utah.htm"--> St George is a city on the southwestern corner of Utah. The seat of Washington County, St George covers 64.9 sq mi (168 sq km) and has a population of 73,000 people (2011 estimate). The city is closer to Las Vegas (119 miles away) than to Salt Lake City (303 miles away).

Punchbowl Dome, near St George, UtahPunchbowl Dome, near St George, Utah
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punchbowl_Dome_1.jpg
Author: Stan Shebs
photo licensing

St George is the hottest city in Utah. It experiences a subtropical arid climate. The hottest month is July, when the maximum temperature can reach 102°F (39°C). January is the coldest month, with average low temperature of 29°F (-2°C). The city receives just 8.77 in (222.8 mm) of rain per year.

St George is 2,860 ft (872 m) above sea level. While that may be high by other standards, it is the lowest elevation of any main city in Utah. It is located on the northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert, and surrounded by mountains and sandstone buttes. The Virgin River cuts through the city while the Santa Clara River drains the western part of it.

St George owes its existence to Mormon settlers who established it in 1861 under the direction of their leader Brigham Young. It was named after George A. Smith, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In an attempt at being self sufficient, the settlers grew cotton, but was unable to be market competitive. Consequently cotton farming was abandoned.

St George was the site where the United States government detonated a 32-kiloton atomic bomb. The fallout from the above-ground nuclear test was carried by winds through St George and southern Utah, causing an increase in cancer cases from the mid-1950s through the 1980s. Nonetheless it became a popular retirement destination since the 1970s, due to its arid climate.

Visiting St George

St George is the first main city on Interstate 15 from the south. You can reach it on the I-15 from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Turn off at Exit 6 (from the south) and 8 (from the north).

Places of Interest in St George

  1. Downtown Historic District
    A neighborhood of historic buildings including the Old Pioneer Courthouse, Opera House and Old Dixie Academy.

  2. McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum
    Museum showcasing the history of the pioneer era. It is operated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Society.

  3. St George Dinosaur Discovery Site
    Site where some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks were discovered in 2000.

  4. St George Tablenacle
    Multi-purpose meeting hall of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  5. St George Utah Temple
    Oldest continuously used temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 Discover with Timothy Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.