La Verkin, Utah | |
|---|---|
 La Verkin in 2023 | |
 Location in Washington County and the state of Utah | |
| Coordinates: 37°12′49″N 113°16′0″W / 37.21361°N 113.26667°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Washington |
| Settled | 1897 |
| Incorporated | 1927 |
| Founded by | Thomas Judd |
| Named for | Spanish: La Virgen: 'The Virgin' |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.78 sq mi (33.10 km2) |
| • Land | 12.78 sq mi (33.10 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,192 ft (973 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 4,060 |
| • Estimate (2019)[3] | 4,446 |
| • Density | 347.86/sq mi (134.31/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code | 84745 |
| Area code | 435 |
| FIPS code | 49-43440[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1429398[5] |
| Website | Official website |
La Verkin is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,060 as of 2010, an increase from 3,392 in 2000. La Verkin is within walking distance of Hurricane, and the two cities have historically had close ties.
Theories about the origin of the city's name suggest that it may be a corruption of the Spanish la virgen, after the nearby Virgin River,[6] or possibly an error in the transcription of the term "beaver skin."[7]
The city made national headlines in 2001 when the City Council passed an ordinance declaring La Verkin a "United Nations-free zone".[8][9]
La Verkin contains the southernmost highway junction to Zion National Park, at the intersection of Utah SR-9. The city is also home to Pah Tempe Hot Springs, a historic volcanic sulfur spring that sits on the edge of Virgin River. There is also a noted pony-truss style bridge, built in 1908, that rises some 200 feet (61 m) over the river, spanning over 75 feet (23 m) in length.[citation needed]
La Verkin Elementary School is the only public school in the city. Higher grades attend school in neighboring Hurricane. The city contains several large private schools for troubled youth, most visibly Cross Creek Academy.
La Verkin has continued its small, incremental growth through the years, despite geographical limitations. There is a single large, modern market (Davis Farmer's Market), which includes a fuel center. Two coffee shops, and a casual dining restaurant, catering to tourists and locals alike.
Law Enforcement; La Verkin Police Department and Washington County Sheriff's Department. Fire Department; Hurricane Valley Fire Department. Power Department; Rocky Mountain Power, Ash Creek Water District, managed by La Verkin City Power Department.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUsewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Virgin River".
- ^ Larsen, Wesley P. (1994), "La Verkin", Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah Press, ISBN 9780874804256, archived from the original on March 21, 2024, retrieved June 17, 2024
- ^ "U.N.-Free Zone" Hurricane Valley Journal, October 15, 2003
- ^ "ACLU of Utah Asks La Verkin City Council to Repeal the United Nations Free Zone Ordinance", ACLU of Utah, July 17, 2001