Salina, Utah

Salina, Utah
City
Salina City Hall
Nickname: North Sevier
Location inSevier Countyand the state ofUtah.
Coordinates:38°56′57″N111°51′41″W
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Sevier
Settled	1864
Named for	Spanishfor 'salt mine'
Area
• Total	5.83 sq mi (15.10 km2)
• Land	5.83 sq mi (15.10 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	5,161 ft (1,573 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,660
• Estimate (2019)	2,612
• Density	447.95/sq mi (172.97/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7(Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6(MDT)
ZIP code	84654
Area code	435
FIPS code	49-65880
GNISfeature ID	1445269
Website	www.salinacity.org

Salina(/səˈlaɪnə/sə-LY-nə) is a city inSevier County,Utah,United States. The population was 2,660 at the 2020 census.

History

The first permanent settlers (about 30 families) moved into the area in 1864 at the direction of leaders ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.They found abundantsaltdeposits nearby so they named the area "Salina".

In 1866, troubles withNative Americanswho used the area as their hunting ground (theBlack Hawk War (Utah)) forced the white settlers to retreat to theMantiarea. They returned to Salina in 1871, organized amilitia,and constructed a fort and buildings for a school and a church. At that time they discoveredcoaldeposits in "almost inexhaustible quantities" in the canyon east of the settlement.

A creek north of the settlement was tapped to provide water for irrigation, domestic purposes, and to power various enterprises such as sawmills, grist mills, salt refineries and generation of electricity. TheSevier Riverwas tapped in 1874, and by 1908 the area west of the settlement was being fully cultivated.

In June 1891, the settlement was connected to the state's railroad system, and that year the central area wasincorporatedas a town. It soon became the shipping terminal between the area settlements and the rest of the state. In 1913 the town was re-incorporated as a city.

During World War II, Salina contained a POW camp, housing 250 German prisoners, most of them members ofErwin Rommel'sAfrikakorps.On the night of July 8, 1945, Private Clarence Bertucci climbed one of the guard towers andtook aim at the tentswhere the prisoners were sleeping. He fired 250 rounds from a light machine gun and managed to hit some thirty tents in hisfifteen-second rampage.By the time a corporal managed to disarm Bertucci, six prisoners were dead and an additional twenty-two were wounded (three later died of their wounds).

This incident was called the Salina Massacre. Bertucci, who was from New Orleans, was declared insane and spent the remainder of his life in an institution.

Geography

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (15.9 km²), all land.

Climate

Salina's annual precipitation averages around 7.82 inches (20 cm), which causes the area to be classified asdesert.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	438		—
1890	628		43.4%
1900	847		34.9%
1910	1,082		27.7%
1920	1,451		34.1%
1930	1,383		−4.7%
1940	1,616		16.8%
1950	1,789		10.7%
1960	1,618		−9.6%
1970	1,494		−7.7%
1980	1,992		33.3%
1990	1,943		−2.5%
2000	2,393		23.2%
2010	2,489		4.0%
2019 (est.)	2,612		4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of thecensusof 2000, there were 2,393 people, 808 households, and 631 families residing in the city. Thepopulation densitywas 388.9 people per square mile (150.2/km²). There were 878 housing units at an average density of 142.7 per square mile (55.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.66%White,1.17%Native American,0.13%Asian,0.17%Pacific Islander,0.75% fromother races,and 1.13% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 808 households, out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.6% weremarried couplesliving together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.8% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 35.2% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,886, and the median income for a family was $38,816. Males had a median income of $32,204 versus $16,250 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $12,967. About 10.4% of families and 13.8% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The primary effort of the first settlers was agriculture, primarily to sustain themselves. However, other commercial activities were soon started. In the 1870s a telegraph line, regular postal service, and coal mines were operating.

In June 1891 a railway began operating to the area, and soon the town was the transportation terminus between the area and the rest of Utah, which caused a boom in the town's businesses and its population size. By the end of the nineteenth century the town had a newspaper (the Central Utah Press), a city hall and library, and an eight-room elementary schoolhouse, along with a plethora of saloons, boarding houses and dancehalls.

During theGreat DepressionaCivilian Conservation Corpscamp was established in the area east of Salina, and its attendees worked on dams, roads and recreation sites. Federal agency funding was used to construct a new city hall and library, an improved culinary water system, and a citywide wastewater collection/disposal system.

In the 1940s the Salina Livestock Auction and the Salina Turkey Plant (now part ofNorbest) were established, both of which are still operating as of 2009.The Convulsion Canyon mine continued to grow, and became a part ofArch Coal,Inc., known as the SUFCO Mine.SUFCO is currently owned by Bowie Resource Partners.

Salina is currently attempting to develop a 400-acre (162-hectare) commercial site south of town, at the intersection ofI-70andUS 89.The effort is being funded by the city and by a grant from the USEconomic Development Administration.It consists of 50 lots ranging from 1.5 to 30 acres (120,000 m²) in size.

Law and government

Salina is governed by a Mayor and five-person City Council. It is operated under theSalina City Code,last updated in 2002.

The city operates the following departments: City Police; Planning and Zoning; Justice Court; Maintenance; Library; Recreation Program; Swimming Pool; Fire Department; and the Blackhawk Arena.

Education

The city has one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school and is located in the Sevier School District. The nearest college is a branch ofSnow Collegelocated inRichfield,20 miles (32 km) south of Salina.

Culture and recreation

The Salina municipal library is located at 90 W. Main Street.

Salina is at the northern edge of an extensiveATVtrail which covers the southern portion of Utah, thePaiute Trail.

Transportation

The nearest airport is the Salina-Gunnison Airport, 8 miles (13 km) north. Its longest paved runway length is 3,815 ft (1,163 m). The Richfield Airport, 22 miles (35 km) south of Salina, has a paved runway of 6,645 ft (2,025 m).

Interstate 70,U.S.Route 50andU.S.Route 89intersect in the city, providing surface access to outside areas. The western end ofUtah State Route 24is in Salina.

Notable people

• Earl W. Bascom,rodeo pioneer, artist and sculptor, inventor, "Father of Modern Rodeo", Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee, worked for J.A. Scorup on the Lost Creek Ranch in the mid 1930s
• Dell Loy Hansen,businessman and sports team owner

See also

• List of cities and towns in Utah
• Salina Utah POW massacre

External links

• Official website
• Collection on Salina, Utah, MSS 3119,L. Tom Perry Special Collections,Harold B. Lee Library,Brigham Young University.