Provo: Recreation

Sightseeing

The Provo/Orem area is one of the most scenic in the country. Visitors can view the breathtaking Bridal Veil Falls from the Provo Canyon floor. The falls can be seen from Highway 189, which curves alongside the Provo River up the beautiful Provo Canyon Scenic Byway. A turn onto the Alpine Loop Scenic Backway (Highway 92) goes past the Sundance Resort and the Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Located in American Fork Canyon, the cave is actually three highly decorated limestone caverns that can be observed on a 1.5-mile hike.

Built in 1972, Provo Latter Day Saints Temple is located on a hillside above the Brigham Young University campus. It is an architecturally striking building faced with white cast stone and topped with a segmented spire. The Provo Latter Day Saints Tabernacle is a historic structure built in 1898 that is still in active use, hosting many religious and cultural events.

The award-winning McCurdy Historical Doll Museum has more than 4,000 dolls, 47 miniature rooms, toys, and a toy shop. The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum on the Brigham Young University campus contains a large collection of trophy animals and displays of animal habitats. The Brigham Young University Earth Science Museum features animals large and small from dinosaurs to ancient forms of sea life.

The Sundance Resort, 15 miles northeast of Provo, provides fine dining, a spa, plays, art workshops, and nature experiences throughout the summer in addition to excellent skiing in winter.

The Trafalga Family Fun Center in Orem contains a 400-foot waterslide, indoor and outdoor miniature golf courses, and a game room. Thanksgiving Point in nearby Lehi is a 700-acre oasis featuring restaurants, a visitor center and giftshop, a professional golf course, academy driving range, clubhouse, tennis ranch, animal farm, equestrian center, shopping village, North American Museum of Ancient Life, and acres and acres of awe-inspiring gardens. Recent additions to Thanksgiving Point are a dinner theater seating more than 1,000 and Electric Park for parties, reunions, and fairs, both slated for a 2005 opening.

Arts and Culture

Hundreds of cultural events are sponsored annually in Provo, including concerts, symposiums, plays, lectures, classes, art exhibits, and museum displays. The Museum of Art at Brigham Young University (BYU) is one of the largest of its kind in the intermountain West and houses an impressive permanent collection of fine art. The B. F. Larson Gallery at BYU exhibits works by contemporary artists. Fine art is on display at the Brownstone Gallery. The Springville Museum of Art in nearby Springville houses an extensive collection of the works of Utah artists, highlighted by the month-long National Art Exhibit in April.

The Sundance Institute, an arts community near Provo, fosters creativity in film, and visual and performing arts, and presents arts events throughout the year, including its internationally-recognized Film Festival.

The historic Latter Day Saints Tabernacle hosts a roster of internationally known performers as well as the Utah Valley Symphony, a 90-member community orchestra. Brigham Young University is a major source of music, dance, and drama events at its Harris Fine Arts Center. Utah Regional Ballet is the resident ballet company at Utah Valley State College in Orem. The Center Street Musical Theater presents dinner theater in downtown Provo. The Provo Theatre Company stages five to six musical, comedy, and dramatic productions from September through July.

Festivals and Holidays

Provo kicks off the New Year with its First Night community celebration of the arts in an alcohol-free setting, followed by the annual Sundance Film Festival held near the end of January each year. Utah Pioneer Days in May features the Miss Orem Pageant. America's Freedom Festival in Provo on July 4 is the largest Independence Day celebration in the country. This grand three-week event begins with balloon festivals; gala balls; clogging competitions; 10K, 5K, and one mile runs; and explodes with an enormous parade. More than 700 folkdancers from many countries gather at the Springville World Folkfest in July for the largest event of its kind in the country. From May through September, many cities in Utah County hold individual city festivals. WinterFest in downtown Provo during the month of December celebrates the holiday season with concerts, a parade, living nativity, decorated storefronts and a "Lights On" celebration.

Sports for the Spectator

Brigham Young University's (BYU) basketball team plays its games throughout the winter at the 23,000-seat Marriott Center arena. The BYU Cougars hold home football games at their 65,000-seat stadium on campus. The Utah Valley State Wolverines play basketball at the McKay Center in Orem. Some of the other sports presented at BYU and Utah Valley State College are basketball, baseball, track, volleyball, gymnastics, rugby, wrestling, and swimming.

Sports for the Participant

The city of Provo has 28 parks, 2 ice rinks, 4 swimming pools, 10 golf courses, more than 35 tennis courts, 1 soccer field, and 7 baseball and softball diamonds. The city maintains a rifle and pistol shooting range year-round for public use. Within an hour's drive from Provo are 7 downhill ski resorts, including Park City and Snowbird. Robert Redford's Sundance Resort, which offers mountain biking trails as well as skiing, is 20 minutes from the city of Provo Canyon. In and surrounding Provo/Orem are 10 public golf courses and 2 private country clubs. Nearby Utah Lake State Park and Deer Creek Reservoir in Heber Valley provide water skiing, fishing, boating, camping, canoeing, and other water sports. Fly-fishing in the Provo River is popular, and hunting of elk, deer, moose, and bighorn sheep is also possible. Maps and trail guides to the area can be obtained at the U.S. Forest Service's main office in Provo. Climbers have access to both indoor and outdoor ropes courses at the CLAS Ropes Course facility.

Seven Peaks Resort, located at the foot of Maple Mountain in Provo, is a waterpark with a variety of water amusements including the world's tallest water slides, wave pool, and children's activity areas. The park's acres of lush lawns and pavilions make it a favorite site for picnics and parties. Thanksgiving Point in nearby Lehi is a 700-acre oasis featuring a variety of outdoor activities.

Shopping and Dining

Provo boasts two newer malls: the modern Provo Towne Center and The Shops at Riverwoods. Provo Town Center Mall is anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, and Sears department stores. The Shops at Riverwoods features modern, upscale shops in a nostalgic Main Street USA setting. Provo Town Square is a specialty theme mall in the heart of the city. All the buildings are restored historic structures housing restaurants, shops, and entertainment facilities. Provo University Parkway has recently developed into a major shopping area with large department stores and small specialty shops. University Mall in the University Parkway corridor in Orem contains 185 stores and restaurants.

The city of Provo has more than 200 eating places. The Provo/Orem area hosts a variety of ethnic restaurants including American, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Italian, and Mexican. Vegetarian fare, bars/nightclubs, and fast foods of all kinds are also popular. Allie's American Grill at the Provo Marriott, Carvers, Los Hermanos, and Magelby's are local favorites for dining. At Sundance Resort, The Tree Room offers elegant dining by candlelight; the Foundry Grill Room features lighter, bistro-style dining; and the Owl Bar offers spirits, local brews, and a bistro-style menu for the benefit of private club members (temporary memberships are available); all rooms are known for their exceptional fare.

Visitor Information: The Utah County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 111 S. University Ave., Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801)851-2100

Provo: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

The Provo-Orem area has a diverse economy with every employment sector well represented. The area is home to the second largest concentration of software technologies companies in the United States and has the third largest concentration of high-technology companies. There is also a large concentration of biotech companies located in the area.

Some of the world's major software companies are located in the area, including Novell, Inc., Symantec and Corel, creating opportunities for more than 400 small to mid-range high-technology companies. Provo is also home to such giants as Nestle Frozen Foods and Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. High-technology companies in the Provo/Orem area include Micron Technology, Ameritech Library Services, Convergys, Folio Corporation, Viewsoft, and Nimbus Manufacturing, among others.

The notable work ethic of local employees and the appeal of a serene mountain community have made Provo ideal for a wide variety of manufacturers, communications firms, and marketing and retail organizations, including Banta Press, Nature's Sunshine, Sears Telecatalog, PowerQuest Corp., and Powder River Manufacturing. Many industrial parks offer a variety of settings for light to heavy industry with abundant, low-cost utilities.

As other sectors of the economy have prospered in recent years, retailers have seen dramatic increases as well. Provo is a magnet for many of the surrounding counties and the major shopping areas are easily accessible from I-15 and other main routes.

Items and goods produced: iron, steel, software, fruit, electronics, apparel

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

Most incentive programs are at the state level. Provo City's Redevelopment Agency provides support for starting a new business by offering assistance in preparing a business plan and demographic information necessary for decision making.

State programs

The Utah Small Business Development Center (USBDC) helps established and start-up companies prepare business plans, set sales goals, identify customers and the competition, analyze the market, find property, and research financing sources. The USBDC is part of a network that operates in all 50 states and is supported by the federal government. It offers a five-week business planning class and other classes including management, risk management, accounting, computerizing one's business, budgeting, cash management, and running a home-based business. The State of Utah makes available a Revolving Loan Fund, which provides up to $100,000 to qualified applicants for working capital, equipment, and lease improvements, etc. The Utah Microenterprise Loan Fund provides financing to owners, particularly those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, of both new and existing companies who don't have access to traditional funding sources. Job tax credits and investment tax credits are available to manufacturing, recycling, information technology, and warehousing businesses that relocate or establish themselves in designated rural areas. Companies can receive tax credits for getting involved in recycling activities in recycling zones, for example. The State of Utah's Office of Technology Development offers assistance in creating and developing technology-oriented businesses through its Centers of Excellence Program. The State helps companies commercialize leading edge technologies which have been developed in selected research programs at universities in Utah.

Job training programs

The Small Business Development Center in Orem/Provo provides free personal consulting services and low-cost skill-based training to owners and managers of small businesses and to prospective entrepreneurs.

Development Projects

One of the largest redevelopment projects Provo City has undertaken has been the Ironton Redevelopment Project. Potential plans for the 338-acre former Ironton Steel mill abandoned since 1962 include a commercial/industrial business park. Environmental clean-up to remove contaminants from the coke and iron-making operations are underway and the city has started construction of South Mountain Vista Parkway at Ironton.

Completed in March 2005, the new Wells Fargo Center is a 100,000 square foot, seven-story mixed use building in Provo. The building is home to Wells Fargo Bank, as well as MultiLing Corp., a translation and language services company, plus other professional offices and residential condominiums on the top three floors.

Construction of a new convention center and hotel for downtown Provo and a new cultural arts facility at the former Provo City Library were in the planning stages in 2005.

Economic Development Information: Provo City Economic Development, 425 West Center St., Provo, UT 84603; telephone (801)852-6160

Commercial Shipping

Provo is served by the Denver & Rio Grand Western and the Union Pacific railroads, which offer second-morning service to 90 percent of the Western markets. The Provo area is served by 40 major trucking lines. The expanding Provo Municipal Airport can serve and handle most aircraft and is equipped with an instrument-landing system and a weather-reporting capability.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

The Provo-Orem area boasts low unemployment; favorable taxes; a young, educated, "internationally skilled" work force; and a growing population. Utah's labor market is made up of a large percentage of young people. The Provo work force not only has a high education level, among its other qualities are foreign language ability, foreign service experience, and a strong work ethic. The state of Utah ranks among the nation's leaders in job growth, with nonfarm employment continuing to grow in 2004-2005. All sectors posted job growth in 2004, and the largest gains could be seen in the professional and business services sector; the trade, transportation and utilities sector; and the construction sector. Utah Valley remains one of the hottest high-tech areas in the nation, which continues to bring in entrepreneurs, big business, and new and higher-paying jobs.

The following is a summary of data regarding the ProvoOrem metropolitan area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of non-agricultural labor force: 162,900

Number of workers employed in . . .

construction and mining: 11,900

manufacturing: 17,500

trade, transportation and utilities: 26,300

information: 7,100

financial activities: 6,100

professional and business services: 19,600

educational and health services: 33,900

leisure and hospitality: 12,800

other services: 4,000

government: 23,700

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $13.80 (Provo-Orem MSA)

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (February 2005)

Cost of Living

Overall cost of living in Provo/Orem ranks close to the national average.

The following is a summary of data regarding key cost of living factors for the Provo area.

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $239,650 (Salt Lake City metro)

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 97.3 (Salt Lake City metro) (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: Ranges from 2.30% to 7.0%

State sales tax rate: 4.75%

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: 6.25%

Property tax assessment rate: .002787 applied to 55% of assessed value for residential property and 100% of assessed value for commercial property (2005)

Economic Information: The Provo Orem Chamber of Commerce, 51 South University Avenue, Suite 215, Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801)851-2555.

Provo: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

In addition to educating students from kindergarten to grade twelve, the Provo School District assists students in pre-school and latch-key programs, as well as through programs for the physically challenged. In addition to the traditional schools, Provo has one school for children with physical and emotional challenges too severe for mainstreaming. For 18 percent of Provo students, English is their second language; Provo students speak 43 different languages. Scores on college entrance exams are above state and national averages. Provo School District was named one of the top 100 school districts in the nation in 2000 by Offspring magazine, a Wall Street Journal publication. The District has seen declining enrollment between 1996 and 2003 of two percent.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Provo School District as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 13,227

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 13

middle schools: 3

senior high schools: 2

other: 1 alternative high school, 1 special needs school, 1 adult high school, 1 single-track year-round school

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3:1

Teacher salaries

average: $35,800

Funding per pupil: $5,103 (2001-2002)

Because public education in the Utah Valley is highly regarded, there are few private schools. Among the private schools are Challenger School, a K-12 school based on a structured learning environment; Provo Canyon School, an alternative school; and several Montessori Schools.

Public Schools Information: Provo City School District, 280 West 940 North, Provo, UT 84604-3394; telephone (801)374-4800. Utah State Office of Education, 250 East 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-4200; telephone (801)538-7500

Colleges and Universities

Brigham Young University (BYU) is located in the city at the base of the Wasatch Mountains. Founded in 1875 by Brigham Young, BYU is the largest private university in the United States. Owned by the Mormon Church, the university has more than 32,000 full-time, part-time and evening students and offers a wide variety of academic programs. Particularly notable are its business administration programs, broadcast journalism program, and law and engineering schools. Utah Valley State College enrolls more than 26,000 students and awards bachelor's degrees in accounting, behavioral science, biology, business management, business/marketing education, chemistry, computer science, early childhood and elementary education, environmental tech, criminal justice, integrated and paralegal studies, fire science, history, hospitality management, mathematics, nursing, information technology, and technology management. Other Provo institutions of higher learning include Provo College and Stevens Henager College of Business, which train students in special and entry-level skills.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Provo City Library at Academy Square, opened in 2001, holds 176,496 volumes, 350 periodicals, and more than 10,000 records and audio tapes, video tapes, and compact discs. Its special collections center on Utah and Utah County history. Other libraries in the city include the Utah State Hospital's Patients Library and Brigham Young University Library, which houses more than two million volumes and features special collections on linguistics, poetry, children's literature, Victorian literature, and oral history.

Provo has many research centers affiliated with Brigham Young University. They encompass such areas as engineering, computers, cancer, sociology, literature, thermodynamics, Western studies, communications, international studies, earth science, agriculture, psychology, religion, life science, anthropology, business, religion, and women's studies. BYU was recognized in 2002 by The Chronicle of Higher Education as the country's best university at turning research dollars into inventions and new companies. The U.S. Forest Service has a Shrub Sciences Laboratory maintained in cooperation with Brigham Young University. Utah State University supports 25 research projects. The University houses the Ross A. Smart Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory engaging in animal disease diagnosis.

Public Library Information: Provo City Library at Academy Square, 550 North University Ave., Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801)852-6650

Provo: History

Two Franciscan friars, Francisco Dominguez and Silvestre de Escalante, were the first Spaniards to visit the area that makes up present-day Utah County. They arrived in the area from Santa Fe, New Mexico, in search of a direct route to Monterey, California. Arriving in 1776, Father Escalente described the Provo/Orem Valley as having comfortable weather both day and night. "This place is the most pleasant, beautiful, and fertile land in all New Spain," he wrote. The two priests instructed the native Americans in Christian teachings, and though they promised to return, no further record of them remains.

Etienne Provost, a French Canadian trapper, was the next recorded European visitor. He arrived in the area in 1825 with a band of men in search of fur-bearing animals. The trappers were visited by 20 or 30 natives, whose leader told them that they could not smoke peace pipes together because there was iron in the vicinity. Provost and his men moved their knives and guns further away, and subsequently the natives attacked them with hidden knives and tomahawks, killing 17 of the 22 men. Provost and four other men escaped and made their way to the mountains.

The Mormon pioneers, fleeing religious persecution in Illinois, were the next European visitors to the area. Brigham Young led his followers to Salt Lake Valley in 1847, where they immediately began planting crops and constructing houses. In 1849 a permanent settlement in Provo was established by Mormon pioneers.

Provo was founded in 1850 as Fort Utah, named after the Ute tribe that inhabited the region. Later, the name was changed to Fort Provo in honor of Provost, the French trapper.

A war between the settlers and the native tribes took place in 1850, and the Walker War followed in 1853. The Mormons built a fort that they called Fort Utah as a protection against their native enemies. Shortly after, settlers began building houses around the fort. By 1852 hotels and businesses had been established.

By 1861 all of the Utah Valley was being settled. Even though lack of water remained a problem, many of the earlier settlers from nearby valleys began living on the lands that now comprise the city of Orem. When railroad connections were built from Salt Lake City (1873) and Scofield (1878), Provo became a shipping point for the region's mines. Provo is the seat of Brigham Young University (founded in 1875) and Utah Valley State College. Nearby are the Uinta National Forest, with headquarters in Provo; a state fish hatchery; a wild bird refuge; and Provo Peak.

Today, Provo is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation, with population gains of nearly 40 percent in the 1990s and into the new millennium. The area boasts a high quality of life due in part to its proximity to an abundance of recreational and leisure options in the nearby Wasatch Mountains and Utah Lake. Provo is also ranked as one of the Country's most "stress-free" cities.

Historical Information: Department of History, Brigham Young University, 2130 JFSB, Provo, UT 84602; telephone (801)422-4335

Provo: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 218,000

1990: 263,590

2000: 368,536

Percent change, 1990–2000: 39.8%

U.S. rank in 1980: Not reported

U.S. rank in 1990: 129th

U.S. rank in 2000: 111th

City Residents

1980: 74,111

1990: 86,835

2000: 105,166

Percent change, 1990–2000: 20.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: Not reported

U.S. rank in 1990: 239th

U.S. rank in 2000: 244th (State rank: 3rd)

Density: 2,653.2 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 93,094

Black or African American: 486

American Indian and Alaska Native: 846

Asian: 1,924

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 882

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 11,013

Other: 5,368

Percent of residents born in state: 46.3% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 9,139

Population 5 to 9 years old: 5,636

Population 10 to 14 years old: 5,092

Population 15 to 19 years old: 15,278

Population 20 to 24 years old: 30,510

Population 25 to 34 years old: 17,345

Population 35 to 44 years old: 7,090

Population 45 to 54 years old: 5,384

Population 55 to 59 years old: 2,061

Population 60 to 64 years old: 1,611

Population 65 to 74 years old: 2,950

Population 75 to 84 years old: 2,248

Population 85 years and older: 822

Median age: 22.9 years

Births (Utah County, 2003)

Total number: 10,972

Deaths (Utah County, 2003)

Total number: 1,736 (of which, 58 were infants under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $13,207

Median household income: $36,393

Total households: $29,266

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 2,424

$10,000 to $14,999: 2,361

$15,000 to $24,999: 5,395

$25,000 to $34,999: 4,726

$35,000 to $49,999: 5,487

$50,000 to $74,999: 4,594

$75,000 to $99,999: 2,141

$100,000 to $149,999: 1,436

$150,000 to $199,999: 330

$200,000 or more: 372

Percent of families below poverty level: 12.5% (42.0% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 3,657

Provo: Convention Facilities

The cities of Provo and Orem have two major conference facilities and one special events center. The Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center has 21 meeting rooms for a total of more than 28,000 square feet, and 330 sleeping rooms, including more than 100 suites. The Brigham Young University Conference Center is a full-service facility featuring 34 conference rooms. It can be scheduled for programs that are consistent with BYU's educational mission and is a smoke- and alcohol-free facility.

Provo hotels with conference facilities are: Best Western CottonTree Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn. Other nearby hotel conference facilities are located in Orem, American Fork, and Payson.

In addition to the conference centers, the Provo area offers many options for hosting large groups including the Provo City Library at Academy Square, Historic County Courthouse, Springville Museum of Art, Thanksgiving Point, Alpine Art Center, and Scera Theater in Orem, among others.

The David O. McKay Events Center at Utah Valley State College features an 8,500-seat arena, four multipurpose athletic courts of 5,000 square feet each, two 2,500-square-foot meeting spaces, four concession stands, six locker rooms, in-house catering, full equipment rental, and ticketing services. Sundance Resort's facilities include more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space and 102 sleeping units in a rustic, alpine atmosphere. The fairground facilities at Spanish Fork include a 7,000 seat main arena, plus two additional arenas totaling more than 60,000 square feet.

Convention Information: The Utah County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 111 S. University Ave., Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801)851-2100

Provo

The City in Brief

Founded: 1849 (incorporated, 1851)

Head Official: Mayor Lewis K. Billings (R) (since 1998)

City Population

1980: 74,111

1990: 86,835

2000: 105,166

2003 estimate: 105,410

Percent change, 1990–2000: 20.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: Not reported

U.S. rank in 1990: 239th

U.S. rank in 2000: 244th (State rank: 3rd)

Metropolitan Area Population

1980: 218,000

1990: 263,590

2000: 368,536

Percent change, 1990–2000: 39.8%

U.S. rank in 1980: Not available

U.S. rank in 1990: 129th

U.S. rank in 2000: 111th

Area: 41.79 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 4,540 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 53.3° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 20.13 inches of rain; 60.40 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Services, construction, trade

Unemployment Rate: 4.9% (February 2005)

Per Capita Income: $13,207 (1999, Utah County)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 3,657

Major Colleges and Universities: Brigham Young University, Utah Valley State College

Daily Newspaper: The Daily Herald

Provo: Health Care

The Provo/Orem area is served by three major hospitals—Utah Valley Regional Medical Center (UVRMC) in Provo, Orem Community Hospital in Orem, and Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem. UVRMC is a 330-bed tertiary and acute care facility. Special features at UVRMC include magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomographic scanning capabilities, laser technology, intensive care and coronary care units, the Newborn ICU and Cancer Services, Emergency and Trauma Services, Critical Care, Women's and Children's Services, and Behavioral Health. The majority of health care facilities in the area are run by Intermountain Health Care (IHC), the regional health care provider which operates UVRMC and Orem community Hospital. MountainStar Health Care operates Timpanagos Regional Hospital. Special services provided by IHC include free seminars, many free or low-cost medical screenings and tests, and information "hot lines." Other IHC facilities in Provo are the Utah Valley Heart Center and the Utah Valley Rehabilitation Center. Surgical facilities in Provo are Healthsouth Provo Surgical Center and Central Utah Surgical Center.

Mental health care services are available at Utah State Hospital, Charter Canyon Hospital and Counseling Center and at Wasatch Mental Health Center.

Provo: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The Daily Herald is Provo's daily newspaper. The Daily Universe newspaper is published by the students at Brigham Young University. Magazines published in Provo include BYU Studies, BYU Magazine, Prelude, Provo/Orem Metro-guide, Al-Arabiyya (a scholarly journal for Arabic language teachers), The Western North American Naturalist, and Scandinavian Studies.

Television and Radio

Provo has three AM and one FM radio station that encompass religion, music, talk, and public broadcasting, and a television station on the campus of Brigham Young University.

Media Information: The Daily Herald, 1555 North Freedom Blvd., PO Box 717, Provo, UT 84603; telephone (801)375-5103; toll-free (800)880-8075.

Provo Online

City of Provo home page. Available www.provo.org

The Daily Herald. Available www.harktheherald.com

Provo City Economic Development. Available www.provo.org/econdev.econdev–main.html

Provo City Library. Available www.provo.lib.ut.us

Provo City School District. Available www.provo.edu/index1.html

Provo Orem Chamber of Commerce. Available www.thechamber.org

Utah County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Available www.utahvalley.org/p–home.asp

Utah State Office of Education. Available www.usoe.k12.ut.us

Provo: Introduction

Provo is the commercial center and county seat of Utah County, and one of the fastest growing areas in the nation. A high-technology mecca, the Provo area is home to one of the largest concentrations of computer software companies in the nation after California's Silicon Valley. The city is one of the top iron and steel producers in the West, as well as an agricultural center producing berries and orchard fruit. Many ski areas, campgrounds, state parks, lakes, and rivers are located within Utah County. Fishing, camping, hiking, and hunting facilities are nearby. Brigham Young University is the center for many local activities in the city, which is the headquarters of the Uinta National Forest with its many scenic drives through the Wasatch Mountains and Provo Canyon. The city has a very well-educated population—more than 90 percent of its residents have graduated from high school. Housing is affordable and the crime rate is two to three times lower than in most comparable cities. In 2004 Provo was ranked sixth in the "Best Places for Business and Careers" survey by Forbes magazine, which considered job and income growth, cost of doing business, and workforce qualification in its rankings.

Provo , city (1990 pop. 86,835), seat of Utah co., N central Utah, on the Provo River near Utah Lake; inc. 1851. It is a distribution, processing, and manufacturing center in an extensive mining (silver, lead, copper, gold) and irrigated farm and fruit area. A major source of employment is a large steel mill nearby. Among the manufactures in Provo are electronic equipment, apparel, concrete and metal products, herbal products and health supplements, and computer software. There is also book publishing, coal tar refining, and iron casting. The city was settled by Mormons in 1849 and successfully defended against Native Americans in a war from 1865 to 1868. Railroad connections from Salt Lake City (1873) and Scofield (1878) made it a shipping point for the region's mines. The city grew considerably in the late 20th cent. Provo is the seat of Brigham Young Univ. Nearby are the Uinta National Forest, with headquarters in Provo; a state fish hatchery; a wild bird refuge; and Provo Peak (11,070 ft/3,374 m).

Provo: Geography and Climate

Provo is located in Utah Valley, 38 miles south of Salt Lake City, 263 miles northeast of St. George, and 80 miles south of Ogden. It is situated on the Provo River between Utah Lake to the west and the Wasatch Mountain Range to the east. It sits on a shelf along the famous shoreline of prehistoric Lake Bonneville and is nurtured by the Provo River.

The area experiences four seasons with low humidity that makes the air cool rapidly after sunset, resulting in comfortably cool evenings. The temperature dips below zero on only three days per year on average. Generally 57 days of the year are above 90 degrees and 15 days are below freezing. The wettest month of the year is usually May while June is the driest month.

Area: 41.79 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 4,540 feet above sea level

Mean Temperatures: January, 30.7° F; July, 76.4° F; annual average, 53.3° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 20.13 inches of rain; 60.40 inches of snow

Provo river, c.70 mi (110 km) long, rising in the Uinta Mts., NE Utah, and flowing SW past Provo to Utah Lake. It was early used for irrigation, but after Utah Lake was badly depleted in the 1930s, the Bureau of Reclamation rehabilitated the old irrigation installations and built new ones centering on the Provo River. The project also gets water from the Weber River by a canal (built 1929–30; enlarged 1941–47) and from the Duchesne River, a tributary of the Green River, by a tunnel (completed 1942) across the mountain divide. The water is used to irrigate the valley of Utah Lake and to supply the needs of the towns there; in addition, Salt Lake City is served by the 42-mi-long (68-km) Salt Lake Aqueduct (completed 1951). The Deer Creek Dam (completed 1941) is the chief dam on the Provo River; it impounds a large reservoir and has a power plant.

Provo: Transportation

Approaching the City

Provo/Orem is intersected by U.S. Highways 50, 89, 91, and 189, as well as by Interstate 15. Provo is located within an hour's drive of Salt Lake International Airport, which is ranked among the world's busiest. The airport schedules 972 flights daily, serving 85 cities with non-stop flights. Bus service to the city is also available.

Traveling in the City

The Utah Transit Authority provides daily mass transit service to both the Provo/Orem and Salt Lake City metropolitan areas. It offers complete routes serving all of the major business areas in Provo. The metropolitan area is served by one taxi company.

Provo: Municipal Government

Provo has a council-mayor form of government with a mandatory chief administrative officer. Seven members make up the Provo Municipal Council; five representing municipal districts and two city-wide representatives.

Head Official: Mayor Lewis K. Billings (R) (since 1998; current term expires 2006)

Total Number of City Employees: 740 (2004)

City Information: City of Provo, 351 West Center Street PO Box 1849, Provo, UT 84603; telephone (801)852-6100; fax (801)852-6107

Provo, Serbia/Serbia and Montenegro, USA USA (Utah): a river and a city settled in 1849 as Fort Utah and renamed the next year as a tribute to Étienne Provost, a French‐Canadian trapper.

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