Provo, Utah
Encyclopedia
Provo (ˈproʊvoʊ) is the third largest city in the U.S. state
of Utah
, located about 43 miles (69.2 km) 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. With a population of 112,488, Provo is also the principal city in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area
, which has an estimated population of 526,810 residents. It is the third largest metro area
in the state behind Salt Lake City
and Ogden-Clearfield.
The city is home to Brigham Young University
, one of the largest private higher education institutions in the United States, which is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Provo is also home to the largest Missionary Training Center
for the LDS church. The city is a key operational center for Novell
and has been a focus area for technology development in Utah. The city is also home to the Peaks Ice Arena
, which served as a venue for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002
. Sundance
Resort is located 13 miles northeast at Provo Canyon
.
In 2009, Provo was listed in "Where to Retire" magazine as an "enticing city for new careers." Provo was also listed in National Geographic Adventure
Magazine's "where to live and play" as a cultural hub. In 2010 Forbes
rated Provo one of the top 10 places to raise a family.
Provo was originally called Fort Utah
when it was settled in 1849 by 33 Mormon
families from Salt Lake City, but was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost
, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825. The Battle of Fort Utah was fought at Provo in 1850.
Provo is located at 40°14′40"N 111°39′39"W. It lies in the Utah Valley
at an elevation of 4,549 feet (1,387 m).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 41.8 square miles (108.3 km²), of which, 39.6 square miles (102.6 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (5.14%) is water.
The Wasatch Range
contains many peaks within Utah County
along the east side of the Wasatch Front
. One of these peaks, known as Y Mountain
, towers over the city. There is a large "Y
" made of whitewashed concrete half-way up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate Brigham Young University
(original plans included construction of all three letters: BYU). Wild deer
(and less frequently, cougars and moose
) still roam the mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The scenery is generally considered enjoyable and allows for hiking, skiing
, fishing
and other outdoor activities.
to three consecutive terms during the 1990s.
Federally, Provo is part of Utah's 3rd congressional district
, represented by Republican Jason Chaffetz
, elected in 2008.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Republican Orrin Hatch
, elected in 1976. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Republican Mike Lee, elected in 2010. The Governor of Utah is Republican Gary Herbert, who took office in 2009 following the resignation of Republican Jon Huntsman
to be US Ambassador to China and was re-elected in 2010.
The current Mayor of Provo is John Curtis
. Mayor Curtis was voted in as the new Mayor of Provo on November 3, 2009 and sworn in on January 5, 2010. In addition, Laura Cabanilla, Rick Healey, and Sterling Beck were elected to the council. Shortly after being elected, Council Member Cabanilla was deployed to active duty, leaving the council operating with six members.
Mayor John Curtis was a partner and the COO of Action Target, a Provo based company which provides firearm training and products to police departments and military bases throughout the United States. His previous employers include OC Tanner and the Citizen Watch Company. He has also served on a number of community and advisory boards including the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce (now Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce), the Mountain Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Utah National Parks Council of the Boys Scouts of America, and the Utah Valley Healthcare Foundation.
Former police chief J. Craig Geslison, a 31-year veteran of the Provo Police Department, announced during an external investigation of the Provo Police Department, that he would be retiring effective January 3, 2011. Currently David Bolda is serving as interim police chief.
The City has its own School District with a school board composed of seven members each representing a different district of the city.
Brigham Young University
is a private university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU is the third largest private university in the United States with more than 34000 students. It is the flagship of the LDS Church Educational System
of higher education. The campus is home to the Spencer W. Kimball Tower
, the tallest building in Provo.
. Each week some 475 LDS missionaries enter for 3 – 12 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field becoming part of more than 52000 in more than 120 countries. Currently about 1100 instructors (many returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The center in Provo began construction in July 1974 and completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of 17 such centers in the world.
is a public library which occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy built in 1892. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277000 media. The library is located on University Avenue and 550 North.
was a LDS tabernacle
completed in 1898 that is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was destroyed by fire December 17, 2010. The brick skeleton of the Provo Tabernacle remains at the corner of First South and University Avenue. On October 1, 2011, Thomas S. Monson
, president of LDS Church, announced that the Provo Tabernacle would be rebuilt using the surviving original exterior to serve as a second temple
in Provo. The completion of the new temple will make Provo only the second city with two temples within its city limits, the other being South Jordan, Utah
. It is also only the second instance of a tabernacle being repurposed as a temple, the first being the Vernal Utah Temple
.
is located at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple is among the busiest the LDS Church operates due to its proximity to Brigham Young University
and the Missionary Training Center
.
was 2,653.2 people per square mile (1,024.3/km²). There were 30,374 housing units at an average density of 766.3 per square mile (295.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.52% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.80% American Indian, 1.83% Asian, 0.84% Pacific Islander, 5.10% from other races
, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.47% of the population.
There were 29,192 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 11.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34 and the average family size was 3.40.
22.3% of residents are under the age of 18, 40.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 8.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,313, and the median income for a family was $36,393. Males had a median income of $32,010 versus $20,928 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,207. About 12.5% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
The residents of Provo are predominantly members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS. According to data taken in 2000 by the ARDA
, 88% of the overall population, and 98% of religious adherents in the Provo-Orem area are LDS.
runs along the west edge of Provo, connecting it with the rest of the Wasatch Front
and much of Utah
. US-89 runs northwest to southeast through the city as State Street, while US-189 connects US-89 with I-15, BYU
, and Orem
to the north. At the north edge of the city, US-189 heads northeast into Provo Canyon
, where it connects with Heber
. Amtrak
the national passenger rail system, provides service to Provo station
, operating its California Zephyr
daily in both directions between Chicago, Illinois
and Emeryville, California
, across the bay from San Francisco. Provo also can be accessed by Greyhound Bus Lines and the extensive Utah Transit Authority
(UTA) bus system. UTA's commuter rail service, FrontRunner
, is expected to be extended to Provo from Salt Lake City by 2012.
The Provo Municipal Airport
is Utah's second busiest airport in terms of the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. Starting in June 2011, Frontier Airlines offers daily commercial flights to Denver. Salt Lake City International Airport
is the closest airport with commercial airline services to multiple cities.
and The Provo Towne Centre, both shopping malls, operate in Provo. Within the past two years, a number of small shops, music venues, and boutiques have popped up in downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun regularly hosting "gallery strolls," held every first Friday of the month, featuring local artists. There are many different dining establishments in and around downtown Provo. A few exclusively downtown Provo examples include: A Beuford Giffords, aka ABGs, one of only 3 bars
in all of Provo and the only bar to host live music
every weekend. Sammy's, a popular local cafe
among BYU
and UVU students renowned for their sweet potato fries and shakes, and Tommy Burger, a world famous burger stand noted for burgers and Chicago-style hot dog
s.
Five Provo companies are listed on Inc.com's Inc. 5000
list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $26.2 million. Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 1501, with $17.9 million in revenue),, and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $6.1 million in revenue).
MediaWorks Inc., one of Utah's premiere film and video production companies, was founded in Provo in 1998 and continues to provide production services to companies throughout the United States.
The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to the homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah county. They also provide volunteer opportunities.
which includes the Stadium of Fire
at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium
, home to Brigham Young University
's NCAA
football
team. The Independence Day festivities are quite popular among local residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope
, David Hasselhoff
, Reba McEntire
, Mandy Moore
, Huey Lewis and the News
, Toby Keith
, Sean Hannity
, Fred Willard
, Taylor Hicks
In 2008 the Blue Man Group
, Glenn Beck
, and Miley Cyrus
performed. The Jonas Brothers and Glenn Beck
appeared in 2009.
Provo is also home to two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano
is an annual family oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances. The Sego Festival
, highlights musicians, artists, and filmmakers based in Utah County.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, located about 43 miles (69.2 km) south of 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...
along the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
. Provo 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 Utah County
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...
and lies between the cities of 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...
to the north and Springville
Springville, Utah
Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 20,424 at the 2000 census, while the 2008 estimates placed it at 28,520. Just minutes south of Provo, Springville is a bedroom community for...
to the south. With a population of 112,488, Provo is also the principal city in the Provo-Orem metropolitan 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...
, which has an estimated population of 526,810 residents. It is the third largest metro area
Metro Area
Metro Area is a Brooklyn-based dance music production team composed of Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani.- History :Geist grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, while Jesrani is from upstate New York...
in the state behind Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City metropolitan area
The Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in north central Utah, anchored by Salt Lake City. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 968,858. As of July 1, 2009 the U.S...
and Ogden-Clearfield.
The city is home to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, one of the largest private higher education institutions in the United States, which is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Provo is also home to the largest Missionary Training Center
Missionary Training Center
Missionary Training Centers are centers devoted to training missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The flagship MTC is located in Provo, Utah, USA, adjacent to the campus of Brigham Young University....
for the LDS church. The city is a key operational center for Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
and has been a focus area for technology development in Utah. The city is also home to the Peaks Ice Arena
Peaks Ice Arena
Peaks Ice Arena is an indoor ice hockey arena in Provo, Utah, United States, located south of Salt Lake City.It was built, along with the E Center in West Valley City, Utah, to serve as an ice hockey and practice venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics...
, which served as a venue for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. Sundance
Sundance
Sundance Resort is a ski resort located northeast of Provo, Utah, spanning over on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Range. Snow skiing began on the site in 1944...
Resort is located 13 miles northeast at Provo Canyon
Provo 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...
.
In 2009, Provo was listed in "Where to Retire" magazine as an "enticing city for new careers." Provo was also listed in National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure, formerly known as Adventure One but now commonly known as Nat Geo Adventure, is a subscription TV channel part of National Geographic Channels International and News Corporation...
Magazine's "where to live and play" as a cultural hub. In 2010 Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
rated Provo one of the top 10 places to raise a family.
History
Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, is considered the first European explorer to have visited the area, in 1776. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin desert.Provo was originally called Fort Utah
Fort Utah
Fort Utah was the original settlement at Provo, Utah, and was established March 12, 1849. The original settlers were President John S. Higbee, and about 30 families or 150 persons that were sent from Salt Lake City to Provo by President Brigham Young...
when it was settled in 1849 by 33 Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
families from Salt Lake City, but was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost
Étienne Provost
Étienne Provost was a French Canadian fur trader whose trapping and trading activities in the American southwest preceded Mexican independence...
, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825. The Battle of Fort Utah was fought at Provo in 1850.
Geography
Utah Valley
Utah Valley is a valley in North Central Utah located in Utah County, and is considered part of the Wasatch Front. It contains Provo, Orem, and their suburbs, including Highland, Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Mapleton, Spanish Fork, Lindon, Pleasant Grove, Springville, Lehi, Payson, and...
at an elevation of 4,549 feet (1,387 m).
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 41.8 square miles (108.3 km²), of which, 39.6 square miles (102.6 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (5.14%) is water.
The Wasatch Range
Wasatch Range
The Wasatch Range is a mountain range that stretches approximately from the Utah-Idaho border, south through central Utah in the western United States. It is generally considered the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, and the eastern edge of the Great Basin region...
contains many peaks within Utah County
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...
along the east side of the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
. One of these peaks, known as Y Mountain
Y Mountain
Y Mountain is located directly east of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Slide Canyon/Y Mountain Trail leads to a large block Y located 1.2 miles from a parking area at the mountain's base. This hillside letter was built over a hundred years ago as the insignia for BYU...
, towers over the city. There is a large "Y
Y
Y is the twenty-fifth letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet and represents either a vowel or a consonant in English.-Name:In Latin, Y was named Y Graeca "Greek Y". This was pronounced as I Graeca "Greek I", since Latin speakers had trouble pronouncing , which was not a native sound...
" made of whitewashed concrete half-way up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(original plans included construction of all three letters: BYU). Wild deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
(and less frequently, cougars and moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
) still roam the mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The scenery is generally considered enjoyable and allows for hiking, skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and other outdoor activities.
Politics
According to a study released by the Bay Area Center for Voting Research, Provo is the most conservative city in the United States with a population over 100,000. Local discussion of national politics tends to fall within the spectrum of moderately conservative to arch-conservative thought. However, Utah's 3rd Congressional District, of which Provo is a part, elected Democrat Bill OrtonBill Orton
William "Bill" Orton was an American Democratic Congressman. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Utah from 1991 to 1997.-Early life and education:...
to three consecutive terms during the 1990s.
Federally, Provo is part of Utah's 3rd congressional district
Utah's 3rd congressional district
Utah's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. It currently covers nearly all of Utah County and the west side of Salt Lake County, in central and west central Utah....
, represented by Republican Jason Chaffetz
Jason Chaffetz
Jason E. Chaffetz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Provo and includes large portions of central and west-central Utah.-Early life, education and career:...
, elected in 2008.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Republican Orrin Hatch
Orrin Hatch
Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005...
, elected in 1976. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Republican Mike Lee, elected in 2010. The Governor of Utah is Republican Gary Herbert, who took office in 2009 following the resignation of Republican Jon Huntsman
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
to be US Ambassador to China and was re-elected in 2010.
City administration
Provo city is administered by a council of seven and a single mayor. Five of the council seats are elected by individual districts of the city while two of the seats are elected by the city as a whole. These elected officials serve a term of four years, with elections alternating every two years. The seats of Council Members Midge Johnson, Cynthia Dayton, and Sherrie Hall Everett are up for election in 2011. No incumbents are seeking re-election.The current Mayor of Provo is John Curtis
John R. Curtis
-Career:Curtis attended high school at Skyline, Utah, where he met his future wife, Sue Snarr. He attended Brigham Young University and graduated with a degree in Business Management...
. Mayor Curtis was voted in as the new Mayor of Provo on November 3, 2009 and sworn in on January 5, 2010. In addition, Laura Cabanilla, Rick Healey, and Sterling Beck were elected to the council. Shortly after being elected, Council Member Cabanilla was deployed to active duty, leaving the council operating with six members.
Mayor John Curtis was a partner and the COO of Action Target, a Provo based company which provides firearm training and products to police departments and military bases throughout the United States. His previous employers include OC Tanner and the Citizen Watch Company. He has also served on a number of community and advisory boards including the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce (now Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce), the Mountain Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Utah National Parks Council of the Boys Scouts of America, and the Utah Valley Healthcare Foundation.
Former police chief J. Craig Geslison, a 31-year veteran of the Provo Police Department, announced during an external investigation of the Provo Police Department, that he would be retiring effective January 3, 2011. Currently David Bolda is serving as interim police chief.
The City has its own School District with a school board composed of seven members each representing a different district of the city.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
is a private university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU is the third largest private university in the United States with more than 34000 students. It is the flagship of the LDS Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
of higher education. The campus is home to the Spencer W. Kimball Tower
Spencer W. Kimball Tower
The Spencer W. Kimball Tower, also known as the SWKT or Kimball Tower, is a 12-story building that houses classrooms and administrative offices on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah.-Honorary name:...
, the tallest building in Provo.
Covey Center for the Arts
The Covey Center for the Arts, a performing arts center, is located on 425 West Center Street. It features plays, ballets, art showcases, and musical performances throughout the year.LDS Missionary Training Center
Provo is home to the LDS Church's largest Missionary Training CenterMissionary Training Center
Missionary Training Centers are centers devoted to training missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The flagship MTC is located in Provo, Utah, USA, adjacent to the campus of Brigham Young University....
. Each week some 475 LDS missionaries enter for 3 – 12 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field becoming part of more than 52000 in more than 120 countries. Currently about 1100 instructors (many returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The center in Provo began construction in July 1974 and completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of 17 such centers in the world.
Provo City Library at Academy Square
The Provo City LibraryProvo City Library
The Provo City Library is a public library serving residents of Provo in the U.S. state of Utah. It occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy, which was built in 1892. In 1976, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places...
is a public library which occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy built in 1892. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277000 media. The library is located on University Avenue and 550 North.
Provo Tabernacle
The Provo TabernacleProvo Tabernacle
-External links:* * page by the City of Provo*, Photograph Archives in Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library*...
was a LDS tabernacle
Tabernacle (LDS Church)
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a tabernacle is a multipurpose religious building, used for church services, conferences, and as community centers. They differ from meetinghouses and temples in design, scale, and purpose...
completed in 1898 that is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was destroyed by fire December 17, 2010. The brick skeleton of the Provo Tabernacle remains at the corner of First South and University Avenue. On October 1, 2011, Thomas S. Monson
Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...
, president of LDS Church, announced that the Provo Tabernacle would be rebuilt using the surviving original exterior to serve as a second temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
in Provo. The completion of the new temple will make Provo only the second city with two temples within its city limits, the other being South Jordan, Utah
South Jordan, Utah
South Jordan is a city in the U.S. state of Utah. The city lies in the Salt Lake Valley between the peaks of the Oquirrh Mountains and the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains and is part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area...
. It is also only the second instance of a tabernacle being repurposed as a temple, the first being the Vernal Utah Temple
Vernal Utah Temple
The Vernal Utah Temple is the fifty-first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Vernal it is the tenth LDS temple in the state of Utah....
.
LDS Temple of Provo, Utah
The Provo Utah TempleProvo Utah Temple
The Provo Utah Temple is the 17th constructed and 15th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
is located at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple is among the busiest the LDS Church operates due to its proximity to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and the Missionary Training Center
Missionary Training Center
Missionary Training Centers are centers devoted to training missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The flagship MTC is located in Provo, Utah, USA, adjacent to the campus of Brigham Young University....
.
Utah Valley Convention Center
The Utah Valley Convention Center's groundbreaking occurred on June 15, 2010. The convention center is located at 220 West Center Street. It will play host to conventions, meetings, parties, and other social events. It is scheduled to open spring of 2012.Climate
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, 105,166 people, 29,192 households, and 19,938 families resided in the city. The population densityPopulation 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 2,653.2 people per square mile (1,024.3/km²). There were 30,374 housing units at an average density of 766.3 per square mile (295.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.52% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.80% American Indian, 1.83% Asian, 0.84% Pacific Islander, 5.10% 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 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.47% of the population.
There were 29,192 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% 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, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 11.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34 and the average family size was 3.40.
22.3% of residents are under the age of 18, 40.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 8.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,313, and the median income for a family was $36,393. Males had a median income of $32,010 versus $20,928 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 $13,207. About 12.5% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
The residents of Provo are predominantly members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS. According to data taken in 2000 by the ARDA
Association of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
, 88% of the overall population, and 98% of religious adherents in the Provo-Orem area are LDS.
Transportation
Interstate 15Interstate 15 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 15 runs north–south through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through many of the population centers of that state, including St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, the latter three being part of the urban area known as...
runs along the west edge of Provo, connecting it with the rest of the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
and much of 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...
. US-89 runs northwest to southeast through the city as State Street, while US-189 connects US-89 with I-15, BYU
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, and 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...
to the north. At the north edge of the city, US-189 heads northeast into Provo Canyon
Provo 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...
, where it connects with Heber
Heber, Utah
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...
. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
the national passenger rail system, provides service to Provo station
Provo (Amtrak station)
The Provo Amtrak station is a train station in Provo, Utah, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. It is served daily by the California Zephyr...
, operating its California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
daily in both directions between Chicago, Illinois
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
and Emeryville, California
Emeryville, California
Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California, in the United States. It is located in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, extending to the shore of San Francisco Bay. Its proximity to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, the University of California, Berkeley, and...
, across the bay from San Francisco. Provo also can be accessed by Greyhound Bus Lines and the extensive Utah Transit Authority
Utah Transit Authority
The Utah Transit Authority operates a public transportation system throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, United States. It operates fixed route buses, express buses, ski buses, three light rail lines , and a commuter rail line from Salt Lake City to Pleasant View, north of Ogden. UTA is based in...
(UTA) bus system. UTA's commuter rail service, FrontRunner
FrontRunner
FrontRunner is a commuter rail system operated by the Utah Transit Authority , serving the northern portion of the Wasatch Front from Salt Lake Central Station to Ogden Union Station. The system opened 26 April 2008...
, is expected to be extended to Provo from Salt Lake City by 2012.
The Provo Municipal Airport
Provo Municipal Airport
Provo Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles west of the city of Provo in Utah County, Utah, USA. It is currently the second busiest public airport in Utah in terms of aircraft movements, with 172,000 logged aircraft operations in a twelve month period ending in May 2007.The...
is Utah's second busiest airport in terms of the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. Starting in June 2011, Frontier Airlines offers daily commercial flights to Denver. 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...
is the closest airport with commercial airline services to multiple cities.
Local companies
Provo is home to more than three dozen restaurants, and a couple of shopping centers. The Shops At RiverwoodsThe Shops At Riverwoods
The Shops At Riverwoods is located at 4801 N. University Ave, Provo, Utah, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains near the entrance to Provo Canyon. The Shops at Riverwoods is at the center of the Riverwoods Community, a village containing of retail space, 143 residences, retail, restaurants, and...
and The Provo Towne Centre, both shopping malls, operate in Provo. Within the past two years, a number of small shops, music venues, and boutiques have popped up in downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun regularly hosting "gallery strolls," held every first Friday of the month, featuring local artists. There are many different dining establishments in and around downtown Provo. A few exclusively downtown Provo examples include: A Beuford Giffords, aka ABGs, one of only 3 bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in all of Provo and the only bar to host live music
Live Music
Live Music is a reggaeton company owned by DJ Giann.-Artists:* Jowell & Randy* Tony Lenta* Watussi* De La Ghetto* Guelo Star* Galante "El Emperador"-Producers:*DJ Blass*Dexter*Mr. Greenz*DJ Giann*Los Hitmen*Dirty Joe*ALX...
every weekend. Sammy's, a popular local cafe
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
among BYU
BYU
-Education:* Brigham Young University, a university located in Provo, Utah, USA administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.**BYU Salt Lake Center, a satellite center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
and UVU students renowned for their sweet potato fries and shakes, and Tommy Burger, a world famous burger stand noted for burgers and Chicago-style hot dog
Chicago-style hot dog
A Chicago-style hot dog, or Chicago Dog, is a steamed or water-simmered all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois...
s.
Five Provo companies are listed on Inc.com's Inc. 5000
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $26.2 million. Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 1501, with $17.9 million in revenue),, and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $6.1 million in revenue).
MediaWorks Inc., one of Utah's premiere film and video production companies, was founded in Provo in 1998 and continues to provide production services to companies throughout the United States.
The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to the homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah county. They also provide volunteer opportunities.
International companies
- Action TargetAction TargetAction Target is a manufacturer of custom shooting ranges for military, police, and commercial applications based in Provo, Utah. The company completed construction in mid-2009 on a new facility in a new industrial park at the southeast corner of Provo. The company moved due to incentives offered...
, a shooting range manufacturer. - Ancestry.com is a genealogyGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
and family networking company. - APX Alarm Security Solutions is a full-service residential security company with customers throughout the United States and Canada. The company is an active sponsor of many local establishments and provides jobs to thousands of Provo residents.
- Nature's Sunshine ProductsNature's Sunshine ProductsNature's Sunshine Products, Incorporated , also known as "NSP," is a manufacturer and marketer of encapsulated natural health supplements, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, Chinese, Ayurvedic and homeopathic remedies, water filters, cookware, natural personal care & cleaning products, etc...
, a direct-selling company, manufactures and markets tablets and encapsulated herbal products, high-quality natural vitamins, food supplements, and skin care and other complementary products. The company has operations in the United States, South Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, the United Kingdom, Israel and Chile. The company also exports its products to several other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, and the Russian Federation. - NovellNovellNovell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
is a software corporation specializing in network operating systems such as Novell NetWare and SUSE Linux, secure identity management products, and application integration and collaboration solutions. Together with WordPerfect, Novell was instrumental in making Utah Valley a focus for high-technology software development. Today this area has many small companies whose employees have previously worked at Novell. Novell continues to operate and employ around 2,000 people at its Provo facility. - Nu Skin EnterprisesNu Skin EnterprisesNu Skin Enterprises is an American direct selling company that develops and distributes personal care products and nutritional supplements that are sold under the Nu Skin and Pharmanex brands. Nu Skin was founded in 1984 in Provo, Utah....
, a multilevel marketing firm for skin care products, was founded in 1984. In 2005, some 82 percent of revenues for the $1.5B USD company were generated through markets in Asia. - QualtricsQualtricsQualtrics is a private research software company, based in Provo, UT. The company was founded in 1997 by Scott M. Smith, Ph.D.Their software enables users to create their own Web-based surveys and conduct statistical analysis...
- Tahitian Noni International is a health and skin care manufacturer whose products are based on the Tahitian fruit called noniNoniMorinda citrifolia, commonly known as great morinda, Indian mulberry, nunaakai , dog dumpling , mengkudu , Kumudu , pace , beach mulberry, cheese fruit or noni is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae...
.
Special events
Every July, Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival at ProvoAmerica's Freedom Festival at Provo
America's Freedom Festival at Provo is a private, non-profit, non-political foundation known for organizing more than 25 annual patriotic events in and around Provo, Utah...
which includes the Stadium of Fire
Stadium of Fire
The Stadium of Fire is an annual event held in the Brigham Young University's LaVell Edwards Stadium on or very near the United States' Independence Day. It is one of the main events for the America's Freedom Festival....
at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
, home to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
's NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team. The Independence Day festivities are quite popular among local residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
, Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
, Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is an American radio and television host, author, and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks. Hannity also hosts a cable news show, Hannity,...
, Fred Willard
Fred Willard
Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
, Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
In 2008 the Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
, Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, and Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
performed. The Jonas Brothers and Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
appeared in 2009.
Provo is also home to two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano
Festival Latinoamericano
Festival Latinoamericano, or Latin American Festival, is an annual three day Labor Day weekend festival in downtown Provo, Utah. The festival highlights Utah's Hispanic culture through food, vendors, and performances and is free to the public...
is an annual family oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances. The Sego Festival
Sego Festival
Provo, Utah hosts the Sego Festival each fall. The festival was started in 2006 by Matt Gifford and Maht Paulos, as a way to highlight musicians, artists, and filmmakers based in Utah County...
, highlights musicians, artists, and filmmakers based in Utah County.
National attention
Provo was city-ranked 1st for volunteerism (2008), 2nd for business/careers (2010), and 4th in health/well-being (2010); and its metro area is projected to have the greatest population increase in the 2010 United States Census (47%).Notable residents
- Kurt BestorKurt BestorKurt Roland Bestor is an American composer, arranger, and performer.-Biography:Bestor was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and raised in Orem, Utah, graduating from Orem High School in 1976. His grandfather played trumpet in Tommy Dorsey's band and his great uncle played trombone in Jack Benny's band...
- award-winning composer, performer and host of morning radio/talk show KUTRKUTRKUTR is a radio station in Salt Lake City, Utah broadcast at 820 kHz AM. The radio station is owned by Julie Epperson and features a Contemporary Christian format....
820 AM - Robbie BoscoRobbie BoscoRobbie Bosco is most widely known as an American football quarterback at Brigham Young University. Bosco is a native of Roseville, California....
- Former BYU Football player - Stephen CoveyStephen CoveyStephen Richards Covey is the author of the best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Other books he has written include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. In 2004, Covey released The 8th Habit...
- author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - LaVell EdwardsLaVell EdwardsR. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
- Former BYU, and NCAA Football Hall of Fame Coach - Paul EngemannPaul EngemannPaul Robert Engemann is a 1980s pop musician best known for his 1983 song "Scarface ". The song featured prominently in the film Scarface, which was released in the same year....
- Pop musician best known for his 1983 song "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)Scarface (Push it to the Limit)"Scarface " is the title of a song written by Italian record producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and recorded by American musician Paul Engemann. It appeared on the soundtrack for the 1983 motion picture Scarface...
" - Tom HolmoeTom HolmoeThomas Allen Holmoe is the current athletic director at Brigham Young University. He is a former college and professional American football defensive back and coach.-College:...
- Former BYU football and San Francisco 49er player. Won 4 super bowl rings, 2 as a player and 2 as a coach for the Niners. Also coached at Stanford and was the Head Coach at Cal for a few years. Current BYU Athletic Director. - Julianne HoughJulianne HoughJulianne Alexandra Hough is an American professional ballroom dancer, country music singer and actress. She is most widely known for being a two-time champion of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. She earned a Creative Arts Primetime Emmy nomination in 2007 for choreography...
- professional ballroom dancer on Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series) and singer - Vernon Law and Vance LawVance LawVance Aaron Law is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago White Sox , Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , and Oakland Athletics . He also played one season in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons in 1990. Law batted and threw...
- both Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
players - Bert McCrackenBert McCrackenRobert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
- lead singer of Utah based band The Used, was born in Provo. - Neon TreesNeon TreesNeon Trees is an American alternative rock band from Provo, Utah, with origins in Murrieta, California. The band received nationwide exposure in late 2008 when they opened several North American tour dates for the rock band The Killers. Not long after, the band was signed by Mercury Records and...
- New Wave, Synthpop-Rock Band - The Osmond FamilyThe OsmondsThe Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied career—a career that took them from singing barbershop music as children, to achieving success as teen-music idols, to producing a hit television show, and to continued success as solo and group performers...
- raised all nine children in Provo, and continue to live there.- Donny OsmondDonny OsmondDonald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
- singer/musician/actor - Marie OsmondMarie OsmondOlive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s...
- singer/author/actress - Osmond Brothers - vocal group/band
- Donny Osmond
- Jack PaepkeJack PaepkeJack Paepke was a minor league baseball pitcher and manager as well as a player-manager. He later was a major league baseball coach and scout. He was born in Provo, Utah....
- baseball player, coach, manager and scout. - Janice Kapp PerryJanice Kapp PerryJanice Kapp Perry is a well-known Latter-day Saint songwriter whose contributions have resulted in roughly 50 albums and songs in the LDS Church hymnal, Children's Songbook, and 70 Favorite Children's Songs.- Biography :...
- songwriter/composer/LDS musician - Fred RobertsFred RobertsFrederick Clark Roberts is a retired American basketball player who played power forward in the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons, a career spanning from 1983 to 1997, becoming one of the more successful journeymen to play in the league...
- NBA player for the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, Cleveland CavaliersCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and the Dallas MavericksDallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. - Josh RohatinskyJosh RohatinskyJosh Rohatinsky is an American long-distance running athlete. He was the NCAA Men's Cross Country Champion in 2006 while running for BYU...
- Former BYU Cross Country national champion, professional runner. - Brandon SandersonBrandon SandersonBrandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author. A Nebraska native, he currently resides in American Fork, Utah. He earned his Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2005 from Brigham Young University, where he was on the staff of Leading Edge, a semi-professional speculative fiction magazine...
- award-winning author - Ryan Shupe & the RubberbandRyan Shupe & The RubberBandRyan Shupe & the RubberBand is an American bluegrass group founded in the mid-1990s in Ogden, UT. The band's lineup comprises Ryan Shupe , Roger Archibald , Ryan Tilby , Craig Miner , and Nate Smeding...
- musicians/band/songwriter; "Dream Big" - Beatrice SparksBeatrice SparksBeatrice Sparks is an American therapist and Mormon youth counselor who is known for producing books purporting to be the 'real diaries' of troubled teenagers. The books deal with topical issues such as drug abuse, Satanism, teenage pregnancy or AIDS, and are presented as cautionary tales...
- psychologist and author - Grant SpeedGrant SpeedUlysses Grant Speed is a western sculptor based in Lindon in Utah County, near Provo.Speed was born in San Angelo in Tom Green County, Texas, where as a youth he concentrated on riding and roping and hence showed little evidence of his later passion for art...
- sculptor - Branden SteineckertBranden SteineckertBranden Steineckert , is the drummer for the punk rock band Rancid. He was previously the drummer of The Used, but it was announced on September 12, 2006 that he was no longer a part of the band.-Biography:...
- former drummer of Utah based band The Used; current drummer for the band Rancid, was born in Provo. - Will SwensonWill SwensonWilliam Swenson is an American actor, writer and film director best known for his work in musical theatre. He also has developed a film career, primarily in Mormon cinema...
- Tony-nominated actor - Steve Young - MVP of Super Bowl XXIXSuper Bowl XXIXSuper Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
, and Inductee of Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, record-breaking quarterback for BYU & San Francisco 49ers.
Points of interest
- Brigham Young University ArboretumBrigham Young University ArboretumBrigham Young University Arboretum, also known as Harrison Arboretum, is an arboretum located on a hill beside at 800 North Street on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA. It includes a native plants from both eastern and western regions of the United States. It also has a...
- Peaks Ice ArenaPeaks Ice ArenaPeaks Ice Arena is an indoor ice hockey arena in Provo, Utah, United States, located south of Salt Lake City.It was built, along with the E Center in West Valley City, Utah, to serve as an ice hockey and practice venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics...
, hockey venue for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games - Provo River, a river known for fishing and the Provo River Parkway, a paved bicycle and walking trail adjacent to the river.
- Reed O. Smoot HouseReed O. Smoot HouseThe Reed O. Smoot House, also known as Mrs. Harlow E. Smoot House, was the home of Reed Smoot from 1892 to his death in 1941, and is located at 183 E. 100 South, Provo, Utah...
, a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, located at 183 East 100 South. - Seven Peaks Water Park, the largest water park in Utah.
- The Shops At RiverwoodsThe Shops At RiverwoodsThe Shops At Riverwoods is located at 4801 N. University Ave, Provo, Utah, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains near the entrance to Provo Canyon. The Shops at Riverwoods is at the center of the Riverwoods Community, a village containing of retail space, 143 residences, retail, restaurants, and...
, a center of residences, retails, and entertainment located at the mouth of Provo CanyonProvo CanyonProvo 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...
. - Uinta National ForestUinta National ForestUinta National Forest is a national forest located in north central Utah, USA. It was originally part of the Uinta Forest Reserve, created by Grover Cleveland on February 2, 1897. The name is derived from the Ute word Yoov-we-teuh which means pine forest...
, a national forest on the Wasatch FrontWasatch FrontThe Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
bordering the east edge of Provo and Utah valley. - Utah LakeUtah LakeUtah Lake is a freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Utah. On the western side of Utah Valley, the lake is overlooked by Mount Timpanogos and Mount Nebo. The lake's only river outlet, the Jordan River, is a tributary of the Great Salt Lake and is highly regulated with pumps. Evaporation accounts...
, a fresh-water lake popular for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities.