Iron County, Utah#History

{{For|counties in other U.S. states with the same name|Iron County (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Iron County

| state = Utah

| ex image = Parowan Gap.jpg

| ex image cap = The Parowan Gap petroglyphs, a well-known landmark in Iron County, July 2007

| founded = January 31, 1850 (created)
January 17, 1851 (organized)

| seat wl = Parowan

| largest city wl = Cedar City

| area_total_sq_mi = 3301

| area_land_sq_mi = 3297

| area_water_sq_mi = 4.4

| area percentage = 0.1

| coordinates = {{coord|37.86|-113.28|display=inline,title|type:adm2nd_region:US-UT_source:UScensus1990}}

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 57289

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 65936 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Mountain

| web = www.ironcounty.net

| named for = Iron mines

| district = 2nd

| pop_est_footnotes={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 17, 2025}} }}

Iron County is a county in southwestern Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 57,289.{{cite web|title=Iron County, Utah|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Iron_County,_Utah?g=050XX00US49021|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 30, 2023}} Its county seat is Parowan,{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}} and the largest city is Cedar City. The Cedar City, UT Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Iron County.

History

Evidence of Fremont culture habitation ranging from 750 to 1250 AD exists in present Iron County. Petroglyphs of differing periods were carved into the walls of Parowan Gap NW of Parowan. Paiutes roamed the Parowan Valley in the centuries before Euro-American exploration; their descendants are now represented by the Southern Paiute Indian Reservation, which is headquartered in Cedar City.

The Domínguez–Escalante expedition traveled through the Iron County area on October 12, 1776. Fur trapper Jedediah Smith is the first recorded Anglo-American to pass through the area (1826). Settlement of the area began in 1851, when LDS President Brigham Young directed members from the northern colonies to move into the area.{{Citation | last = Shirts | first = Morris A. | title = Utah History Encyclopedia | publisher = University of Utah Press | year = 1994 | chapter = The Iron Mission | chapter-url = https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/i/IRON_MISSION.shtml | url = https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240321170200/https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/i/IRON_MISSION.shtml | archive-date = March 21, 2024 | isbn =9780874804256 | access-date = May 15, 2024}} A settlement, Coal Creek, sprang up in 1851; it later became Cedar City.[https://onlinelibrary.utah.gov/counties/iron.html Iron County Profile (accessed 31 March 2019)] To provide a local government structure, the State of Deseret legislature created the county on January 31, 1850, although it was not organized until January 17, 1851, with description stretching from the future Colorado, across Utah, and into the future Nevada. It was named "Little Salt Lake County" at creation, but on December 3, 1850, a legislative act changed its name to Iron County. Its borders were altered in 1850, 1852, 1854, 1856, and 1861. Also, in 1861, the federal government created the Colorado Territory, which administratively removed Iron County areas east of 109 degrees longitude.

The county borders were altered in 1862. Also, in 1862, the federal government created the Nevada Territory, which administratively removed Iron County areas west of 114 degrees longitude. Further boundary adjustments were passed in 1866, 1880, 1882, 1883, and 1884. The final adjustment was made in 1892; the county borders have remained in their current arrangement.{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/UT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Utah: Individual County Chronologies|website=Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=Newberry Library|date=2008|access-date=June 26, 2015|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306153326/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/UT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}

Geography

Iron County lies on the west edge of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. The Iron County terrain is a study in contrast to its arid western reaches of the Escalante Desert and Great Basin ranges to the meadows and forests of the High Plateau on the east. The Markagunt Plateau is creased by the colorful formations of Cedar Breaks National Monument. Brian Head is the county's highest point, at {{convert|11307|ft|m}} ASL. The county has a total area of {{convert|3301|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3297|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.4|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_49.txt|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=June 25, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=Major highways=

Interstate 15
Utah State Route 14
Utah State Route 56
Utah State Route 130
Utah State Route 143
Utah State Route 148[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Iron+County,+UT/@37.9084862,-113.9631684,12.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x80b570e8cb52f423:0xebb12a8ec0e20792!8m2!3d37.7854715!4d-113.1918021 Iron County UT Google Maps (accessed 30 March 2019)]

=Adjacent counties=

=Protected areas=

Cedar Breaks National Monument
Dixie National Forest (part)
Fishlake National Forest (part)
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (part)
Zion National Park (part)

=Lakes=

Little Salt Lake
Newcastle Reservoir
Quichapa Lake

=Valleys=

Dan Leigh Hollow

Demographics

{{US Census population

| 1850 = 360

| 1860 = 1010

| 1870 = 2277

| 1880 = 4013

| 1890 = 2683

| 1900 = 3546

| 1910 = 3933

| 1920 = 5787

| 1930 = 7227

| 1940 = 8331

| 1950 = 9642

| 1960 = 10795

| 1970 = 12177

| 1980 = 17349

| 1990 = 20789

| 2000 = 33779

| 2010 = 46163

| 2020 = 57289

| estyear = 2024

| estimate = 65936

| estref =

| align-fn = center

| footnote = US Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 25, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|archive-date=April 26, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 25, 2015}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ut190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=June 25, 1995|access-date=March 27, 2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=June 25, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49/49021.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606220332/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49/49021.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}} 2020[https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah]

}}

=2020 census=

According to the 2020 United States census{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2023/dec/2020-census-dhc.html|title=2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC)|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=November 3, 2024}} and 2020 American Community Survey,{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.2020.html|title=American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2009-2022)|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=November 3, 2024}} there were 57,289 people in Iron County with a population density of 17.4 people per square mile (6.7/km²). Among non-Hispanic or Latino people, the racial makeup was 47,620 (83.1%) White, 375 (0.7%) African American, 948 (1.7%) Native American, 621 (1.1%) Asian, 237 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 154 (0.3%) from other races, and 1,852 (3.2%) from two or more races. 5,482 (9.6%) people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 28,404 (49.58%) males and 28,885 (50.42%) females, and the population distribution by age was 16,259 (28.4%) under the age of 18, 33,214 (58.0%) from 18 to 64, and 7,816 (13.6%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 28.9 years.

There were 18,731 households in Iron County with an average size of 3.06 of which 13,596 (72.6%) were families and 5,135 (27.4%) were non-families. Among all families, 10,799 (57.7%) were married couples, 978 (5.2%) were male householders with no spouse, and 1,819 (9.7%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 3,592 (19.2%) were a single person living alone and 1,543 (8.2%) were two or more people living together. 6,906 (36.9%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 12,133 (64.8%) of households were owner-occupied while 6,598 (35.2%) were renter-occupied.

The median income for an Iron County household was $52,045 and the median family income was $63,633, with a per-capita income of $22,409. The median income for males that were full-time employees was $45,178 and for females $33,841. 16.4% of the population and 10.2% of families were below the poverty line.

In terms of education attainment, out of the 29,881 people in Iron County 25 years or older, 1,977 (6.6%) had not completed high school, 6,903 (23.1%) had a high school diploma or equivalency, 12,374 (41.4%) had some college or associate degree, 6,205 (20.8%) had a bachelor's degree, and 2,422 (8.1%) had a graduate or professional degree.

=Ancestry=

The top 5 ethnic groups in Iron County are:

English: 29%{{cite web | url=http://epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=22840 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050914025901/http://epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=22840 | archive-date=September 14, 2005 | title=Iron County, UT - Iron County, Utah - Genealogy guide - ePodunk }}
German: 10%
Irish: 7%
Scottish: 5%
Danish: 5%

Recreation

Woods Ranch Recreation Area,{{cite web|url=http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/woodsranch.cfm|title=IronCounty.net > Departments > Parks and Recreation > Woods Ranch|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508162134/http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/woodsranch.cfm|archive-date=May 8, 2014}} a recreation area located in a pine/aspen forest with hiking, fishing, picnic areas, a volleyball court and restroom facilities.
Three Peaks Recreation Area,{{cite web|url=http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/threepeaks.cfm|title=IronCounty.net > Departments > Parks and Recreation > Woods Ranch|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508162134/http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/threepeaks.cfm|archive-date=May 8, 2014}} a recreation area made up of volcanic rock and hills. The area features rock climbing, picnics, fishing, off-road vehicle use and bike riding.
Shooting Range{{cite web|url=http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/shootingrange.cfm|title=IronCounty.net > Departments > Parks and Recreation > Woods Ranch|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219164702/http://www.ironcounty.net/departments/parks_rec/shootingrange.cfm|archive-date=December 19, 2013}}
Brian Head Ski Resort

Politics and government

Iron County is an overwhelmingly Republican county in presidential elections, having not voted Democratic since 1936. Indeed, in no national election since the 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson landslide has the county given any Democratic presidential candidate 25 percent of its ballots.

class="wikitable"

|+State elected offices

! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;" |Position

!District

! style="text-align:center;" |Name

! valign="bottom" |Affiliation

! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;" |First elected

style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Senate

|28

| style="text-align:center;" |Evan Vickers

| style="text-align:center;" |Republican

| style="text-align:center;" |2012{{Cite web|title=Senator {{!}} Utah Senate|url=https://senate.utah.gov/sen/VICKEEJ/|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=senate.utah.gov}}

style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|House of Representatives

|71

| style="text-align:center;" |Bradley Last

| style="text-align:center;" |Republican

| style="text-align:center;" |2002{{Cite web|title=Rep. Last, Bradley G.|url=https://house.utah.gov/rep/LASTBG/|access-date=November 17, 2021|website=Utah House of Representatives|language=en-US|archive-date=November 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117185827/https://house.utah.gov/rep/LASTBG/|url-status=dead}}

style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|House of Representatives

|72

| style="text-align:center;" |Rex Shipp

| style="text-align:center;" |Republican

| style="text-align:center;" |2018{{Cite web|title=Rep. Shipp, Rex P.|url=https://house.utah.gov/rep/SHIPPRP/|access-date=November 17, 2021|website=Utah House of Representatives|language=en-US}}

style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |

|Board of Education

|15

| style="text-align:center;" |Kristan Norton

| style="text-align:center;" |Republican

| style="text-align:center;" |2020{{Cite web|title=Kristan Norton|url=https://www.schools.utah.gov/board/members/utah/kristannorton|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=www.schools.utah.gov}}

{{PresHead|place=Iron County, Utah|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 31, 2018}}}}

Communities

{{stack|File:Iron County Utah incorporated and unincorporated areas.svg}}

=Cities=

Cedar City
Enoch
Parowan (county seat)

=Towns=

=Census-designated places=

=Unincorporated communities=

=Former communities=

Gold Springs
Iron Springs, named for the Iron Springs
Uvada

Education

There is one school district, Iron School District.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st49_ut/schooldistrict_maps/c49021_iron/DC20SD_C49021.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Iron County, UT|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-09-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st49_ut/schooldistrict_maps/c49021_iron/DC20SD_C49021_SD2MS.txt Text list]

References

External links

{{official website|https://www.ironcounty.net/}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Iron County

|North = Beaver County

|East = Garfield County

|Southeast = Kane County

|South = Washington County

|West = {{flagicon|Nevada}} Lincoln County

}}

Category:1851 establishments in Utah Territory

Category:Populated places established in 1851

Iron County, Utah#History

History

Geography

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

=Protected areas=

=Lakes=

=Valleys=

Demographics

=2020 census=

=Ancestry=

Recreation

Politics and government

Communities

=Cities=

=Towns=

=Census-designated places=

=Unincorporated communities=

=Former communities=

Education

See also

References

Further reading

External links