Monticello, Utah

The Old Spanish Trail trade route passed through the area of Monticello from 1829 into the 1850s. Monticello was one of the many cities established by Mormon pioneers in the Utah Territory, which became the State of Utah. In that year, on a journey to northern Utah from the San Juan River settlements, Apostles Erastus Snow and Brigham Young Jr. passed through the current site of Monticello. They were quite impressed by it, and this encounter was one of the key factors behind LDS settlement there a few years later. After struggling to farm along the unpredictable San Juan River, leaders began to look to settle the higher country at the base of the Abajo Mountains, also known as the Blue Mountains, where several streams and springs descended from the mountain. Piute Springs, Soldier's Spring, and Montezuma Creek were a few of the water sources in the area named by passersby. They first set up camp at Verdure near the South Fork of Montezuma Creek on March 11, 1887, six miles (10 km) south of what is now Monticello. In 1943, VCA began producing a uranium-vanadium sludge for the Manhattan Engineer District. During these years the mill at Monticello processed large amounts of ore taken from the canyons of southeastern Utah. Efforts have been made and are ongoing to secure compensation for the illness or death of family members exposed to the mill tailings. In 2009, legislation was passed to provide free cancer screening to residents who lived in Monticello between 1941 and 2000. ==Geography and climate==

Monticello is located in the Four Corners area of the Colorado Plateau. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), all land, making it the largest city in the county in terms of area. Monticello is located at the base of the Abajo Mountains, or the Blue Mountains, which are part of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The elevation of Monticello is . From Monticello, a tree formation on the Blue Mountains can be seen, which resembles a horse's head and neck, which can be seen from any point in town. Monticello is 40 miles from the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and is 59 miles from Arches National Park, located near Moab. Climate Similar to other high-altitude locations in the western United States, such as Flagstaff, Arizona, Aspen, Colorado and Los Alamos, New Mexico, Monticello has a warm-summer humid continental climate according to the Köppen climate classification system, abbreviated Dfb on climate maps. ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Monticello had a population of 1,824. The median age was 34.2 years. 30.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 110.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111.9 males age 18 and over. There were 616 households in Monticello, of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 60.7% were married-couple households, 15.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 692 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.9%. 2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 1,958 people, 606 households, and 467 families residing in the city. The population density was 757.1 people per square mile (291.9/km2). There were 717 housing units at an average density of 277.2 per square mile (106.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.09% White, 0.10% African American, 6.44% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 7.00% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.69% of the population. There were 606 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.65. In the city, the population was spread out, with 36.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,929, and the median income for a family was $42,115. Males had a median income of $31,000 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,033. About 6.7% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. ==Culture==

As the seat of San Juan County, Monticello is home to the San Juan County Fair and Fairgrounds. The annual fair usually occurs during August. A 24 July Parade and Celebration are also held annually in Monticello to commemorate Pioneer Day, a Utah holiday commemorating the arrival of Mormon settlers to the Salt Lake Valley. Blue Mountain Entertainment is a local arts organization which provides funding to bring cultural performances to Monticello throughout the year. The City of Monticello annually hosts the Blue Mountain Triathlon. The race begins with of cross country skiing on the Blue Mountain, followed by an bike ride, and ending with a run past Newspaper Rock. ==Education==

The San Juan School District operates two public schools. The Monticello Elementary School hosts children from grades K-6, while grades 7-12 attend Monticello High School. The San Juan County Library is located in Monticello. Monticello was selected as the site for an extension of the George Wythe University; groundbreaking for the new facility took place in August 2008 but the project was never completed. ==Recreation==

Monticello is home of The Hideout Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course constructed near the reclaimed site of the uranium mill. The Hideout has been ranked the no. 2 golf course in Utah ==See also==