Oasis | |
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CDP | |
Location in Millard County and the state of Utah. |
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Coordinates: 39°17′31″N 112°37′46″W / 39.29194°N 112.62944°WCoordinates: 39°17′31″N 112°37′46″W / 39.29194°N 112.62944°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Utah |
County | Millard |
Settled | 1880 |
Area | |
• Total | 0.4 sq mi (1 km2) |
• Land | 0.4 sq mi (1 km2) |
• Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
Elevation | 4,590 ft (1,400 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 75 |
• Density | 190/sq mi (72/km2) |
Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
• Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
ZIP codes | 84624, 84650 |
Area code(s) | 435 |
GNIS feature ID | 2584773 |
Oasis is a census-designated place in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 75 at the 2010 census. Once the main rail shipping point in Millard County, Oasis declined in importance after the establishment of Delta, now the county's largest city.
Oasis is located in the eastern Sevier Desert of Millard County, approximately 140 miles (230 km) southwest of Salt Lake City. Oasis lies some 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Delta, and just 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the village of Deseret, with which it has always been closely associated. About 4 miles (6.4 km) north is Gunnison Bend Reservoir, the last impoundment of the Sevier River. The area consists of irrigated farmland on the edge of harsh desert, an oasis east of Swasey Mountain.
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Oasis has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.
The Utah Southern Railroad Extension reached the Oasis area in October 1879, and by 1880 a settlement had begun to develop. Originally named Deseret Station, it was known as Oasis by 1885. In the early years, a small dam near Deseret provided all the irrigation water. Then in 1886, the Oasis and Riverside Canal Company and the Gunnison Bend Canal Company were organized, with ambitious plans to expand the cultivation of the surrounding land. The canal projects took years longer than expected, but supported steady population growth.
In the meantime, Oasis's main economic activity was as a railroad station. The precious metal mines of Frisco and Joy provided substantial freight traffic to the shipping point at Oasis. The station served communities as distant as Baker, Nevada, 100 miles (160 km) away. It also made an attractive location for shearing sheep, shipping livestock, and outfitting ranches. A small commercial center began to develop, with a general store, hotel, restaurant, saloon, bank, and other small businesses.