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Provo, UT
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Provo is a city in and the county seat of Utah County, Utah, United States, located about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. It lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. It is the home of Brigham Young University, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center is located in Provo.
Provo was originally called Fort Utah when it was settled in 1849 by 33 Mormon families from Salt Lake City, but was re-named Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825. Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorerer is considered the first explorer to visit the area in 1776, but only came as far north as Utah valley (Provo), some 30 miles south of the Salt Lake City area. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin desert.
Provo is a city in and the county seat of Utah County, Utah, United States, located about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. It lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. It is the home of Brigham Young University, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center is located in Provo.
Provo was originally called Fort Utah when it was settled in 1849 by 33 Mormon families from Salt Lake City, but was re-named Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825. Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorerer is considered the first explorer to visit the area in 1776, but only came as far north as Utah valley (Provo), some 30 miles south of the Salt Lake City area. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin desert.
Provo has grown to a population of
115,135 —making it the third-largest city in Utah, only about 3,000 people smaller than West Valley City. The Provo-Orem Metropolitan Area,
consisting of Utah County and Juab County has 474,180 residents as of the July 1, 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate.
GeographyProvo is located at (40.244421,
-111.660804). It lies in the Utah Valley at an elevation of 4,549 feet (1,387 meters).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.8 square miles (108.2 km²), of which, 39.6 square miles (102.7 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.6 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.
LandmarksProvo Utah LDS TempleThe Provo Utah Temple is located at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. Due to its proximity to Brigham Young University and the Missionary Training Center (MTC), just across the street, this temple is among the busiest the LDS Church operates.
Brigham Young UniversityProvo is home to Brigham Young University (BYU), a private university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU (occasionally, but incorrectly, called "BYU-Provo") is the second largest private university in the country, with more than 34,000 students. It is the flagship of the Church Educational System of higher education. The large population of students makes Provo a "college town". Provo's ambiance differs from other college towns, however, since the majority of its students are LDS - the Church bans the consumption of alcohol at BYU resulting in BYU being consistently rated the most "stone-cold sober" university in the United States, by The Princeton Review The campus also is home to the Spencer W. Kimball Tower, the tallest building in Provo.
Most BYU students live near BYU's campus. BYU requires that single students live in approved, non-coed housing, with BYU-approved standards that include no smoking, no alcohol, no pre-marital sex, and other regulations as well. New rules will keep apartments from being "BYU-approved" if they are more than two miles from the center of campus. Many students live either in on-campus housing north of the University or just south of campus, in an area dedicated to student apartments and condos. There are currently more student housing apartments under re-construction
LDS Missionary Training CenterProvo is also home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' largest Missionary Training Center (MTC). Each week some 475 LDS missionaries enter for 3 - 12 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field; becoming part of over 50,000 in more than 120 countries. Presently, about 1,100 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, becoming the largest of 17 such centers in the world.
RecreationThere's a mall. Thats about it... Provo is full of intolerant conservatives that will outcast you for doing anything outside their strict "holier-than-thou" moral code. So don't come to Provo to do anything besides maybe ski or fish.
Religious affiliationThe residents of Provo are predominately 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.
PoliticsAccording 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. Utah's 3rd Congressional District, of which Provo is a part, elected Democrat Bill Orton to three consecutive terms during the 1990s, however.
City administrationThe current Mayor of Provo is Lewis K. Billings, a lifelong Provo resident who is serving his third term as Mayor. Billings was originally elected Provo City Mayor in November 1997, after completing three years as Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Community and Government Relations for the City of Provo. Never having earned a college degree, and prior to his service to Provo City, Mayor Billings was President and Managing Partner of IDC, an investment partnership specializing in "turnkey" lease facilities for small to medium sized businesses. Before joining IDC in December of 1983, Mr. Billings was Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager of CalDisk, a manufacturer and worldwide supplier of rotating memory storage products for computer applications.
The current Police Chief of Provo is J. Craig Geslison, a 29-year veteran of the Provo Police Department. He was hired in April of 1978. Chief Geslison served four years as a patrolman and then spent two years as the Provo Police Department's first full-time Crime Prevention and Community Relations officer. Chief Geslison was promoted to Sergeant in 1984 where he served in detectives, patrol and dispatch divisions. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1988, where he served as a watch commander, and was appointed a Captain in 1994. Geslison became Provo's first Assistant Chief of Police in 1997 and was directly responsible for Support Services, the Patrol Division and had oversight of the Police Department's budget.
Companies in ProvoLocal Companies of InterestProvo is home to more than three dozen restaurants, and a couple shopping centers. The Provo Towne Centre, a shopping mall, operates in Provo. Second Nature Therapeutic Programs runs a boarding school in an ugly former convalescent hospital down the street from the mall. 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.
International CompaniesNature's Sunshine Products, a direct-selling company, manufactures and markets tablets and encapsulated herbal products, high-quality natural vitamins, food supplements, 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. The Generations Network is a genealogy and family networking company, whose holdings include ancestry.com.Software company Novell, Inc. was founded and originally headquartered in Orem but soon after developed and moved into a facility in Provo. Novell continues to operate and employ around 2000 people at the Provo facility.Nu Skin Enterprises, a multi-level marketing firm for high-quality skin care products, was founded in 1984. In 2005, some 82% of revenues for the $1B USD company were generated through markets in Asia.Tahitian Noni International is a health and skin care manufacturer whose products are based on the Tahitian fruit called noni.Special EventsEvery July, Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival at Provo 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, and Taylor Hicks.
Provo also hosts the Sego Music, Art, and Film Festival each fall. The festival highlights Utah County based musicians, artists, and film makers. It is typically held at the Rock Castle Amphitheatre above the State Hospital and is free to the public. Thousands attend each year.Notable Residents Stephen R. Covey - author of the The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People LaVell Edwards - Former BYU, and NCAA Football Hall of Fame Coach The Osmond Family - raised all 9 children in Provo, and continue to live there Donny Osmond - singer/musician/actor Marie Osmond - singer/author/actress Osmond Brothers - vocal group/band Steve Young - MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, and Inductee of Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, record-breaking quarterback for BYU & San Francisco 49ers Vernon Law and Vance Law - both Major League Baseball players Kurt Bestor - award-winning composer, performer and host of morning radio/talk show KUTR 820 AM Shawn Southwick - wife of Larry King, owns a house in Provo Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband - musicians/band/songwriter; "Dream Big" Julianne Hough - singer/dancer/actor Janice Kapp Perry - songwriter/composer/LDS musician Sunfall Festival - band Jack Paepke - baseball player, coach, manager and scout. Robbie Bosco - Legendary BYU Football player Clarence Robison - Olympian, Legendary BYU Track and Field Coach. Mark Robison - BYU Men's Track and Field Coach, son of Clarence Robison. Josh Rohatinsky - Former BYU Cross Country national champion, professional runner. Joscef Castor - Singer/Songwriter, frontman of the band Mathematics Et Cetera.Points of InterestBrigham Young University ArboretumThe Peaks Ice Arena, hockey venue for the 2002 Winter Olympic GamesWillow Creek School called "Willow Crack" by the students whose rich families sent them there to change, is a residential treatment center located near the mall.Popular Culture Mentioned in the movie Fletch In the film Dirty Harry, the envelope Harry Callahan used to collect a spent shell casing at a crime scene had a return address from "Provo, Utah"External linksProvo City Home Page
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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By Avalon
3 days
I'm going with my freind Elin to Provo for three month to complete the building of a formula 1 car at BYU. Just found a wicked place to stay in, a studenthouse with a pool for 100 bucks a month. Now we just have to complete our application and arrage student VISA and some get some more funds.
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2 people reviewed Provo
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Top
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at 6:33PM May 28, 2008
Great college town and family setting
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at 2:42AM May 28, 2008
My parents got married in the Provo Temple. In 2006, my family and I went there for vacations and we stopped by this Temple.
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