Richfield, sometimes referred to as the "hub of Central Utah," is the county seat of Sevier County. It is located 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, placing it near the center of the state. The altitude is 5,280 feet and the climate is moderate, with typical average temperatures from 90º high to 50º low in the summer and 43º high and 16º low in winter. The city covers an area of four square miles and in 1990 had a population of 5,593.

In July 1863 George W. Bean was called by Mormon apostle George A. Smith, who was presiding over the Utah Valley area, to take a small exploring party and go up the Sevier River above Gunnison and look for suitable locations for settlements. After crossing to the west side of the Sevier River, the party found a big spring where Richfield was later settled. There they found fertile soil, good water, and wood in the nearby hills. The party, returning by way of Spring City, met Mormon Apostle Orson Hyde, who informed them that the settlement of Sevier Valley was under his direction.