Happy TravellerWelcome to Springville, Utah, a charming city located in Utah County and part of the Provo-Orem metropolitan area. With a population of 35,268 as of 2020, Springville is a thriving community that has experienced steady growth over the past ten years. Its current population is projected to grow to more than 50,000 over the next ten years, in line with the expected future expansion of its commercial, office, retail, and industrial sectors along the city’s I-15 corridor.
History:
Springville was first explored in 1776 by Father Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Franciscan padre. What became Springville lay along the wagon route called the Mormon Road that Mormon pioneers and 49ers traveled through southern Utah, northern Arizona, southern Nevada, and Southern California. Springville was settled in 1850 by eight pioneer families, led by Aaron Johnson, who crossed the plains to Salt Lake Valley from the East and were directed by Brigham Young to settle 50 miles (80 km) further south. Incorporated in February 1853, the pioneers called the city Hobble Creek because an early exploration team led by Oliver B. Huntington in February 1849 had a horse lose a pair of iron hobbles (restraints tied to the horse’s forelegs) while the team was camped next to the creek. As the town grew, the name was changed to Springville, after the Fort Springville. Fort Springville was named after the many freshwater springs in the area, particularly near the fort.
Geography:
Springville is on the west side of the Wasatch Mountain Range and 3 miles (5 km) east of the average shoreline of Utah Lake and almost entirely east of Interstate 15. All vehicular traffic that transports goods to the north, south, east, and west funnels through the interstate hub near Springville’s strategically important freeway location.
Art City:
Springville is known as Art City due to its strong development of the arts. Springville is home to the Springville Museum of Art, Utah’s oldest museum for the visual fine arts (circa 1937). The museum, housed in a historic Spanish Colonial Revival-style building, showcases collections of many well-known artists, both local and national, including collections of Utah art, a major Soviet collection, early Americana, and the European Steed collection. It was dedicated by David O. McKay as a sanctuary of beauty and a temple of meditation. Springville is the birthplace of noted sculptor Cyrus Dallin. The main street is dotted with bronze statues, including several from local sculptors Gary Price and Jeff Decker.
Local Events:
Art City Days, held each year in early June, is one of the first city celebrations of the summer season in Utah Valley. Residents join in a variety of activities to celebrate their community, its history, and the warmer weather. Activities include a parade, carnival, hot air balloons, contests, sporting events, and fireworks. Springville is also home to the Springville World Folkfest, a week-long celebration of folk dance and music held every July at the outdoor amphitheater in the Spring Acres Arts Park. Folk dance groups travel from around the world to participate in this festival. Folkfest performers are housed by host families in the Springville area. Every May, Springville hosts the annual Indian Festival of Utah also in Spring Acres Arts Park, the state’s only cultural event devoted to East Indian, Pakistani, and South Asian communities across the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
Business:
Major businesses/employers in Springville include the following: digEcor, Inc, manufacturer of the digEplayer portable inflight entertainment device Flowserve, manufacturer of large valves, has a facility in Springville’s Industrial Park Modere, which relocated its corporate headquarters to Springville in 2003 Stouffers, a division of Nestle, also has a plant in Springville’s Industrial Park Wing Enterprises, maker of the Little Giant Ladder Systems is headquartered in Springville W.W. Clyde Company, a heavy construction firm Namify, a company specializing in name tags and other printing services Tatton Baird, Maker of custom hats and accessories.
Demographics:
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,424 people, 5,975 households, and 5,024 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,770.5 people per square mile (683.3/km2). The city’s racial makeup was 94.58% White, 0.11% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 2.23% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.77% of the population. The city’s median household income was $46,472, and the median family income was $48,845. Males had a median income of $37,942 versus $26,098 for females. The city’s per capita income was $15,634. About 6.6% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over. In 2010, the population had grown to 29,466. Ten years later, it had increased again to 35,268.
Education:
Springville is served by Nebo School District. Public schools in this district within Springville include Springville High School, Springville Junior High School, Spring Canyon Middle School, Art City Elementary, Brookside Elementary, Cherry Creek Elementary, Sage Creek Elementary, and Westside Elementary. Reagan Academy and Merit Academy, both charter schools, are also in Springville. The Elizabeth DeLong School of the Springville Campus of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind is in Springville. It construction began in March 2019 with completion expected for January 2020. Jacoby Architects designed the school, which had a cost of $13 million.
Climate:
Under the Köppen climate classification, Springville has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) or a humid continental climate (Dfa) depending on which variant of the system is used.
Come visit Springville, Utah and experience the beauty of Art City for yourself!
