Dutch John is a town located in eastern Daggett County, Utah, United States, approximately 4 miles (6 km) northeast of the Flaming Gorge Dam on U.S. Route 191. The population was 141 at the 2020 census.[3]

Dutch John, Utah
Location in Daggett County and the state of Utah
Location in Daggett County and the state of Utah
Location of Utah in the United States
Location of Utah in the United States
Coordinates: 40°55′48″N 109°24′15″W / 40.93000°N 109.40417°W / 40.93000; -109.40417
Country United States
State Utah
CountyDaggett
Founded1957
Incorporated2016
Named forJohn Honselena
Area
 • Total
6.29 sq mi (16.28 km2)
 • Land5.90 sq mi (15.28 km2)
 • Water0.39 sq mi (1.00 km2)
Elevation6,454 ft (1,967 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
141
 • Density23.90/sq mi (9.23/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
84023
Area code435
FIPS code49-20780
GNIS feature ID2783906[2]
Websitedutchjohn.org

History

edit

The town (but a census-designated place before 2016) was platted and constructed beginning in 1957 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to house workers working on the construction of Flaming Gorge Dam. After the dam's completion in 1964, Dutch John became home to a smaller number of dam maintenance and operations personnel, as well as employees of the National Park Service and United States Forest Service.[4]

The Dutch John townsite and its buildings continued to be owned by the Bureau of Reclamation until 1998 when the town was privatized. Buildings were sold to individual landowners, and undeveloped land in the town was transferred to Daggett County. The county later completed a master plan for the Dutch John townsite and has begun offering parcels of land for sale to developers.

In July 2002, the human-caused Mustang Ridge fire burned approximately 22,000 acres (89 km2) of pinyon/juniper forest near Dutch John. The fire caused damage to power transmission lines which were supported by wooden poles.

During the peak years of construction activity at Flaming Gorge Dam, as many as 3,500 people lived in Dutch John.[citation needed]

In November 2014, the residents of Dutch John voted overwhelmingly to incorporate into a town. An election was held in June 2015, in which William Rogers was elected mayor; Ryan Kelly, Sandy Kunkel, Harriet Dickerson, and Dave MacDonald were elected as members of the Town Council. They took office, and the incorporation became official in January 2016.[5][6] In the town's 2021 election, Sandy Kunkel was elected as mayor.

A resort within the town is host to the world's largest fishing fly. It is over three tons in weight and is over 32 feet long.[7]

Demographics

edit
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
2010145
2020141−2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the census[10] of 2010, there were 145 people living in the CDP. There were 105 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 97.2% White, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.4% of the population.

Climate

edit

Large seasonal temperature differences typify this climatic region, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Dutch John has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[11]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dutch John, Utah
  3. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Dutch John CDP, Utah". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  4. ^ Johnson, Michael W. (1998). A History of Daggett County: A Modern Frontier. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society. ISBN 0-913738-18-2.
  5. ^ http://www.ubmedia.biz/vernal/news/article_042c315a-7f2a-11e4-afcc-0ff27c88a0a2.html [dead link]
  6. ^ "Certificate of Incorporation" (PDF). municert.utah.gov. State of Utah. July 31, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  7. ^ "Dutch John, UT - World's Largest Fishing Fly".
  8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  9. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  11. ^ Climate Summary for Dutch John, Utah
edit