The Kennecott Nature Center is a nature observation center and classroom located in an area of wetlands alongside the Jordan River in Murray, Utah. The center is operated by the Murray City School District.
The Jordan River, in the state of Utah, United States, is a river about 51 miles (82 km) long. Regulated by pumps at its headwaters at Utah Lake, it flows northward through the Salt Lake Valley and empties into the Great Salt Lake. Four of Utah's six largest cities border the river: Salt Lake City, West Valley City, West Jordan and Sandy. More than a million people live in the Jordan Subbasin, which is the part of the Jordan River watershed that lies within Salt Lake and Utah counties. During the Pleistocene, the area was part of Lake Bonneville.
Murray City is a city situated on the Wasatch Front in the core of Salt Lake Valley in the U.S. state of Utah. Named for territorial governor Eli Murray, it is the state's fourteenth largest city. According to the 2010 census, Murray has approximately 46,746 residents. Murray shares borders with Taylorsville, Holladay, South Salt Lake and West Jordan, Utah. Once teeming with heavy industry, Murray's industrial sector now has little trace and has been replaced by major mercantile sectors. Known for its central location in Salt Lake County, Murray has been called the Hub of Salt Lake County. Unlike most of its neighboring communities, Murray operates its own police, fire, power, water, library, and parks and recreation departments and has its own school district. While maintaining many of its own services, Murray has one of the lowest city tax rates in the state.
The Murray City School District is a school district in Murray, Utah, United States. Although the district was formally established in 1906, the first known school building in the area was built in 1851. It was a small, single-room adobe structure, crudely constructed, and heated with a one small stove.
Through an initial donation from Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, the efforts of the Murray Education Foundation, and community donors, the Kennecott Nature Center provides opportunities for children from Murray City School District and selected Granite School District fourth-grade classes to observe and learn about nature up close and hands on. The building was designed in a null of earth making it not visible from street level. Atop the building's roof is a garden of native Utah plants. Below, near the water's edge is a nature trail with native trees, where students can get up close to wildlife and the river.
The Granite School District spreads across central Salt Lake County, Utah, serving West Valley City, Millcreek, Taylorsville, South Salt Lake, and Holladay; Kearns and Magna Townships; and parts of West Jordan, Murray and Cottonwood Heights. About 67,000 students are enrolled in its programs ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. It operates 8 high schools, 16 junior high schools, 62 elementary schools, as well as several specialty schools. This makes Granite the second largest school district in the state of Utah behind Alpine School District in Utah County. Other school districts in the area include the Salt Lake City School District and the Murray School District.
The 1,600-square-foot (150 m2) classroom of the Kennecott Nature Center is situated on the second largest wetland site of the Jordan River at 5044 S. Lucky Clover Lane (approx. 5100 South and 800 West) in Murray. [1]
The Jordan River Parkway runs alongside the nature center.
The Jordan River Parkway is an approximately 40-mile (64 km) urban park that runs along the Jordan River within the U.S. state of Utah. The parkway follows along the river from Utah Lake in Utah County, through Salt Lake County and onto the Great Salt Lake in Davis County. The majority of a mixed-use trail has been completed with a shared-use path for cyclists, skaters, and joggers. A separate equestrian path runs on the southern portion of the trail. Many trail-heads, city and county parks and golf courses are also located along the parkway.
