Juab County, Utah
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A Brief History of Juab County*
Juab County is a part of the Basin and Range physiographic province. Most of the fertile farming land is located in the Juab Valley near Nephi at the base of Mount Nebo (11,877 feet). The western portion of the county consists of broad, semiarid valleys and low desert mountains. The Wasatch Mountains are located to the east, and moving west there are the East Tintic Range, West Tintic Range, Thomas Range (Topaz Mountain, 7,113 feet), Fish Springs Range, and the southern tip of the Deep Creek Range in the extreme northwest corner of the county.
Archaic Period and Fremont Culture sites have been found in Juab County. Nephi Mounds north of Nephi is one of the most important Fremont agricultural sites in the eastern Great Basin. A portion of the Goshute Indian Reservation is located in the northwest corner of the county.
In 1776 the Dominguez-Escalante expedition crossed the county at the eastern end, from north to south, passing near present Nephi. Jedediah S. Smith traversed the western end of the county in 1826 and via Fish Springs in 1827. In 1843-44 John C. Fremont journeyed through the county's eastern end on his way north. Government explorers John W. Gunnison and J. H. Simpson traveled in the area in 1853 and 1859 respectively. Gunnison visited the southeast portion of the county while Simpson located the route later used by the Pony Express and transcontinental telegraph.
During 1860-63 Goshutes attacked an overland mail station at Willow Creek. As a result, the U.S. Army set up a camp at Cedar Summit and a cantonment at Fish Springs in 1863.
In 1852 the legislative assembly created Juab County, which extended as a narrow strip to what was then the western boundary of Utah Territory (now the western boundary of Nevada). The western portion was reduced in 1854 and 1856 to form counties in Nevada, and several other changes in Juab's borders have been made over the years.
The first settlement in Juab Valley occurred in 1851 when a group of Mormon settlers arrived near Salt Creek at present day Nephi. Their economy was based primarily on agriculture, In 1869 precious metals were discovered in the Tintic region, changing the economic and industrial destiny of Juab County. The towns of Diamond, Silver City, Mammoth, and especially Eureka became the main areas of the Tintic Mining District, which by 1899 was labeled one of the foremost mining districts in the country. From 1870 to 1899 Tintic produced approximately $35,000,000 in mineral wealth. The metals in Tintic consisted of silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc, and some uranium at Topaz Mountain. Mining continued through the 1950s, and even today some mining operations continue on a small scale. In recent years several small manufacturing firms have helped to diversify Juab's economy.
Recreation at the White Sand Dunes, Little Sahara Recreation Area, remains very popular, attracting tourists and visitors to western Juab.
*Used by permission. Beehive History 14: Utah Counties. 1988. Utah State Historical Society, 300 Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1182, 801/533-3500.
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Juab County History
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Juab County Census, Demographic & Economic Profiles
- 2010 Utah County Fact Book
The information in this book describes the economic, demographic, public safety, and financial characteristics of each of Utah’s 29 counties. Published by the Utah Association of Counties (UAC). Previous versions are available from UAC as well. - Census 2000 Demographic Profile: Juab County
General population characteristics, social characteristics, economic characteristics, and housing characteristics for the county. From American FactFinder, the U.S. Census Bureau. - Economic Profile: Juab County
Information on county industry and employment. From the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah). - Juab County Facts
Labor force, economic and wage information from the Department of Workforce Services County and Statewide Information. - Juab County Profile
Census, demographic, genealogy & vital records, crime, educational, economic, government, and county data. From ePodunk. - Juab County QuickFacts
Find quick, easy access to facts about people, business, and geography from the U.S. Census Bureau's State & County QuickFacts. - Religious Membership Report: Juab County
Religious denomination for the county. From the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA).
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Juab County Agriculture
- 2002 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Juab County
Census data on farms, crops, and livestock. From the Census of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). - Juab County Agriculture Profile
Data on land ownership, crops, and livestock. From the Utah State University Extension.
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Juab County Newspapers
- Eureka Weekly Reporter/Eureka Reporter - Archives
Available issues from Utah Digital Newspapers: 1902-1922. Search all newspapers, select a specific newspaper or browse by county. This project was funded by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and digitized at the University of Utah. - The Times-News - Current Issue & Archives
Online version of the Times-News.
Juab County
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Juab County Quick Facts
Area: 3,412 Square Miles
County Seat: Nephi
Origin of Name: from the Ute word "yoab" meaning flat or level plain
Population: 10,246 (2010 Census), 8,238 (2000 Census); 9,420 (2006 Estimate)
Bordering Counties: Millard, Sanpete, Tooele, and Utah