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Salt Lake City

Salt-Lake-City-Travel-Guide-Travel-S-Helper

Often referred to as Salt Lake or SLC, Salt Lake City is Utah’s capital and most populous city. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. With a population of 1,257,936 as of the 2020 census, the city forms the center of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Salt Lake City also falls within the larger metropolis known as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Provo Combined Statistical Area. With an estimated population of 2,746,164 as of 2021, this area—a corridor of continuous urban and suburban development spanning 120-mile (190 km)—is the 22nd largest in the country. Salt Lake City, with a population of 200,134 in 2020, ranks 117th among all the cities in the United States. Among only two main urban areas situated within the Great Basin, Reno, Nevada is the other; it is also the central core of one of them.

Early pioneer settlers headed by Brigham Young launched Salt Lake City on July 24, 1847. Seeking to flee persecution they had encountered in the eastern United States, these immigrants—known as the Mormon pioneers—were arriving in the semi-arid valley, they started designing and building a large irrigation system to serve the population and promote future expansion. The Salt Lake meridian originates from the southeast corner of Temple Square, the area housing the Salt Lake Temple in downtown Salt Lake City, following a conventional compass grid plan.

Originally called Great Salt Lake City, the city was near the Great Salt Lake. But the city’s name dropped the word “Great” in 1868. Earning the moniker “The Crossroads of the West,” the city’s economic development included the immigration of international members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), mining booms, and the building of the first transcontinental railroad. In 1913 the first transcontinental highway, the Lincoln Highway, passed through the city as well. Today the city hosts two main cross-country freeways, I-15 and I-80, as well as a belt route, I-215.

Mostly depending on skiing, outdoor activities, and religious tourism, Salt Lake City has built a strong tourist business. The city is scheduled to host the 2034 Winter Olympics, having hosted the 2002 ones. Its politically liberal culture is well-known; it contrasts with the very conservative inclinations of most of the state. The city hosts the yearly Utah Pride Festival and features a sizable LGBT community. Besides, Salt Lake City is the United States’ industrial banking hub. Among the several higher education institutions in the city and its environs are the University of Utah, the flagship research university for the state.

Utah’s ongoing drought in recent years has taxed Salt Lake City’s water supply and resulted in record lows for the Great Salt Lake. The local and state economy has been much affected by this. Arsenium that the receding lake has revealed could become airborne and endanger local people’s health. Moreover, the city is under risk of significant earthquake damage from two offshoots of the nearby Wasatch Fault that cross under the downtown area.

Salt Lake City is a dynamic and interesting city with a special mix of historical value, economic growth, and cultural variety. From its founding by Mormon pioneers to its function as a contemporary metropolitan center, the city keeps changing and adjusting to the possibilities and problems of the twenty-first century. Salt Lake City is evidence of the resiliency of its people in the face of environmental challenges, the vividness of its cultural scene, or the appeal of its natural beauty.

US Dollar (USD)

Currency

July 24, 1847

Founded

+1 385

Calling code

204,657

Population

110.4 square miles (286 km²)

Area

English

Official language

4,226 feet (1,288 meters)

Elevation

UTC−7 (Mountain)

Time zone

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