Provo, Utah / United States

Provo is the third-largest city in Utah, United States. It is 43 miles south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and county seat of Utah County. It is home to Brigham Young University , and Sundance Resort is located just northeast of the city. While Father Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, is considered the first European visitor to the area that would become Provo, the first permanent settlement was established in 1849 as Fort Utah. The name was changed to "Provo" in 1850, in honor of Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper. Provo's climate lies in the transition zone between a humid subtropical climate and humid continental climate, with high temperatures averaging between about 94 °F or 34.4 °C in the summer and 40 °F or 4.4 °C in the winter. Average annual precipitation is just under 20 inches . The population of Provo has grown from 2,030 in 1860 to an estimated 116,618 in 2019. The 2010 census showed slightly more females than males, with over 55% of the population living as couples, and almost 35% of households having children under the age of 18. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comprise almost 82% of the city's population. The economy in Provo is powered by many different businesses and organizations, including over 100 restaurants, two shopping malls, multiple universities and colleges, a number of small companies, and several large international businesses. Utah Valley Hospital is a Level II Trauma Center, and has several campuses of medical professionals surrounding it. America's Freedom Festival at Provo, held every May through July, is one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in the United States. Several cultural points of interest in the city include the Covey Center for the Arts, the LDS Church's Missionary Training Center , and the Provo City Library at Academy Square. Provo has two LDS Church temples: Provo Utah and Provo City Center, the latter being restored from the ruins of the Provo Tabernacle. The Utah Valley Convention Center is also located in downtown Provo. There are several museums located on the BYU campus. Natural features include Bridal Veil Falls, Provo River, Utah Lake and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is located several miles north of Provo. A number of national historic landmarks are located within Provo, including the Reed O. Smoot House. Provo is served by Utah Transit Authority, operator of the FrontRunner commuter rail and a bus service connected to the rest of the Wasatch Front. Amtrak stops at Provo station, providing daily access to its California Zephyr service. Interstate 15, U.S. 89 and U.S. 189 provide major road service to Provo. Air transportation is available to several US cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix/Mesa, and Tucson International Airports, at Utah's second busiest airport, Provo Municipal Airport.