Rich County, Utah
Encyclopedia
Rich County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Utah
. The southern half of Bear Lake
and the Bear Lake Valley lie on the northern edge of the county. The Bear River
Valley lies in most of the eastern portion of the county. The elevation of these valleys is close to 6000 feet (1,828.8 m), and the rest of the county is covered by mountains, including the Bear River Range. Because of the high elevation the climate is cold in winter and mild in summer, and the population is limited. There are only four significant settlements in Rich County. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,264. It was named for an early LDS apostle, Charles C. Rich
. Its county seat
is Randolph
and the largest city is Garden City
.
descendent explorers in 1811, when trapper Joseph Miller discovered the Bear River
. In 1827, the first annual rendezvous of trappers occurred on the south shore of Bear Lake, a tradition which is still marked today. The site is also preserved as part of Bear Lake State Park
. The first permanent settlement in the county was Round Valley in 1863; located southwest of Laketown
(settled 1864), it is now a ghost town
. Randolph
was settled in 1870. The county was created in 1868 and the last size alteration occurred in 1872.
, the county has a total area of 1086 square miles (2,812.7 km²), of which 1029 square miles (2,665.1 km²) is land and 58 square miles (150.2 km²) (5.32%) is water.
The Bear River Valley is created by the Bear River
and consists of the east-central portion of the county. The towns of Randolph
and Woodruff
lie in this farming-oriented valley. Its high elevation makes this region one of the coldest areas in the state. Woodruff has a record low of -50 °F and temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) during the summer. Snow is heavy in late autumn, winter, and early spring and remains on the ground for the entire winter.
Further to the north lies the southern half of Bear Lake Valley, which contains Bear Lake
. This lake is famous for its deep blue water, beaches, and surrounding mountains. The Bear River Mountains
lie along the western edge of the county, and Logan Canyon
opens up to the west of Garden City
, which is a quaint tourist town that lies on the western edge of Bear Lake. Laketown
lies at the southern edge of the lake. Three sections of the coastline are protected by Bear Lake State Park
. The eastern slopes of the Bear River Range is an increasingly popular location for cabins.
In both of these major valleys, temperature inversions are a major problem during winter. These temperature inversions can bring extremely cold temperatures, fog
, smog
, and haze
to the valleys, sometimes for more than two weeks at a time.
Rich County is bordered by Cache County to the west, Weber
and Morgan
counties to the southwest, Summit County
to the south, Uinta County, Wyoming
to the southeast, Lincoln County, Wyoming to the northeast, and Bear Lake County, Idaho
to the north.
heads south from Garden City through Laketown and climbs east through the mountains to the Wyoming
border. State Route 16
heads south from Sage Creek Junction through Randolph and Woodruff before entering Wyoming northwest of Evanston
. State Route 39
heads west into the Wasatch Range
from Woodruff on its way to Huntsville
and eventually Ogden
. However, this highway is closed through the mountains during the winter months as heavy snow blocks the road. Interstate 80 lies in Summit County very near the Rich County border, but is only accessible from Rich County through Wyoming.
of 2000, there were 1,961 people, 645 households, and 521 families residing in the county. The population density
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 2,408 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.16% White
, 0.05% Native American
, 0.41% Asian
, 0.92% from other races
, and 0.46% from two or more races. 1.84% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 645 households out of which 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.40% were married couples
living together, 3.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.10% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the county, the population was spread out with 34.60% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 22.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,766, and the median income for a family was $44,783. Males had a median income of $34,464 versus $22,396 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,267. About 6.50% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.
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...
. The southern half of Bear Lake
Bear Lake (Idaho-Utah)
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water...
and the Bear Lake Valley lie on the northern edge of the county. The Bear River
Bear River (Utah)
The Bear River is a river, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern Utah, in the United States. The largest tributary of the Great Salt Lake, it drains a mountainous area and farming valleys northeast of the lake and southeast of the Snake River Plain...
Valley lies in most of the eastern portion of the county. The elevation of these valleys is close to 6000 feet (1,828.8 m), and the rest of the county is covered by mountains, including the Bear River Range. Because of the high elevation the climate is cold in winter and mild in summer, and the population is limited. There are only four significant settlements in Rich County. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,264. It was named for an early LDS apostle, Charles C. Rich
Charles C. Rich
Charles Coulson Rich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
. Its 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....
is Randolph
Randolph, Utah
Randolph is a city in Rich County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 464. It is the county seat of Rich County. Randolph had the highest percentage of people of any city in the country vote for George W...
and the largest city is Garden City
Garden City, Utah
Garden City is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 562 at the 2010 census. Garden City sits on the shores of Bear Lake and is a popular summer resort destination town.-History:...
.
History
Rich County was believed to have first been visited by EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
descendent explorers in 1811, when trapper Joseph Miller discovered the Bear River
Bear River (Utah)
The Bear River is a river, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern Utah, in the United States. The largest tributary of the Great Salt Lake, it drains a mountainous area and farming valleys northeast of the lake and southeast of the Snake River Plain...
. In 1827, the first annual rendezvous of trappers occurred on the south shore of Bear Lake, a tradition which is still marked today. The site is also preserved as part of Bear Lake State Park
Bear Lake State Park (Utah)
Bear Lake State Park is a state park of Utah, USA, along the shore of Bear Lake on the Idaho border. It offers three recreation areas: Rendezvous Beach, Bear Lake Marina, and East Beach. The park also hosts many annual events, such as a Mountain Man Rendezvous and Bear Lake Raspberry...
. The first permanent settlement in the county was Round Valley in 1863; located southwest of Laketown
Laketown, Utah
Laketown is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 248 at the 2010 census. The town is named for nearby Bear Lake.-Geography:Laketown is located at ....
(settled 1864), it is now a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. Randolph
Randolph, Utah
Randolph is a city in Rich County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 464. It is the county seat of Rich County. Randolph had the highest percentage of people of any city in the country vote for George W...
was settled in 1870. The county was created in 1868 and the last size alteration occurred in 1872.
Geography
According to the U.S. 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 county has a total area of 1086 square miles (2,812.7 km²), of which 1029 square miles (2,665.1 km²) is land and 58 square miles (150.2 km²) (5.32%) is water.
The Bear River Valley is created by the Bear River
Bear River (Utah)
The Bear River is a river, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern Utah, in the United States. The largest tributary of the Great Salt Lake, it drains a mountainous area and farming valleys northeast of the lake and southeast of the Snake River Plain...
and consists of the east-central portion of the county. The towns of Randolph
Randolph, Utah
Randolph is a city in Rich County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 464. It is the county seat of Rich County. Randolph had the highest percentage of people of any city in the country vote for George W...
and Woodruff
Woodruff, Utah
Woodruff is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 180 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Woodruff is located at ....
lie in this farming-oriented valley. Its high elevation makes this region one of the coldest areas in the state. Woodruff has a record low of -50 °F and temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) during the summer. Snow is heavy in late autumn, winter, and early spring and remains on the ground for the entire winter.
Further to the north lies the southern half of Bear Lake Valley, which contains Bear Lake
Bear Lake (Idaho-Utah)
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water...
. This lake is famous for its deep blue water, beaches, and surrounding mountains. The Bear River Mountains
Bear River Mountains
The Bear River Mountains are located in northeastern Utah and southeastern Idaho. One of the mountains' sinks recorded the lowest temperature in Utah on February 1, 1985, at , which is also the second-lowest temperature ever recorded in the contiguous United States. U.S...
lie along the western edge of the county, and Logan Canyon
Logan Canyon
Logan Canyon is a canyon that cuts its way through the Bear River Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range, in northeastern Utah. The canyon is popular for both summer and winter activities, especially rock-climbing, hiking, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and skiing, at the Beaver Mountain ski...
opens up to the west of Garden City
Garden City, Utah
Garden City is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 562 at the 2010 census. Garden City sits on the shores of Bear Lake and is a popular summer resort destination town.-History:...
, which is a quaint tourist town that lies on the western edge of Bear Lake. Laketown
Laketown, Utah
Laketown is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 248 at the 2010 census. The town is named for nearby Bear Lake.-Geography:Laketown is located at ....
lies at the southern edge of the lake. Three sections of the coastline are protected by Bear Lake State Park
Bear Lake State Park (Utah)
Bear Lake State Park is a state park of Utah, USA, along the shore of Bear Lake on the Idaho border. It offers three recreation areas: Rendezvous Beach, Bear Lake Marina, and East Beach. The park also hosts many annual events, such as a Mountain Man Rendezvous and Bear Lake Raspberry...
. The eastern slopes of the Bear River Range is an increasingly popular location for cabins.
In both of these major valleys, temperature inversions are a major problem during winter. These temperature inversions can bring extremely cold temperatures, fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
, smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
, and haze
Haze
Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic...
to the valleys, sometimes for more than two weeks at a time.
Rich County is bordered by Cache County to the west, Weber
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
and Morgan
Morgan County, Utah
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 9,469. It was named for Jedediah Morgan Grant, father of Heber J. Grant, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
counties to the southwest, Summit County
Summit County, Utah
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Clearfield Combined Statistical Area. The county is...
to the south, Uinta County, Wyoming
Uinta County, Wyoming
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,742 people, 6,823 households, and 5,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 8,011 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
to the southeast, Lincoln County, Wyoming to the northeast, and Bear Lake County, Idaho
Bear Lake County, Idaho
Bear Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 6,411 . The county seat is Paris, and Montpelier is the largest city....
to the north.
Transportation
U.S. Route 89 descends from the Bear River Mountains through Logan Canyon and turns north at Garden City along the Bear Lake shoreline. State Route 30Utah State Route 30
State Route 30 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. It is the only highway signed as a Utah state route to traverse the entire width of the state. Legislatively the highway exists as 3 separate segments. The three sections are easily connectable via Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 89...
heads south from Garden City through Laketown and climbs east through the mountains to the Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
border. State Route 16
Utah State Route 16
State Route 16 is a state highway in northeastern Utah, running for in Rich County from the Wyoming state line near Woodruff to Sage Creek Junction...
heads south from Sage Creek Junction through Randolph and Woodruff before entering Wyoming northwest of Evanston
Evanston, Wyoming
Evanston is a city in Uinta County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 12,359 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Uinta County.-Geography:Evanston is located at...
. State Route 39
Utah State Route 39
State Route 39 is a state highway in northern Utah connecting Ogden to Woodruff via Ogden Canyon and Huntsville. The highway is on 12th Street in Ogden and the Ogden River Scenic Byway through Ogden Canyon. The route is over sixty-seven miles long.Prior to 1964, SR-39 was routed along 24th Street...
heads west into 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...
from Woodruff on its way to Huntsville
Huntsville, Utah
Huntsville is a town in Weber County, Utah, United States. The population was 649 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and eventually Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
. However, this highway is closed through the mountains during the winter months as heavy snow blocks the road. Interstate 80 lies in Summit County very near the Rich County border, but is only accessible from Rich County through Wyoming.
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 1,961 people, 645 households, and 521 families residing in the county. 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 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 2,408 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.16% White
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...
, 0.05% Native American
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...
, 0.41% Asian
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...
, 0.92% 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 0.46% from two or more races. 1.84% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 645 households out of which 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.40% 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, 3.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.10% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the county, the population was spread out with 34.60% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 22.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,766, and the median income for a family was $44,783. Males had a median income of $34,464 versus $22,396 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 county was $16,267. About 6.50% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- GardenGarden, UtahGarden is a census-designated place in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 181 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Garden is located at ....
- Garden CityGarden City, UtahGarden City is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 562 at the 2010 census. Garden City sits on the shores of Bear Lake and is a popular summer resort destination town.-History:...
- LaketownLaketown, UtahLaketown is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 248 at the 2010 census. The town is named for nearby Bear Lake.-Geography:Laketown is located at ....
- RandolphRandolph, UtahRandolph is a city in Rich County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 464. It is the county seat of Rich County. Randolph had the highest percentage of people of any city in the country vote for George W...
(County seat) - WoodruffWoodruff, UtahWoodruff is a town in Rich County, Utah, United States. The population was 180 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Woodruff is located at ....