In 1867, the first Beaver County court was held in Beaver. In 1858 Beaver's population received a boost from Mormons leaving San Bernardino, California, at the onset of the Utah War. In 1886 the inhabitants of Circleville abandoned their community because of the Black Hawk War and made their homes in Beaver. Beaver is known for its stone houses and public buildings. The Beaver Co-op was the largest Utah mercantile establishment south of Salt Lake City for a number of years. Constructed with black igneous rock quarried in the mountains east of Beaver in 1872, this two-story store was a branch of the LDS Church's ZCMI. The foundation of the Beaver County Courthouse, built in 1882, is also black rock, but the upper stories are constructed of a beautiful red brick. The building's clock tower and simple classical detail make it a prominent landmark in Beaver County.

Beaver always played a prominent role in education in the county. Besides local public schools, a number of private institutions were built here.
Beaver is also a significant gateway to local canyons and mountain ranges. The Tushar Range to the east of Beaver, for example, has abundant resources for fishing, hunting, and camping. Puffer Lake and the other lakes situated in the mountains adjoining Beaver are popular destinations for fishermen and sports enthusiasts from around the region. Located on Interstate 15 at an elevation of 5,970 feet, Beaver is a place with a colorful past, a pleasing climate, and ample opportunities for employment. In addition to agriculture, dairying, cattle raising, and service enterprises, mines like the sulphur mines twenty miles to the north continue to augment and diversify the local economy. Beaver's offical 2000 census count was 2,454 up from 1,998 in 1990 or a 2.1% growth.