rises to an elevation of above sea level in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. With of topographic prominence, Timpanogos is ...
in the
Wasatch Range
The Wasatch Range ( ) or Wasatch Mountains is a mountain range in the western United States that runs about from the Utah-Idaho border south to central Utah. It is the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, and the eastern edge of the G ...
, north from
Utah Lake
Utah Lake is a shallow freshwater lake in the center of Utah County, Utah, United States. It lies in Utah Valley, surrounded by the Provo- Orem metropolitan area. The lake's only river outlet, the Jordan River, is a tributary of the Great Salt ...
. This city is thirty-two miles southeast of
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
. It is part of the
Provo–Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 33,337 in 2020.
The city has grown rapidly since the 1970s.
History
The area around
Utah Lake
Utah Lake is a shallow freshwater lake in the center of Utah County, Utah, United States. It lies in Utah Valley, surrounded by the Provo- Orem metropolitan area. The lake's only river outlet, the Jordan River, is a tributary of the Great Salt ...
was used as a seasonal hunting and fishing ground by the Ute Indians. American Fork was settled in 1850 by Mormon pioneers and incorporated as Lake City in 1852. The first settlers were Arza Adams,
[Arza Adams](_blank)
at SUP Pioneer Stories followed by Stephen Chipman (grandfather of
Stephen L. Chipman
Stephen L. Chipman (1864–1945) was a member of the Utah State Legislature in 1903 and a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Utah County. He was also the first president of the Salt Lake Temple who was no ...
, a prominent citizen around the start of the 20th Century), Ira Eldredge, John Eldredge and their families.
The first settlers of American Fork lived in scattered conditions along the
American Fork river. By the 1850s, the tension between the settlers and Native Americans was increasing. In 1853,
Daniel H. Wells, the head of the
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States. With growing antagonism from surrounding settlements it came to have as its main function the defense of Nauvoo, and surrounding Latter Day Saint ...
(the Utah Territorial Militia at the time), instructed settlers to move into specific forts. At a meeting on July 23, 1853, at the schoolhouse in American Fork,
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow (April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901) was an American religious leader who served as the fifth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1898 until his death. Snow was the last president of the ...
and
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt Sr. (April 12, 1807 – May 13, 1857) was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement whose writings became a significant early nineteenth-century exposition of the Latter Day Saint faith. Named in 1835 as one of the first ...
convinced the settlers to follow Wells' directions and all move together into a central fort. A fort was built of to which the settlers located. Only parts of the wall were built to eight feet high, and none were built to the original plan of twelve feet high.
Settlers changed the name from Lake City to American Fork in 1860. It was renamed after the American Fork, which runs through the city, to avoid confusion with
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
. Most residents were farmers and merchants during its early history. By the 1860s, American Fork had established a
public school
Public school may refer to:
* State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
* Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
, making it the first community in the territory of Utah to offer public education to its citizens. In the 1870s, American Fork served as a rail access point for mining activities in
American Fork Canyon
American Fork Canyon is a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, United States. The canyon is famous for the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, which resides on its south side. It is named after the American Fork River, which runs through the b ...
. American Fork had "a literal social feud" with the town of
Lehi due to the
Utah Sugar Company
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its we ...
choosing Lehi as the factory building site in 1890 instead of American Fork. There were several mercantile businesses in American Fork, such as the American Fork Co-operative Association and Chipman Mercantile. For several decades in the 1900s, raising chickens (and eggs) was an important industry in the city. In 1892,
Joseph Forbes
Joseph M. Forbes (March 2, 1910 – January 20, 1976) was an American football and basketball coach and physical education professor. He was the head football coach at Humboldt State College—now known as Humboldt State University
Californi ...
organized the schools in American Fork, and the Forbes school is named after him.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the town population expanded when the
Columbia Steel plant was built. An annual summer celebration in the city is still called "Steel Days" in honor of the economic importance of the mill, which closed in November 2001. The steel mill was located approximately six miles (10 km) southeast of town, on land on the east shore of Utah Lake.
American Fork built a city hospital in 1937. A new facility was built in 1950 and sold to
Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a not-for-profit healthcare system and is the largest healthcare provider in the Intermountain West of the United States. Intermountain Healthcare provides ambulatory and acute health services, along with other medica ...
in 1977, replacing that hospital with a new facility in 1980.
The 1992 film ''
The Sandlot
''The Sandlot'' (released in some countries as ''The Sandlot Kids'') is a 1993 American coming-of-age sports comedy film co-written, directed, and narrated by David Mickey Evans. It tells the story of a group of young baseball players during the s ...
'' was mostly filmed on the
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of contiguous cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Provo in the south to Logan in the nort ...
. The carnival scene was filmed in American Fork on State Street by Robinson Park.
[Internet Movie Database](_blank)
/ref>
Several scenes from the 1984 movie ''Footloose
Footloose may refer to:
* ''Footloose'' (1984 film), a musical film
** ''Footloose'' (1984 soundtrack)
** "Footloose" (song), performed by Kenny Loggins
* ''Footloose'' (2011 film), a remake of the 1984 film
** ''Footloose'' (2011 soundtrack) ...
'' were also filmed in American Fork, including the opening scene inside the church, the front porch scene with Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
and his family, and the gas station scene in which Bacon refuels his Volkswagen.
Geography
Elevations throughout the city range from to above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.9 km), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 26,263 people in 7,098 households residing in the city. The population density was 2,853.7 people per square mile (1,101.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 88.8% White (non-Hispanic), 7.4% Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
. 0.9% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.4% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, and 2.4% from two or more races. 3.5% of the population were foreign-born.
37.7% of the population were under 18 years old (10.6% under 5); 8.7% were 65 or older. 49.9% of the population were female. 7.1% identified themselves as being either bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
or homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
. 89.5% of persons over 25 had high school degrees, and 30.9% had bachelor's degrees or higher.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,124. 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
. The homeownership rate was 77.5%. There were 7,598 housing units. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $210,600.
In 2007 there were 2,754 businesses in the city, with total retail sales of over $724 million.
Religious history
The first ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church) in American Fork was organized in 1851 with Leonard E. Harrington as bishop. As of 2022, there are seven stakes headquartered in the city as well as Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple is the 49th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in American Fork, Utah and is the second temple built in Utah County and the ninth in Utah.
Announcement
T ...
, which was dedicated in 1996.
While the majority of the population are members of the LDS Church, there are several other faith communities in the city. The Community Presbyterian Church of American Fork was organized in 1877. In 1973 St. Peter's Catholic Parish was organized in American Fork. Additional faith groups or churches include Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
, Calvary Chapel, and Faith Independent Baptist Church.
Education
Public schools in American Fork are part of the Alpine School District
Alpine School District is the primary school district in northern Utah County, Utah, United States
The district covers Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Fort, Cedar Hills, Eagle Mountain, Fairfield, Highland, Lehi, Lindon, Orem, Pleasant Grove, ...
and include a senior high school ( American Fork High School), junior high school (American Fork Jr. High), and five elementary schools (Barratt Elementary, Forbes Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, Legacy Elementary, and Shelley Elementary). Shane Farnsworth is the Superintendent of Schools.
Private schools include American Heritage School.
Transportation
In 2012, the FrontRunner
FrontRunner is a commuter rail train operated by the Utah Transit Authority that operates along the Wasatch Front in north-central Utah with service from the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt ...
commuter rail line began operation in Utah County, opening the American Fork station.
Notable people
* Paul Dayton Bailey
Paul Dayton Bailey (12 July 1906 — 26 October 1987) was the owner/publisher of Westernlore Press and a writer of many books himself that focused on the Western American experience and, in particular, Latter-day Saint history.
Early years
Bai ...
– author and owner of Westernlore Press
* Merrill J. Bateman – emeritus general authority of the LDS Church and former President of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
* Wayne Booth
Wayne Clayson Booth (February 22, 1921, in American Fork, Utah – October 10, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois) was an American literary critic. He was the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in English Language & Literature and ...
– literary Scholar at the University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
* Reva Beck Bosone – first female U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from Utah
* Witney Carson
Witney Capri Carson McAllister (née Carson; born October 17, 1993) is an American professional Latin ballroom dancer and choreographer. She first gained attention in 2012, when the 18-year-old finished ladies' second runner-up in season nine o ...
– ballroom dancer on '' Dancing with the Stars'' and participant on ''So You Think You Can Dance
''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...
''
* Stephen L. Chipman
Stephen L. Chipman (1864–1945) was a member of the Utah State Legislature in 1903 and a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Utah County. He was also the first president of the Salt Lake Temple who was no ...
, prominent LDS Church leader and businessman.
* D. Todd Christofferson
David Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) is an American religious leader and former lawyer who serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He has been a general ...
- LDS Church leader and current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
* Gary Herbert
Gary Richard Herbert (born May 7, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 17th Governor of Utah from 2009 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he chaired the National Governors Association during the 2015–2016 cycle.
Herbert wo ...
– Governor of Utah
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
* Grant Liddle – endocrinologist
* Mia Love – U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
's 4th Congressional District
* Brandon Sanderson – fantasy author
* MyKayla Skinner
MyKayla Brooke Skinner Harmer (born December 9, 1996) is an American former artistic gymnast. She was the 2020 Olympic vault silver medalist and was an alternate for the 2016 Olympic team. Skinner competed at the 2014 World Championships wher ...
– artistic gymnast, Olympic silver medalist
* Daniel Wayne Sermon
Daniel Wayne Sermon (born June 15, 1984) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead guitarist for the pop rock band Imagine Dragons.
Early life
Sermon was born on June 15, 1984 in American Fork, Utah to parents Jeff ...
– lead guitarist in the rock band Imagine Dragons
* James LeVoy Sorenson
James LeVoy Sorenson (July 30, 1921 – January 20, 2008) was an American businessman, the founder of Sorenson Companies, a parent company of 32 corporations. A noted philanthropist, he was the richest man in Utah with an estimated net wort ...
– medical inventor
* Andrew Tolman
Andrew Tolman (born January 9, 1986) is an American studio musician and songwriter. He is a member of the cult club band The Moth & The Flame. He was also a founding member of the pop rock band Imagine Dragons. In 2016–17, Andrew went on tour ...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals, rhythm guitar formerly of the rock band Imagine Dragons
Exchange program
American Fork has an inter-city exchange program with Indio, California
Indio (Spanish language, Spanish for "Indian") is a city in Riverside County, California, Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, Califo ...
, U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
in a way similar to an international Sister City.
See also
* List of cities and towns in Utah
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
References
External links
*
Early schools in American Fork, MSS 2832
at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library
The Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) is the main academic library of Brigham Young University (BYU) located in Provo, Utah. The library started as a small collection of books in the president's office in 1876 before moving in 1891. The Heber J. Gr ...
, Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
{{Authority control
Cities in Utah
Populated places established in 1850
Provo–Orem metropolitan area
Cities in Utah County, Utah