Provo ( ) is the
fourth-largest city in
Utah,
United States. It is south of
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...
along the
Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and
county seat of
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 ...
and is home to
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 ...
(BYU).
Provo lies between the cities of
Orem
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the northern part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is approximately south of Salt Lake City.
Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Me ...
to the north and
Springville to the south. With a population at the
2020 census of 115,162.
Provo is the principal city in the
Provo-Orem metropolitan area, which had a population of 526,810 at the 2010 census. It is Utah's second-largest
metropolitan area after
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...
.
Provo is the home to
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 ...
, a private higher education institution operated by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Provo also has the LDS Church's largest
Missionary Training Center (MTC). The city is a focus area for technology development in Utah, with several billion-dollar startups. The city's
Peaks Ice Arena was a venue for the Salt Lake City
Winter Olympics in 2002.
Sundance Resort
Sundance Resort, also known as Sundance Mountain Resort, is a ski resort located northeast of Provo, Utah. It includes more than on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Range. Alpine skiing began on the site in 1944. Actor Robert Re ...
is northeast, up
Provo Canyon.
In 2015, ''Forbes'' cited Provo among the "Best Small And Medium-Size Cities For Jobs," and the Bureau of Labor Statistics found Utah County had the year's highest job growth. In 2013, ''Forbes'' ranked Provo the No. 2 city on its list of Best Places for Business and Careers. Provo was ranked first for community optimism (2012) and first in health/well-being (2014).
History
The Provo area was originally called Timpanogas, a
Numic (
Ute people) word perhaps meaning "rock river".
The area was inhabited by the
Timpanogos
The Timpanogos (Timpanog, Utahs or Utah Indians) were a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited a large part of central Utah, in particular, the area from Utah Lake east to the Uinta Mountains and south into present-day Sanpete County.
Most Ti ...
.
It was the largest and most settled area in modern-day Utah.
The ample food from the Provo River made the Timpanogos a peaceful people.
The area also served as the traditional meeting place for the
Ute and
Shoshone tribes and as a spot to worship their creator.
Father
Silvestre Vélez de Escalante Silvestre is a Spanish and Portuguese given name or surname, or a French surname. Notable people with the name include:
Surname
*Cindy Silvestre (born 1993), a French kickboxer
* Franck Silvestre (born 1967), a retired French footballer
*Israel ...
, a Spanish
Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
missionary-explorer, is considered the first European explorer to have visited the area in 1776. He was guided by two Timpanogos Utes, whom he called Silvestre and Joaquín.
Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the
Great Basin Desert
The Great Basin Desert is part of the Great Basin between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Range. The desert is a geographical region that largely overlaps the Great Basin shrub steppe defined by the World Wildlife Fund, and the Central Basin a ...
. The Europeans did not build a permanent settlement but traded with the Timpanogos, whom they called Lagunas (lake people) or Come Pescado (fish eaters).
In 1847, the
Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, which was just north of Timpanogos Mountain. At first, the Natives were friendly with the Mormons. But, as relations deteriorated with the Shoshoni and Utes because of disputes over land and cattle, tensions rose. Because of the reported stolen goods of settlers by the Utes, Brigham Young gave small militia orders "to take such measures as would put a final end to their
ndian
Ndian is a department of Southwest Region in Cameroon. It is located in the humid tropical rainforest zone about southeast of Yaoundé, the capital.
History
Ndian division was formed in 1975 from parts of Kumba and Victoria divisions and is ...
depredations in future." This ended in what is known as the
Battle Creek massacre
The Battle Creek massacre was a massacre on March 5, 1849, by Mormon settlers of Timpanogo natives at Battle Creek (near present-day Pleasant Grove, Utah). The ambushed Timpanogos were outnumbered and outgunned and had no defense against the mili ...
, in modern-day
Pleasant Grove, Utah
Pleasant Grove, originally named Battle Creek, is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States known as "Utah's City of Trees". It is part of the Provo– Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 37,726 at the 2020 Census.
Histo ...
.
The Mormons continued pushing into Timpanog lands. In 1849, 33
Mormon families from Salt Lake City established
Fort Utah
Fort Utah (also known as Fort Provo) was the original white settlement at Provo, Utah, United States, and was established March 12, 1849. The original settlers were President John S. Higbee and about 30 families or 150 persons that were sent fr ...
. In 1850, Brigham Young sent an army from Salt Lake to drive out the Timpanogos in what is called the
Provo War.
Escalating tensions with the Timpanog contributed to the
Walker War
Walker or The Walker may refer to:
People
*Walker (given name)
*Walker (surname)
* Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer
Places
In the United States
* Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County
*Walker, Mono County, California ...
. Fort Utah was renamed Provo in 1850 for
Étienne Provost
Étienne Provost (1785 – 3 July 1850) was a Canadian fur trader whose trapping and trading activities in the American southwest preceded Mexican independence. He was also known as Proveau and Provot (and the pronunciation was "Pra-vo"). Leadi ...
, an early
French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825.
In 1850, the first schoolhouse was constructed in Provo, built within Utah Fort.
As more
Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The c ...
arrived, Provo quickly grew as a city. It soon was nicknamed ''The Garden City'' with a large number of fruit orchards and gardens there.
In 1872, a railroad reached Provo. It was also this year that the Provo Woolen Mills opened. They were the first large factory in Provo and employed about 150 people, initially mainly skilled textile laborers who had emigrated from Britain.
Geography
Provo lies in the
Utah Valley
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 ...
at an elevation of . According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and , or 5.66%, is water.
The
Wasatch Range contains many peaks within
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 ...
along the east side of the
Wasatch Front. One of them, known as
Y Mountain
Y Mountain is a mountain located directly east of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, United States. The Slide Canyon, or Y Mountain Trail, leads to a large block Y located from a parking area at the mountain's base with an elevation ...
, towers over the city. There is a large
hillside letter ''Y'' made of whitewashed concrete halfway up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate BYU (original plans included construction use of all three letters). Wild deer (and less frequently,
cougar
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...
s, and
moose) still roam the mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The geography allows for hiking,
skiing,
fishing and other outdoor activities.
Climate
Provo's climate can be classified as either a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
classification (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Csa'') or as a
cool semi-arid climate (Köppen ''BSk''). Overall, annual rainfall at the location of Brigham Young University is around ; however, the western part of the metropolitan area near Orem is substantially drier, receiving only around of precipitation and consequently has a
cool semi-arid climate (Köppen ''BSk'').
The wettest calendar year in Provo has been 1983 with and the driest 2020 with .
Winters are cold with substantial snowfall averaging and a record monthly total of in January 1918, during which the record snow cover of was recorded on the 17th. Seasonal snowfall has ranged from in 1983–84 to in 2014–15. Very cold weather may occur when cold air from over the
Continental Divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not c ...
invades the region: although only four mornings fall to or below during an average winter and this temperature was not reached at all between 1999 and 2006, during the very cold January 1917 (average temperature ), seventeen mornings fell this cold.
By contrast, in several recent winters like 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2004–05, and 2005–06, averages have been above freezing every month.
Temperatures warm rapidly during the spring, with the first afternoon over on March 21, the last freeze expected on April 29, and the first temperature equal to or hotter than on May 30. Rainfall is not infrequent during the spring: over was recorded in the Mays of 1995 and 2011, and a total of fell during the four-month span of March to June 2005 – in contrast as little as fell in the same months of 2012.
Being too far north to gain any influence from
the monsoon except in rare cases like the rainfall of August 1983, Provo's summers are hot and dry, though relatively short – no maxima above have been recorded outside the range of June 7 to August 27. Monthly maxima average over in July and August, and precipitation averages under one inch per month with a two-month total in 2016 as low as . The hottest month on record is July 2003 with a mean of , and a mean maximum of . The hottest temperature on record is on July 13, 2002.
The fall season sees steady cooling and a transition to winter weather, with rare influences of rain systems from further south, as in the record wet month of September 1982, which saw of total precipitation, including over the last six days from a storm moving from Arizona. The last maximum of can be expected around September 10, and the first morning below freezing on October 14.
Demographics
2010 census
At the
2010 census,
112,488 people, 31,524 households and 21,166 families resided in the city. The
population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 84.8%
White, 0.7%
Black or African American, 0.8%
American Indian, 2.5%
Asian, 1.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
, 6.6% from
other races, and 3.4% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 15.2% of the population.
There were 31,524 households, of which 34.8% had children under 18 living with them, 55.4% were
married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24, and the average family size was 3.41.
22.3% of residents are under 18, 36.4% are from 18 to 24, 24.8% are from 25 to 44, 10.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
2000 census
At the
2000 census,
105,166 people, 29,192 households and 19,938 families resided in the city. The
population density was . There were 30,374 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.52%
White, 0.46%
Black or African American, 0.80%
American Indian, 1.83%
Asian, 0.84%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
, 5.10% from
other races, and 2.44% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 10.47% of the population.
There were 29,192 households, of which 33.8% had children under 18 living with them, 57.0% were
married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 11.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34, and the average family size was 3.40.
22.3% of residents were under 18, 40.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 8.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The
median household income was $34,313, and the median family income was $36,393. Males had a median income of $32,010 and females $20,928. The
per capita income was $13,207. About 12.5% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those aged 65 or over.
The residents of Provo are predominantly members of the Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter Day Saints. According to data taken in 2000 by the
ARDA
Arda or ARDA may refer to:
Places
*Arda (Maritsa), a river in Bulgaria and Greece
* Arda (Italy), a river in Italy
* Arda (Douro), a river in Portugal
*Arda, Bulgaria, a village in southern Bulgaria
* Arda, County Fermanagh, a townland in County ...
, 88% of the overall population, and 98% of religious adherents in the Provo-Orem area are Latter-day Saints.
According to a study in 2015, the Provo-Orem metro area is about as dissimilar to the rest of America as possible. Weighing factors such as race, housing, income, and education, the study ranked Provo-Orem 376th of 381 of the United States' largest cities in terms of resemblance to the country.
Religion
The breakdown in 2010 for Utah County was as follows: Most people (90.6%) were Christian, with Latter-day Saints constituting 88.7% of the population.
Catholics
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
constituted 1.3% and
Protestants constituted 0.6%. Other religions constituted 0.3% of the population. 9.1% of the population did not adhere to any religion.
Economy
Local companies
Provo has more than 100
restaurants (with over 60 in the downtown area)
and a couple of
shopping centers.
The Shops At Riverwoods and
Provo Towne Centre, both
shopping malls, operate in Provo. Several small shops, music venues, and boutiques have popped up downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun to host "gallery strolls" every first Friday of the month that features local artists. There are many dining establishments in and around downtown Provo.
Five Provo companies are listed on
Inc.com's Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $26.2 million.
Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 4109, with $41.4 million in revenue),
and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $6.1 million in revenue).
The global recreation and entertainment company
Ryze Trampoline Parks
Ryze Trampoline Parks (or simply Ryze) is a chain of trampoline parks operated in Europe and Asia and owned by CircusTrix. Ryze parks are found in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee in Scotland and Hong Kong. The indoor parks contain dozens of interco ...
, with locations throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S., is headquartered in Provo.
Novell
Novell, Inc. was an American software and services company headquartered in Provo, Utah, that existed from 1980 until 2014. Its most significant product was the multi- platform network operating system known as Novell NetWare.
Under the le ...
, the dominant personal computer networking company from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, was headquartered in Provo and occupied several buildings at the height of its success. It was eventually acquired by
The Attachmate Group
The Attachmate Group, Inc. was a privately held software holding company based in Houston, Texas in the United States. The major companies held by the group were Attachmate, NetIQ, Novell, and SUSE.
Attachmate was owned by Wizard Parent LLC� ...
and then by
Micro Focus, which still maintains facilities there.
The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to the homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah Counties. They also provide
volunteer opportunities.
International companies
*
Action Target, a shooting range manufacturer.
*
Aquaveo
Aquaveo is a modeling software company based in Provo, Utah that develops software used to model and simulate groundwater, watershed, and surface water resources. Its main software products include SMS, GMS, WMS, and Arc Hydro Groundwater.
H ...
is a water modeling software company.
*
Morinda Bioactives (formerly Tahitian Noni International) is a multi-level marketing health and skin care manufacturer whose products are based on the Tahitian fruit called
noni.
*
North American Arms, a firearms manufacturer.
*
Nu Skin Enterprises
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. is an American multilevel marketing company that develops and sells personal care products and dietary supplements. Under the Nu Skin and Pharmanex brands, the company sells its products in 54 markets through a network ...
, a multi-level marketing firm for skin care products, was founded in 1984.
*
Qualtrics
Qualtrics is an American experience management company, with co-headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and Provo, Utah, in the United States. The company was founded in 2002 by Scott M. Smith, Ryan Smith, Jared Smith, and Stuart Orgill.
Qualtric ...
, a private research software company.
*
Vivint
Vivint is a public smart home company in the United States and Canada. It was founded by Keith Nellesen and Todd Pedersen in 1999.
In 2012, The Blackstone Group acquired Vivint for more than $2 billion. In January 2020, the company completed a ...
(formerly APX Alarm Security Solutions) is a
residential security
Home security includes both the security hardware placed on a property and individuals' personal security practices. Security hardware includes doors, locks, alarm systems, lighting, motion detectors, and security camera systems. Personal sec ...
company with customers.
Top employers
According to Provo's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
Arts and culture
Annual cultural events
Every July, Provo hosts
America's Freedom Festival at Provo
America's Freedom Festival at Provo (also America's Freedom Festival or Freedom Festival) is a private, non-profit, non-political foundation known for organizing more than 25 annual patriotic events in and around Provo, Utah. It is one of the large ...
which includes the
Stadium of Fire The Stadium of Fire is a nearly annual event held in the Brigham Young University's LaVell Edwards Stadium on or very near the United States' Independence Day. It is one of the main events for the America's Freedom Festival. This patriotic extrava ...
at BYU. It is held in
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in the western United States, on the campus of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars, an independent in th ...
, home to BYU's
NCAA football team. The Independence Day festivities are popular among residents and have featured such notable figures as
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...
,
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The Youn ...
,
Reba McEntire,
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her debut studio album, '' So Real'' (1999), recei ...
,
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempor ...
,
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 19 ...
,
Sean Hannity
Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of '' The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a comment ...
,
Fred Willard
Frederic Charles Willard (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. He was best known for his roles in the Rob Reiner mockumentary film ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984); the Christopher Guest mockumentaries ''Wa ...
, and
Taylor Hicks. In 2015, the event included performances by
Journey and
Olivia Holt, and was hosted by television personality
Montel Williams.
Provo has two other large festivals each fall.
Festival Latinoamericano is an annual family-oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's
Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances.
The city has hosted an annual LGBT Provo Pride Festival since 2013.
Points of interest
Covey Center for the Arts
The Covey Center for the Arts, a performing arts center, is at 425 West Center Street. It features plays, ballets, art showcases, and musical performances throughout the year. The size of the building is 42,000 total square feet. The main performance hall seats 670 people. Three dance studios are furnished with a piano, ballet bars, and mirrors. Another theater, the Brinton Black Box Theater, seats 60 for smaller, more intimate events. There are also two art galleries: the 1,620-square-foot Secured Gallery and the Eccles Gallery in the lower lobby.
LDS Church Missionary Training Center
Provo is the location of the church's largest missionary training center. Each week approximately 475
missionaries enter for 3–9 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field, becoming part of more than 58,000 in more than 120 countries. About 1,100 instructors (many of them returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The MTC in Provo began construction in July 1974 and was completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of the 17 such centers than in the world. Additional construction was completed in 2017.
Provo City Library at Academy Square
The
Provo City Library is a public library that occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy, built-in 1892. The building was added to the
National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277,000 media. The library is on University Avenue and 550 North.
Provo Recreation Center
With construction finished in 2013, the center provides a location for aquatic recreation next to the Provo Power plant.
Provo Utah Temple
The Provo Utah Temple is at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple is among the busiest in the LDS Church due to its proximity to BYU and the MTC.
Provo City Center Temple
Located at the corner of University Avenue and Center Street, the Provo City Center Temple serves as another temple for the Provo area's Latter-day Saint population. After a fire in 2010 destroyed the Provo Tabernacle,
Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the rel ...
, then LDS Church
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
, announced the site would become the city's second temple. Renovations were finished and the temple was dedicated in March 2016.
Utah Valley Convention Center
The Utah Valley Convention Center opened in 2012.
It has 83,578 square feet of combined meeting, pre-function and garden space.
Lakeside Storage and Museum
Lakeside Storage and Museum is the largest Petroliana Museum of its kind in the World. It has more original porcelain Gas/Oil signs posted on poles than any other collection.
The Museum includes the oldest Brands of gas and oil begun in Utah in 1908, known as the Utah Oil Refining Company and later revised to UTOCO.
The museum also includes antique gas pumps, airplanes, antique cars, and fuel delivery vehicles, as well as a Steam-powered and other powered antique tractor collection.
It is a free, family-friendly, and photo-friendly site to visit next to Utah Lake State Park in Provo.
Other points of interest
*
Bridal Veil Falls (Utah)
Bridal Veil Falls is a double cataract waterfall in the south end of Provo Canyon, close to US189 in Utah, United States. Battle Creek Falls is on the same mountain side, approximately 10 miles north of Bridal Veil Falls.
History
*An aeria ...
, Provo Canyon, Utah County, Utah - A scenic waterfall 10 miles Northeast of Provo
*
Brigham Young University Arboretum
*
BYU Museum of Paleontology
*
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in the western United States, on the campus of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars, an independent in th ...
- home of the
NCAA college football BYU Cougars
The BYU Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah. BYU fields 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity athletic teams. They are a member of the West Co ...
as well as
Stadium of Fire The Stadium of Fire is a nearly annual event held in the Brigham Young University's LaVell Edwards Stadium on or very near the United States' Independence Day. It is one of the main events for the America's Freedom Festival. This patriotic extrava ...
, an annual
4th of July
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
fireworks show and concert
*
The Marriott Center - home of the NCAA
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athle ...
BYU Cougars
The BYU Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah. BYU fields 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity athletic teams. They are a member of the West Co ...
. The Marriott Center is also used for large university gatherings, such as devotionals, guest lectures, and
graduation ceremonies
* (
Mount Timpanogos) Timpanogos Peak - the mountain forms the northern horizon of Provo
*
Peaks Ice Arena, hockey venue for the
2002 Winter Olympic Games
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute dialect, Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: ''Soó ...
* The
Provo River
The Provo River is located in Utah County and Wasatch County, Utah, in the United States. It rises in the Uinta Mountains at Wall Lake and flows about southwest to Utah Lake at the city of Provo, Utah.
Course
The two main branches of Provo Riv ...
, a river known for fishing and the Provo River Parkway, a paved bicycle and walking trail adjacent to the river
*
Reed O. Smoot House, a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
, at 183 East 100 South
* Seven Peaks Water Park, the largest water park in Utah.
*
The Shops At Riverwoods, a center of residences, retail, and entertainment at the mouth of
Provo Canyon
*
Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a United States National Monument protecting the Timpanogos Cave Historic District and a
cave system on Mount Timpanogos in American Fork Canyon in the Wasatch Range, near Highland, Utah, in the United State ...
*
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, a national forest on the
Wasatch Front bordering the east edge of Provo and Utah Valley
*
Utah Lake, a fresh-water lake popular for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities
Government
Federally, Provo is part of
Utah's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican
John Curtis, elected in 2017.
City administration
Provo is administered by a seven-member city council and a mayor. Five of the council seats are elected by individual city districts, and two of the seats are elected by the city as a whole. These elected officials serve four-year terms, with elections alternating every two years. Provo has a
Mayor–council government
The mayor–council government system is a system of local government that has a mayor who is directly elected by the voters serve as chief executive, and a separately elected legislative city council. It is one of the two most common forms of loc ...
, which creates two separate but equal branches of government. The mayor is chief executive of the city and the council is the legislative and policy-making body of the city. The mayor is
Michelle Kaufusi
Michelle Kaufusi (born October 14, 1966) is an American politician serving as the 45th and current Mayor of Provo, Utah since 2017. She is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
Kaufusi was born and raised in Provo, Utah. K ...
, who has been in office since December 5, 2017.
Education
Higher education
BYU
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-da ...
is a private university operated by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU is the
third-largest private university in the United States, with more than 34,000 students. It is the flagship of the
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System (CES) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non–Latter-day Saint elementary, sec ...
of higher education. On the campus is the
Spencer W. Kimball Tower, the tallest building in Provo.
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a private, for-profit university emphasizing graduate healthcare education. The Northwest Commission accredits the university of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). RMUoHP offers programs in nursing practice, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and health science. RMUoHP will be building Utah County's first new medical school.
Provo College
Provo College is a private for-profit college focused on health care programs and located in Provo, Utah
Provo ( ) is the fourth-largest city in Utah, United States. It is south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the large ...
is a private, for-profit educational institution specializing in career education. The school is accredited by the
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Provo College offers associate degrees and diplomas in fields such as nursing, medical assisting, criminal justice, graphic design, and office administration.
Primary and secondary education
Almost all of Provo is within the
Provo School District.
The school board has seven members, each representing a different district of the city. There are thirteen elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools.
Provo High School
Provo High School is a public secondary school located in Provo, Utah, United States. It is one of three high schools in the Provo City School District and was the oldest secondary school in the city. In the Summer of 2017 the school district beg ...
was the first school in
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 ...
to be an IB World school. The school has a record of 4A state basketball championships, more state champions than any other school in the state.
Timpview High School has a record of 4A state football championships.
A small section of land in the city coincides with 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 Grov ...
.
[
]
Transportation
Interstate 15
Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexican border in San Diego County and stretches north to Alberta, Canada ...
runs through western Provo, connecting it with the rest of the Wasatch Front and much of Utah. US-89 runs northwest to southeast through the city as State Street, while US-189 connects US-89 with I-15, BYU, and Orem to the north. At the north edge of the city, US-189 heads northeast into Provo Canyon, where it connects with Heber.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Provo station, operating its '' California Zephyr'' daily in both directions between Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California (in the San Francisco Bay Area). Provo also can be accessed by Salt Lake Express intercity buses and the extensive Utah Transit Authority
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is a special service district responsible for providing public transportation throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, in the United States, which includes the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Park City, Provo, Sal ...
(UTA) bus system. UTA's commuter rail service, the ''FrontRunner
FrontRunner is a Commuter rail in North America, 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 Coun ...
'', opened an extension to Provo from Salt Lake City on December 10, 2012. The Provo Intermodal Center, adjacent to the Amtrak station, connects the ''FrontRunner'' with local bus routes, as well as Greyhound service.
The Provo Municipal Airport
Provo Municipal Airport is a public-use airport west of Provo, in Utah County, Utah. It is a small regional airport with domestic flights mainly to destinations in the western United States.
Overview
The airport has rarely had scheduled airl ...
is Utah's second busiest airport regarding the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. Allegiant Airlines
Allegiant Air (usually shortened to Allegiant) is an ultra low-cost U.S. carrier that operates scheduled and charter flights. It is a major air carrier, the fourteenth-largest commercial airline in North America.
Allegiant was founded in 1 ...
offers commercial service to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Tucson. Salt Lake City International Airport is the closest international airport.
People
Provo is home to (or the hometown of) many well-known people, including The Osmonds (including Donny, Marie
Marie may refer to:
People Name
* Marie (given name)
* Marie (Japanese given name)
* Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973
* Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in ...
, and the Osmond Brothers
The Osmonds were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed as the Osmond Brothers) and a quintet (as the Osmonds). The group ...
), LDS Church apostle
An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
Dallin H. Oaks
Dallin Harris Oaks (born August 12, 1932) is an American religious leader and former jurist and academic who since 2018 has been the first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was ...
, and NFL and BYU quarterback Steve Young
Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buc ...
. Robert Redford also maintains a home at the nearby Sundance Resort
Sundance Resort, also known as Sundance Mountain Resort, is a ski resort located northeast of Provo, Utah. It includes more than on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Range. Alpine skiing began on the site in 1944. Actor Robert Re ...
, just up Provo Canyon.
Goodwin Knight
Goodwin Jess "Goodie" Knight (December 9, 1896 – May 22, 1970) was an American politician who served as the 31st governor of California from 1953 until 1959. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the 35th lieutenant governor o ...
, who served as the 35th Governor of California (1947–1953), was born in Provo. The global economist Dambisa Moyo
Dambisa Felicia Moyo, Baroness Moyo (born 2 February 1969)Moyo showed a copy of an official document with her date and place of birth as part of a lecture she gave at TEDGlobal 2013, Edinburgh, Scotland. is a Zambian-born economist and author ...
moved to Provo following her marriage to Qualtrics
Qualtrics is an American experience management company, with co-headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and Provo, Utah, in the United States. The company was founded in 2002 by Scott M. Smith, Ryan Smith, Jared Smith, and Stuart Orgill.
Qualtric ...
co-founder Jared Smith.
Sister cities
Provo has three sister cities designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of " sister citie ...
:
* Nanning, China
* Chengdu
Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese provi ...
, China
* Meissen, Germany
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 union ...
References
External links
*
Provo historical images
at the Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
Aerial view of Provo, Utah, MSS SC 2962
at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, 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
Cities in Utah County, Utah
County seats in Utah
Populated places established in 1849
Wasatch Front
1849 establishments in the United States