Hurricane, Utah
Encyclopedia
Hurricane is a city in Washington County, Utah
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...

. Its population was 13,748 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Along with several other areas of southwestern Utah, the Hurricane area has seen a large population growth since the 1970s, and it has blended in with neighboring city of St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...

.

Hurricane received its name after a whirlwind blew the top off of a buggy that Erastus Snow
Erastus Snow
Erastus Fairbanks Snow , born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1849 to 1888. Snow was also a leading figure in Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.Snow Canyon State Park Erastus...

 was riding in. Snow exclaimed, "Well, that was a Hurricane. We'll name this 'Hurricane Hill'."

Hurricane was first settled in 1896.

Education

Hurricane is a part of the Washington County School District
Washington County School District
Washington County School District is a name shared by several school districts in the United States.*Washington County School District...

.

Hurricane has one high school, Hurricane High School (encompassing grades 10-12), attended also by students from the surrounding communities of La Verkin
La Verkin, Utah
La Verkin is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,719 as of 2010, an increase from 3,392 in 2000. La Verkin is within walking distance of Hurricane, Utah, and the two cities have historically had close ties....

, Toquerville
Toquerville, Utah
Toquerville is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 910 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Toquerville is located at ....

 and Springdale
Springdale, Utah
Springdale is a town in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 457 at the 2000 census. It is located immediately outside the boundaries of Zion National Park, and is oriented around the resulting tourist industry. It was originally settled as a Mormon farming community in 1862...

, among others. There are also two elementary schools, an intermediate school (grades 6-7) and a middle school (grades 8-9).

Geography

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 31.5 square miles (81.7 km²), of which, 31.1 square miles (80.6 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (1.39%) is water.

Demographics

At the 2000 census
Census
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...

, there were 8,250 people, 2,762 households and 2,201 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 265.2 per square mile (102.4/km²). There were 3,375 housing units at an average density of 108.5 per square mile (41.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.89% White, 0.16% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.29% Pacific Islander, 1.16% 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 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.

There were 2,762 households of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.38.

Age distribution was 32.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median household income was $32,865, and the median family income was $36,955. Males had a median income of $30,172 versus $19,588 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 $13,353. About 10.8% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Hurricane Canal and Canal Trail

For approximately 80 years, the Hurricane Canal was the lifeblood of the Hurricane Valley. Built over a period of 11 years (1895–1906), mostly by pick and shovel, the canal stands as a testament to pioneer ingenuity and determination. Since 1985, the canal has lain empty. In 2000, special interest groups came together to preserve the canal, receiving grants and volunteering time to construct a trail to stand as a tribute to the sweat and toil early settlers put forth to make the canal a reality. A monument at the trailhead recounts the canal story in brief. Much of the trail, which only covers a small section of the canal, is the actual west bank of the canal, which “canal riders” rode every day when the canal was in operation to ensure there were no leaks or other problems since the bank was somewhat unstable. Two of the trail’s unique aspects are walking in the canal itself – on a steel flume across a wash and through a tunnel immediately thereafter. The trail provides excellent views of the towns of Hurricane and La Verkin
La Verkin, Utah
La Verkin is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,719 as of 2010, an increase from 3,392 in 2000. La Verkin is within walking distance of Hurricane, Utah, and the two cities have historically had close ties....

 throughout. The trail ends before reaching the Virgin River Gorge, approximately five miles from the canal’s former headwaters.

Notable residents

Also from Hurricane, Utah is Taylor Vaifanua, who made to the Top 36 of the reality TV show American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

.

Staff Sergeant Travis Terpstra from Comanche Company 1-2 Stryker Cavalry Regiment, received the Bronze Star for valor in the Sadr City uprising April 2008. His platoon was ambushed by an IED initiated complex ambush, three days into the conflict.

Wrestler Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...

was born in Hurricane.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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