Salem is a city 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 fourth-largest city, and the largest outside of Salt Lake County. As of the 2020 United States census ...

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

. It is part of the

Provo–Orem metropolitan area The Provo–Orem, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, is an area consisting of two counties in Utah, anchored by the cities of Provo and Orem. As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a ...

. The population was 9,298 at the time of the 2020 U.S. census. Landmark locations in Salem include the Dream Mine of John Hyrum Koyle and the Salem Pond.

History

Known as "Summer Spring" by the Indians, and "Pond Town" by early settlers. Pond Town was first settled in 1851. Salem was later named after

New Salem, Massachusetts New Salem is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 983 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History New Salem was first settled in 1737 and was ...

, the birthplace of Lyman Curtis, to honor his contributions to the community. Curtis was a bodyguard for

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...

. He was later among the earliest Latter-day Saint settlers in Utah. Curtis also was important in central Utah for founding a lumber mill and being involved in important irrigation efforts.

Salem Days

Salem Days is a week-long city celebration held in either the first or second week of August every year and are a collective of many activities, including a baby contest, car show, cardboard boat regatta, grand parade, firework show, pageant, children's parade, and movie in the park. It has been going on since 1949 when

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 Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

asked the cities of Utah to celebrate their towns yearly.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 4,372 people, 1,128 households, and 1,009 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 825.0 people per square mile (318.5/km²). There were 1,166 housing units at an average density of 220.0 per square mile (84.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.07%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.07%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.09% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.27%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 1.40% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population. There were 1,128 households, out of which 56.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 82.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.5% were non-families. 9.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.86 and the average family size was 4.14. In the city, the population was spread out, with 40.6% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $54,813, and the median income for a family was $57,557. Males had a median income of $40,116 versus $22,798 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,507. About 3.1% of families and 4.1% 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 ...

, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.23%, is water. Salem is located 4.5 miles south of neighboring Spanish Fork, and 3.3 miles northeast of Payson.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Salem has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Education

Public schools in Salem are part of the

Nebo School District Nebo School District is a Public school (government funded), public school district that serves the southern part of Utah County, Utah, Utah County. Description The district covers more than 1,300 square miles. It is named for nearby Mount Ne ...

. Salem has three elementary schools, one junior high school, one middle school, and one high school. Rick Nielsen is the Superintendent of Schools.

References

External links

*
Koyle Relief Mine map, MSS 8030
a
L. Tom Perry Special Collections

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

. Map of Salem's "Dream Mine." {{Authority control Cities in Utah County, Utah Cities in Utah Provo–Orem metropolitan area Populated places established in 1851 1851 establishments in Utah Territory