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Punchbowl Dome, near St George, UtahSource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punchbowl_Dome_1.jpg
Author: Stan Shebs
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
- Downtown Historic District
A neighborhood of historic buildings including the Old Pioneer Courthouse, Opera House and Old Dixie Academy. - McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum
Museum showcasing the history of the pioneer era. It is operated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Society. - St George Dinosaur Discovery Site
Site where some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks were discovered in 2000. - St George Tablenacle
Multi-purpose meeting hall of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. - St George Utah Temple
Oldest continuously used temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.
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