Pleasant Grove, Utah
Encyclopedia
Pleasant Grove, also known as "Utah's City of Trees", is a city in Utah County, Utah
, United States
. It is part of the Provo
–Orem
, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 33,798 at the 2008 census estimates.
, arrived at the area now known as Pleasant Grove and staked out farms in what is now the southwest corner of the city. A small community was established September 13, 1850, consisting of George S. Clark and his wife, Susannah Dalley Clark, Richard and Ann Elizabeth Sheffer Clark, John Greenleaf Holman and Nancy Clark Holman, Lewis Harvey and his wife Lucinda Clark Harvey, Johnathan Harvey and Sarah Herbert Harvey, Charles Price and wife and child, Widow Harriet Marler and children, John Wilson, Ezekiel Holman, and possibly one or two others, relatives of those mentioned. Pleasant Grove was officially incorporated as a town January 18, 1855, by which time the settlement had grown 623 people.
The original name of the city was Battle Creek, Utah
. It was named for a battle which took place there in 1849 between Mormon settlers and a small band of Ute Indians. The settlers later decided they needed a more uplifting name and began calling their town Pleasant Grove after a grove of cottonwood trees located between Battle Creek and Grove Creek, near the current-day intersection of Locust Avenue and Battle Creek Drive. A monument with a plaque describing this battle is located at Kiwanis Park, at the mouth of Battle Creek Canyon.
During the Walker Indian War in the 1850s, citizens built a fort with walls two or three feet thick and six feet tall that occupied an area the size of sixteen city blocks. The settlers in the area at the time built homes inside the fort. While the fort no longer stands, memorial cornerstones were erected by local historians. The northeast monument was erected near the intersection of 100 North and 300 East Streets. The northwest monument was erected four blocks west of that point at 100 West Street and the southeast monument erected four blocks south at 300 South Street. The southwest monument would have been located near 300 South 100 West, the area is now occupied by a large parking lot and retail store.
This city was one of the filming locations for Universal
's 1995 drama film Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain
.
, the city has a total area of 8.7 sq mi (22.6 km²), all land. Sloping off the Mt. Timpanogos bench, Pleasant Grove is represented by a large, white "G" just above the city.
of 2000, there were 23,468 people, 6,109 households, and 5,388 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,691.5 per square mile (1,039.1/km²). There were 6,334 housing units at an average density of 726.4 per square mile (280.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.15% White, 0.29% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.39% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races
, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% of the population.
There were 6,109 households out of which 58.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.0% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.8% were non-families. 9.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.83 and the average family size was 4.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 41.0% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,036, and the median income for a family was $54,182. Males had a median income of $42,042 versus $23,296 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,268. About 5.4% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
held in conjunction with this festival brings competitors and spectators from throughout the West. The festival includes parade
s, a carnival
, pageant
s and other activities. Although no strawberries
are currently grown commercially in the city, the festival takes its name from a time when strawberries were a major economic activity in the city. The first Strawberry Day celebration was held the second week of June, 1921. It was organized by the Wasatch Club, the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce
.
, regarding whether Pleasant Grove should be allowed to have a privately donated Ten Commandments
monument to be displayed on public property, must let the religion of Summum
put up a monument to its "Seven Aphorisms" alongside, which it refused to do in 2003. The city lost in the Tenth Circuit
. However, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeals
decision, citing the permanence of monuments as opposed to forms of constitutionally-protected free speech as well as the fact that governments take ownership of monuments on their properties and thus must "take some care in accepting donated monuments."
. Charter schools include John Hancock Charter School (JHCS) and Lincoln Academy.
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the 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...
–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...
, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area
Provo-Orem metropolitan area
The Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Utah, anchored by the cities of Provo and Orem...
. The population was 33,798 at the 2008 census estimates.
History
On July 19, 1850, William H. Adams, John Mercer and Philo T. Farnsworth, Mormon pioneers sent by Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, arrived at the area now known as Pleasant Grove and staked out farms in what is now the southwest corner of the city. A small community was established September 13, 1850, consisting of George S. Clark and his wife, Susannah Dalley Clark, Richard and Ann Elizabeth Sheffer Clark, John Greenleaf Holman and Nancy Clark Holman, Lewis Harvey and his wife Lucinda Clark Harvey, Johnathan Harvey and Sarah Herbert Harvey, Charles Price and wife and child, Widow Harriet Marler and children, John Wilson, Ezekiel Holman, and possibly one or two others, relatives of those mentioned. Pleasant Grove was officially incorporated as a town January 18, 1855, by which time the settlement had grown 623 people.
The original name of the city was Battle Creek, Utah
Battle Creek, Utah
The first battle between Mormon settlers in Utah and the Native American Ute Indians who lived there occurred at Battle Creek, Utah. The sleeping Indians were outnumbered and outgunned so that they did not stand a chance against the Deseret Militia who crept in and surrounded their camp in the...
. It was named for a battle which took place there in 1849 between Mormon settlers and a small band of Ute Indians. The settlers later decided they needed a more uplifting name and began calling their town Pleasant Grove after a grove of cottonwood trees located between Battle Creek and Grove Creek, near the current-day intersection of Locust Avenue and Battle Creek Drive. A monument with a plaque describing this battle is located at Kiwanis Park, at the mouth of Battle Creek Canyon.
During the Walker Indian War in the 1850s, citizens built a fort with walls two or three feet thick and six feet tall that occupied an area the size of sixteen city blocks. The settlers in the area at the time built homes inside the fort. While the fort no longer stands, memorial cornerstones were erected by local historians. The northeast monument was erected near the intersection of 100 North and 300 East Streets. The northwest monument was erected four blocks west of that point at 100 West Street and the southeast monument erected four blocks south at 300 South Street. The southwest monument would have been located near 300 South 100 West, the area is now occupied by a large parking lot and retail store.
This city was one of the filming locations for Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
's 1995 drama film Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain
Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain
Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain is a 1995 drama film starring Christina Ricci and Anna Chlumsky. It takes place in the fictional town of Wheaton, Washington, but was filmed on location in Norfolk, Virginia, Vancouver, B.C, Nelson, B.C, Pleasant Grove, Utah, and Pemberton, B.C....
.
Geography
Pleasant Grove is located at 40°21′50.04"N 111°44′26.63"W (40.33639, -111.74073). According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 8.7 sq mi (22.6 km²), all land. Sloping off the Mt. Timpanogos bench, Pleasant Grove is represented by a large, white "G" just above the city.
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 23,468 people, 6,109 households, and 5,388 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 2,691.5 per square mile (1,039.1/km²). There were 6,334 housing units at an average density of 726.4 per square mile (280.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.15% White, 0.29% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.39% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races
Merman
Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% of the population.
There were 6,109 households out of which 58.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.0% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.8% were non-families. 9.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.83 and the average family size was 4.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 41.0% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,036, and the median income for a family was $54,182. Males had a median income of $42,042 versus $23,296 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 $15,268. About 5.4% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The city’s government consists of a Mayor and a City Council. As of 2009, the Mayor is Bruce Call. The City council is made up of four members: Cindy Boyd, Val Danklef, Lee Jensen, and Kimberly Robinson.Strawberry Days
Pleasant Grove is home to a unique summer festival, Strawberry Days, the longest continuing community celebration in Utah to date. The city hosts the annual festival, usually held during the third week of June. A rodeoRodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
held in conjunction with this festival brings competitors and spectators from throughout the West. The festival includes parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s, a carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
, pageant
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
s and other activities. Although no strawberries
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
are currently grown commercially in the city, the festival takes its name from a time when strawberries were a major economic activity in the city. The first Strawberry Day celebration was held the second week of June, 1921. It was organized by the Wasatch Club, the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
.
First amendment case
In November 2008, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Pleasant Grove City v. SummumPleasant Grove City v. Summum
Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, 555 U.S. 460 , is a legal case heard by the United States Supreme Court on 12 November 2008 and decided on 25 February 2009...
, regarding whether Pleasant Grove should be allowed to have a privately donated Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
monument to be displayed on public property, must let the religion of Summum
Summum
Summum is a religion and philosophy that began in 1975 as a result of Claude "Corky" Nowell's claimed encounter with beings he described as "Summa Individuals"...
put up a monument to its "Seven Aphorisms" alongside, which it refused to do in 2003. The city lost in the Tenth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Colorado* District of Kansas...
. However, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
decision, citing the permanence of monuments as opposed to forms of constitutionally-protected free speech as well as the fact that governments take ownership of monuments on their properties and thus must "take some care in accepting donated monuments."
Education
Public schools in Pleasant Grove are part of the Alpine School DistrictAlpine School District
Alpine School District is the primary school district in northern Utah County in Utah, including the cities of Lindon, Orem, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Alpine, Highland, Lehi, Saratoga Springs, and Eagle Mountain. It includes all grades from kindergarten all through high school...
. Charter schools include John Hancock Charter School (JHCS) and Lincoln Academy.
Elementary schools
Junior high/middle schools
Recreation
Attractions
- Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center
- Mount Timpanogos Temple (Technically on the border in neighboring American Fork.)
- Purple Turtle
- Taco Amigo
- Veterans Memorial Pool
Notable residents
- Todd HerzogTodd HerzogTodd Herzog is the $1,000,000 winner of the 15th season of Survivor, Survivor: China. He is also the second openly gay male contestant to win Survivor, following Richard Hatch's win in Survivor: Borneo.-Survivor: China:...
, winner of Survivor: ChinaSurvivor: ChinaSurvivor: China is the fifteenth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor. The premiere aired September 20, 2007. Host Jeff Probst claimed the show was the first full American TV series to be filmed entirely within China...
. - Chelsie HightowerChelsie HightowerChelsie Hightower is a Latin ballroom dancer, who is best known for being a regular dance partner, trainer, and choreographer on the ABC competition show Dancing with the Stars.-Biography:...
, contestant on So You Think You Can Dance (Season 4)So You Think You Can Dance (Season 4)So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season four premiered on May 22, 2008, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host...
. - Lena & Kristy Jensen, racers on The Amazing Race 6The Amazing Race 6The Amazing Race 6 is the sixth installment of the reality television series The Amazing Race. It premiered on November 16, 2004, and concluded on February 8, 2005.Freddy Holliday & Kendra Bentley were the winners of this Race....
. - Cort Johnson, morning show personality on KENZKENZKENZ, branded as "101.9 the End" is a Salt Lake City, Utah-based radio station. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station airs an alternative format on 101.9 FM.-History:...
radio in Salt Lake City, Utah. - Dane IorgDane IorgDane Charles Iorg is a retired Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder. He played for ten seasons for four teams, including eight seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is the brother of former third basemen Garth Iorg; they played against each other in the 1985 American League...
, former Major League Baseball Player (St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
), World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
Winner - Quinn Allman, from the band The UsedThe UsedThe Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
. - The King SistersThe King SistersThe King Sisters were an American big band-era vocal quartet.-History:Born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City, the King Sisters originally were part of the "Driggs Family of Entertainers"."In the early 1930s sisters Luise, Maxine and Alyce formed a vocal trio...
, and their father (agent and organizer) William King Driggs, Sr.