Heber, Utah
Encyclopedia
Heber City is a city in Wasatch County
, Utah
, United States
. The population was 7,297 at the 2000 census. Heber City was founded by English emigrants who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1850s, and is named after the Mormon apostle Heber C. Kimball
. It is the county seat
of Wasatch County
. The original Heber City town square is located on the west side of main street between Center street and 100 north and currently houses city offices as well as the historic Wasatch Stake Tabernacle
and Heber Amusement Hall
. The city was largely pastoral, focusing largely on dairy farms and cattle ranching, and has since become a bedroom community for Orem
, Provo
, Park City
and Salt Lake City
.
Heber City is currently governed by Mayor David Phillips along with City Council Members Alan McDonald, Robert Patterson, Benny Mergist, Nile Horner, and Eric Straddeck.
Within the city limits are Heber Valley, Old Mill, and J.R. Smith Elementary Schools, Timpanogos Intermediate School, the newly built Wasatch High School, and Wasatch Alternative High School. Additional schools in the Heber Valley are Midway and Old Mill Elementary Schools, and Rocky Mountain Middle School. All of these schools are part of the Wasatch County School District. Utah Valley University maintains a satellite campus just north of Heber City along the US-40 corridor.
Heber City supports four LDS stakes, as well as congregations of Southern Baptists, Catholics as part of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
became the bishop over the Latter-day Saints in Heber City and vicinity.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (8.9 km2), all of it land.
Heber City is in the neighborhood of three large reservoirs, Jordanelle
, Deer Creek
, and Strawberry
.
or Salt Lake City
for work) and wish to improve the city's self-reliance. Average home prices in the valley doubled from 2002–2008 and the population has grown by 25% in that same time period.
Tourism is a year-round industry in the Heber Valley. The winter season features cross-country and downhill skiing on several trails and the nearby ski resorts of Park City
. In the summer, golfing and other outdoor recreational activities are abundant. Heber is also home to the Heber Valley Historic Railroad
(HVRR) which was known as the Heber Creeper before 1989.
Heber City's youth are employed largely in the surrounding golf courses, restaurants, and specialty shops in Heber City and the surrounding area. The adult population work mostly in Park City, Salt Lake City, Provo and Orem. Skiing and Snowboarding is very popular among Heber City's youth, and many people go to Park City mountain resort, Canyons, or Deer Valley, all of which are in Park City. Farming was once a large force in the economy, but this has diminished slightly. The largest local employer is the Wasatch County School District.
of 2000, there were 7,291 people, 2,296 households, and 1,829 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,113.5 people per square mile ((/km2)). There were 2,451 housing units at an average density of 710.5 per square mile (/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.32% White, 0.05% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.32% from other races
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.08% of the population.
There were 2,296 households out of which 48.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,394, and the median income for a family was $47,481. Males had a median income of $33,816 versus $21,524 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,358. About 4.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or older.
and is approximately twenty-five miles away. A typical drive to downtown Salt Lake City is approximately forty five minutes to one hour.
Heber City was connected to Provo
by a 32-mile long railroad line. The line, completed in 1899, was used by Denver & Rio Grande Western until 1967. Today, a portion of the line is used by the famous Heber Valley Railroad, a heritage railroad open to the public.
The Heber City Municipal Airport
, or Russ McDonald Field, FAA identifier K36U, is located two miles south of the city, near the junction of U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 189, and is capable of handling aircraft up to large corporate jet, including Gulfstreams and Global Express. Approximately 85 aircraft are based at the airport. The airport is served by a GPS instrument approach procedure, allowing aircraft to arrive at the airport in adverse weather. During the winter ski season, and particularly the Sundance Film Festival
, the airport is crowded with corporate jets as it is the closest airport to Park City
. The airport is also home to the Heber Valley Airshow, held each summer. The nearest airport with commercial airline service is Salt Lake City International Airport
.
Wasatch County, Utah
Wasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was named for a Ute Indian word meaning mountain pass or low place in the high mountains. Its county seat and largest city is Heber City.The county is governed by a county council with an appointed county manager.Wasatch County is...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 7,297 at the 2000 census. Heber City was founded by English emigrants who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1850s, and is named after the Mormon apostle Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Wasatch County
Wasatch County, Utah
Wasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was named for a Ute Indian word meaning mountain pass or low place in the high mountains. Its county seat and largest city is Heber City.The county is governed by a county council with an appointed county manager.Wasatch County is...
. The original Heber City town square is located on the west side of main street between Center street and 100 north and currently houses city offices as well as the historic Wasatch Stake Tabernacle
Wasatch Stake Tabernacle
The Wasatch Stake Tabernacle in Heber City, Wasatch County, Utah, USA was completed in 1889, and served as a Latter Day Saints meetinghouse reserved for especially large congregations until 1965...
and Heber Amusement Hall
Heber Amusement Hall
Built in 1908 from nearby sandstone and mostly by volunteer labor, the Heber Amusement Hall has served for generations as a community and civic center in the heart of Wasatch County, Utah. The amusement hall was fashioned after the Apollo Hall in American Fork, Utah and at the time was one of only...
. The city was largely pastoral, focusing largely on dairy farms and cattle ranching, and has since become a bedroom community for Orem
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
, Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
and Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
Heber City is currently governed by Mayor David Phillips along with City Council Members Alan McDonald, Robert Patterson, Benny Mergist, Nile Horner, and Eric Straddeck.
Within the city limits are Heber Valley, Old Mill, and J.R. Smith Elementary Schools, Timpanogos Intermediate School, the newly built Wasatch High School, and Wasatch Alternative High School. Additional schools in the Heber Valley are Midway and Old Mill Elementary Schools, and Rocky Mountain Middle School. All of these schools are part of the Wasatch County School District. Utah Valley University maintains a satellite campus just north of Heber City along the US-40 corridor.
Heber City supports four LDS stakes, as well as congregations of Southern Baptists, Catholics as part of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
History
Heber City was first settled in 1859 by Robert Broadhead, James Davis and James Gurr. John W. Witt built the first house in the area. The area was under the direction of Bishop Silas Smith who was in Provo. In 1860 Joseph S. MurdockJoseph S. Murdock
Joseph Stacy Murdock was an American colonizer, leader, and Latter-day Saint hymn writer. He wrote the words to "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice."-Early years:...
became the bishop over the Latter-day Saints in Heber City and vicinity.
Geography of Heber
Heber City is located at 40.506793°N 111.412292°W (40.506793, -111.412292), at an elevation of 5595 feet.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (8.9 km2), all of it land.
Heber City is in the neighborhood of three large reservoirs, Jordanelle
Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir is a reservoir in Wasatch County, Utah, United States, just north of Heber City.Jordanelle Reservoir is fed and drained primarily by the Provo River, and is impounded by the Jordanelle Dam, an Earthen dam. The construction of the dam resulted in the reroutings of U.S. Route 40...
, Deer Creek
Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir
The Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir hydroelectric facilities are located on the Provo River in western Wasatch County, about northeast of Provo, Utah. The dam is a zoned earthfill structure high with a crest length of . The dam contains 2,810,000 cubic yards of material and forms a reservoir of ...
, and Strawberry
Strawberry Reservoir
Strawberry Reservoir is a large reservoir in the U.S. state of Utah. It is Utah's most popular fishery, receiving over 1.5 million angling hours annually and is part of the program. Game fish in the reservoir include sterilized rainbow trout, bear lake cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon and crayfish....
.
Economy
Heber City has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Utah. Local developers and business leaders cite that there are not enough jobs in the city itself (as 27% of residents commute to Park CityPark City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
or Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
for work) and wish to improve the city's self-reliance. Average home prices in the valley doubled from 2002–2008 and the population has grown by 25% in that same time period.
Tourism is a year-round industry in the Heber Valley. The winter season features cross-country and downhill skiing on several trails and the nearby ski resorts of Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
. In the summer, golfing and other outdoor recreational activities are abundant. Heber is also home to the Heber Valley Historic Railroad
Heber Valley Historic Railroad
The Heber Valley Historic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Heber City, Utah. It operates passenger excursion trains along a line between Heber City and Vivian Park, which is located in Provo Canyon. The HVRR carries over 94,000 passengers a year....
(HVRR) which was known as the Heber Creeper before 1989.
Heber City's youth are employed largely in the surrounding golf courses, restaurants, and specialty shops in Heber City and the surrounding area. The adult population work mostly in Park City, Salt Lake City, Provo and Orem. Skiing and Snowboarding is very popular among Heber City's youth, and many people go to Park City mountain resort, Canyons, or Deer Valley, all of which are in Park City. Farming was once a large force in the economy, but this has diminished slightly. The largest local employer is the Wasatch County School District.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,291 people, 2,296 households, and 1,829 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,113.5 people per square mile ((/km2)). There were 2,451 housing units at an average density of 710.5 per square mile (/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.32% White, 0.05% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.08% of the population.
There were 2,296 households out of which 48.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,394, and the median income for a family was $47,481. Males had a median income of $33,816 versus $21,524 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,358. About 4.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or older.
Transportation
U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 189 both cross the city. Interstate 80 is located approximately eighteen miles north of the city and can be accessed via Highway 40 while Interstate 15 can be accessed via Highway 189 through Provo CanyonProvo Canyon
Provo Canyon is a canyon located in unincorporated Utah County, Utah, USA and Wasatch County, Utah. Provo Canyon splits between Mount Timpanogos on the north and Mount Cascade on the south. The canyon extends from Orem on the west end to Heber City on the east. The canyon's main thoroughfare is...
and is approximately twenty-five miles away. A typical drive to downtown Salt Lake City is approximately forty five minutes to one hour.
Heber City was connected to Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
by a 32-mile long railroad line. The line, completed in 1899, was used by Denver & Rio Grande Western until 1967. Today, a portion of the line is used by the famous Heber Valley Railroad, a heritage railroad open to the public.
The Heber City Municipal Airport
Heber City Municipal Airport
Heber City Municipal Airport is a single runway , untowered airport in Heber, Utah, east of Salt Lake City, Utah. The airport was activated in November 1947. It is owned by Heber city. It is primarily used by single engine aircraft for local, general aviation....
, or Russ McDonald Field, FAA identifier K36U, is located two miles south of the city, near the junction of U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 189, and is capable of handling aircraft up to large corporate jet, including Gulfstreams and Global Express. Approximately 85 aircraft are based at the airport. The airport is served by a GPS instrument approach procedure, allowing aircraft to arrive at the airport in adverse weather. During the winter ski season, and particularly the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, the airport is crowded with corporate jets as it is the closest airport to Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
. The airport is also home to the Heber Valley Airshow, held each summer. The nearest airport with commercial airline service is Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
.
External links
- Heber City Official City Government Website
- Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Development
- Wasatch County School District Public Schools