City Guide 2022
City Weekly’s 18th annual celebration of all things SLC
By Jerre Wroble @JerreWroble and City Weekly StaffPage 2 of 7
You Are Here
With a booming economy and a hop, skip and jump to the great outdoors, Salt Lake is in the bullseye of desirable locations.
By Babs De Lay
As "The Crossroads of the West" and Utah's largest city, Salt Lake City hosted the world for the 2002 Winter Olympics and, each January, it co-hosts the annual Sundance Film Festival. The city is famously the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it's not all that straight-laced: In 2012, The Advocate named Salt Lake City the Gayest City in America.
The city's new international airport is close to downtown, and it's easy to travel from Salt Lake to places like Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle or Denver—all within 45 to 90 minutes. Salt Lake is also a Delta Airlines hub, and jetsetters can book international flights to 96 destinations in six countries, including a daily nonstop to Paris.
Salt Lake's metro area is attracting droves of new residents, many of whom work for tech companies on the "Silicone Slopes." And most of them hope to someday sit courtside to watch the Utah Jazz play NBA greats.
The capital city has a pretty great public transportation system with a free-fare zone around downtown and free travel to the airport with your boarding pass in hand. You can also take public transportation to ski resorts in the Cottonwood canyons.
As for green space, you'll find numerous parks (Sugar House, Liberty and Jordan, just to name a few), golf courses and a paved bike trail that runs north/south adjacent to the Jordan River—the length of Salt Lake Valley. Downtowners can connect with nature on their lunch hour with a short drive or bike ride to City Creek Canyon.
As the population rapidly grows (Salt Lake City boasts almost 200,000 residents; Salt Lake County is at 1.18 million), it's more challenging than ever to put down roots. In the 1980s, homes prices ranged between $39,000-$69,000. Today, the typical home value is over $550,000 and headed to $600,000 by summertime. Thousands of apartments are under construction, with rents skyrocketing by 19% over the past year.
With such high demand for housing, inventory is also tight. In today's seller's market, homebuyers need to be prepared to offer more than the asking price.
If you're looking to call Salt Lake home, it pays to know your way around its distinctive neighborhoods. Let's delve into the local scene and see which specific enclave calls out to you.
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City's section of the Jordan River Parkway and our nearly 50 miles of citywide public alleyways are historically underappreciated gems that I love. We are investing in them with new boat ramps, park rangers, multi-lingual wayfinding and a neighborhood alleyway adoption program.
—Mayor Erin Mendenhall,
in a recent City Weekly interview
Blue and Proud of It
Salt Lake City usually elects Democratic mayors, three of whom (since 1992) have been female. (Of those three, Jackie Biskupski was the city's first openly gay mayor). Erin Mendenhall is the city's current mayor.
Despite having just shy of 200,000 residents, Salt Lake City has some of the area's most recognizable neighborhoods, including Downtown, 9th & 9th, the Avenues, Marmalade, Capitol Hill, City Creek, Westminster, U of U, Emigration Canyon, Sugar House, Ball Park, Central City, Liberty Wells, East Liberty, Fairpark, Rose Park, Poplar Grove, Glendale, Highland Park, Westpointe, North Temple and the Granary districts.
Joseph Smith, founder and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, mapped out a dream city on a grid pattern centered around a temple. His dream was later fulfilled by church President Brigham Young. In 1847, Young and some of his faithful climbed to the top of Ensign Peak, located behind what is now the State Capitol, and from that vantage point, they envisioned how and where they wanted to build their city.
Young and his followers built their first temple at the north end of the valley, which was surrounded by large residential blocks that allowed for urban farming. Young wanted roads wide enough for farmers to easily turn around their wagons without "resorting to profanity." At 130 feet wide, the streets are double the width of those in San Francisco and Manhattan.
Once you understand that everything is located east, west, north and south of the downtown temple, then street directions make sense, and it's easy to get around. For example, a condo at 380 W. 200 South is almost four blocks west of the temple and two blocks south of it. The number coordinates on streets with names (such as 1945 E. Sunnyside Ave.)—tell you how many blocks north, south, east or west of the temple the address is.
But if you're still confused, take heart because the city has an awesome bus system (Utah Transit Authority, or UTA) as well as light rail service (known as TRAX and FrontRunner) that offer free fares around downtown and to the airport, or $2.50 one-way. As the city grows, city planners and developers are helping to implement more "complete streets" with dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly features.
The oldest neighborhoods are Capitol Hill, Marmalade, City Creek and The Avenues located west, north and east of Temple Square and spread out around the State Capitol under Ensign Peak along the foothills. They are rich in history and offer a full gamut in types of homes/condominiums.
The downtown 'hoods have homes dating back 150 years as well as mansions built by sheep and mining barons in the late 1800s and early 1900s, some with one-car garages originally used as barns or carriage houses.
When polygamy was outlawed, some of the faithful dug caves into the hills through the foundations of their homes to hide their wives when the sheriff showed up, in a Monty Python-like "Bring Out Your Dead (er, Wives)" scenario. These neighborhoods generally have smaller building lots, say 10-15 dwellings to an acre, whereas if you head south through the valley, the lots are more like 4-8 per acre.
The Marmalade neighborhood was named after the trees the pioneers brought and propagated along streets that now have names like Apricot, Quince and Almond. Back in the day, farmers markets were held at the bottom of Capitol Hill on Saturdays with residents selling their jams, jellies, eggs and foodstuffs.
To the west of Capitol Hill is Swedetown, a small remnant of a few dozen homes built for Swedish Mormon immigrants who worked nearby on the railroad. Warm Springs Park was a hot springs originally used by Native Americans that was later developed as a bathhouse for residents who didn't own tubs.
Salt Lake City runs north from Westpointe (a newer community in the northwest area of Salt Lake City, near the airport) to the north edge of South Salt Lake.
Rose Park, located around 800 North and 1200 West, was developed by Alan Brockbank in 1947 to sell brick homes to returning World War II soldiers for $10,000. Liken it to an Ivory Homes subdivision of today but with streets named after rose varieties, and roofing either in red or green. Street layouts were designed in the shape of roses when seen from the air (with one, American Beauty Drive, resembling a long rose stem).
Rose Park homes now sell in the $400,000-$500,000 range and with TRAX connections, Rose Park is now a highly desirable place to live (along with Fairpark and North Temple—just north of Rose Park). They are among the last bastions of affordable housing in the city (for now!).
Former Salt Lake City Mayor Deedee Corradini (who was in office from 1992-2000) enlarged Salt Lake City by extending the on/off ramps downtown as part of the master plan. That helped create more developable property downtown to add to the tax base, including The Gateway Mall, which was the place to be during the Olympics. The mall emptied out, however, when City Creek Center was completed in 2012. Gateway is now branding itself as an arts and entertainment center.
Along with new downtown growth, condos and apartments began dotting the western skyline over previously EPA-designated "brown fields." Nowadays, the Euclid area, Poplar Grove and Glendale are new frontiers for residential developers who are converting old factory buildings as well as constructing townhomes on vacant lots and erecting apartment buildings. City officials are paying more attention to these formerly underserved and quiet areas, with improvements springing up along the Jordan River Parkway trail as well as the latest effort to daylight local creeks at Three Creeks Confluence Park at 950 W. 1300 South.
Closer to State Street, West 900 South is seeing massive gentrification and influx of small businesses as is the area around Smith's Ballpark, home to the Salt Lake Bee's minor-league baseball team.
The 9th & 9th neighborhood (sometimes referred to as "SLC's Brooklyn") is just as architecturally precious as Harvard/Yale/Yalecrest but less expensive. It's close to the University of Utah and has been voted by many as the most walkable area in the city, featuring small shops, local restaurants and the world-famous Rowmark Ski Academy (attached to Rowland Hall private school).
Another nearby commercial area is Foothill Village, just south of Research Park, west of Hogle Zoo and Emigration Canyon famous for Ruth's Diner, a local favorite.
Sugar House has received most of the attention in the past decade due to the high rises that have grown up around Highland Drive and 2100 South. Originally the home of Brigham Young's sugar-beet factory, and then the location of the Utah State Prison, Sugar House boasts as much history as it does modern urban living. Classic Arts and Crafts and Eclectic-style bungalows sit beside new two-story walkup townhomes that range between $500,000 to $1,000,000 each depending on square footage. Old money families are entrenched in picturesque Harvard/Yale and east toward the Foothills, who, instead of selling their homes, pass them along to their heirs.
There's a local adage, "The more east you go in Salt Lake City, the whiter the population." Diversity has not been a selling factor for decades, nay, centuries, but the faces and families are changing.
The communities have relatively low crime rates, low property taxes (compared to other major U.S. cities), insanely low water bills (despite a decades-old drought) and a great connector system of freeways and mass transit. Salt Lake will receive more than $3 billion for roads and infrastructure improvements county-wide though Biden's "Build Back Better" bill that will help Salt Lake firm up its place as one of the top cities in America.
South salt Lake
"South Salt Lake contains a remarkable creative cluster of businesses. Let me introduce you to the South Salt Lake Creative Industries Zone (The Zone). The city and arts council are all about celebrating the 50-plus unique-to-their-niche artsy, crafty businesses—all local innovators, artists and makers—that have taken up shop in the post-industrial buildings in the area." Learn more about the businesses, tastes, breweries/distilleries and murals on the Creative Industries Zone App: apple.co/36lmiTe
—Mayor Cherie Wood
It Might Surprise You
Some might call "SoSaLa" the red-headed stepchild of Salt Lake City but those who call it home would beg to differ. Originally, it was made up of three towns: Millcreek, Central Park and Southgate. Incorporated in 1938 as South Salt Lake, the city's first order of business was to fund and install a sewer system and other basic amenities such as sidewalks.
They've come a long way since then, thanks in part to lifelong resident and city mayor, Cherie Wood, who is changing minds and attitudes about the town's image. While most homes here were built between the 1940s and the 1960s, Wood, the city council members and planners are committed to partner with developers and residents to update and beautify the town.
For starters, Granite High School has been torn down and new homes and a library are under construction in its place. They hope to upgrade State Street with more additions like the Chinatown mall just south of 3300 South that boasts the largest Asian grocery store in the Intermountain West and numerous specialty restaurants.
South Salt Lake is the home of the world's first Kentucky Fried Chicken (3890 S. State), and if you go inside for your extra-crispy bucket, you'll find a tiny museum.
Plus, there are now enough breweries and distilleries within walking distance of one another that you can enjoy a bona fide pub crawl by foot or bike. It's an accessible area with TRAX and Salt Lake's two major freeways (Interstates 15 and 80) intersecting here.
Holladay
Perfectly situated between Parleys and Little Cottonwood canyons, Holladay is ideally located for access to the canyons and foothills of the Wasatch Front, beautiful mature tree canopy, small-town atmosphere in a big city, public school infrastructure that is second to none in the state, beautiful views of Mount Olympus and the Wasatch Range and passionate residents who love the city. We've got it all!
—Mayor Rob Dahle
'We've got It All'
In 1847, a group of LDS pioneers known as the Mississippi Company entered Salt Lake Valley and found a clean water source they called Spring Creek (by what now is Kentucky Avenue). In 1911, the area was formally named for John Holladay, an early settler, and many years later, in 1999, it became a city. Housing in Holladay is a huge variety of condominium projects, "forever" homes and large wooded estates with horse acreage. Don't expect to find starter homes here as Holladay is one of the most expensive places in Salt Lake Valley.
The city lies below Mount Olympus where you'll find a popular hiking trail for all levels of recreationists. Holladay is one of the first Utah cities to designate a spot for food trucks, called the Soho Food Park.
Both residents and nonresidents have been waiting years to see what will happen to the bulldozed 58-acres of the old Cottonwood Mall—which was one of the first large indoor shopping malls in Utah until it became obsolete and was torn down.
The blight of the scraped ground will change as a huge project known as Holladay Hills (holladayhills.com) comes to fruition. The developers—a partnership between the Woodbury Corp., Millrock Capital LLC and Ball Ventures—say this "legacy" project will include living and office space, a central park for gatherings, a high-rise building, restaurants and shopping.
Millcreek/Canyon Rim
"As our city motto states, we are fortunate to be 'Connected by Nature.' Not only are we connected to each other, we are lucky to be so proximate to the natural beauty of Mill Creek Canyon, the Wasatch Range and its recreational bounty, as well as the Jordan River on our western boundary.
We are also close to the urban amenities of downtown SLC, which affords us short commute times to there or the University of Utah. In fact, we can get from our homes in Millcreek to almost anywhere in the Salt Lake Valley in about 20 minutes.
And we are building an exciting new city center which will become a special place to gather and provide additional recreational and cultural fun, including an ice ribbon, a splash pad, a ground floor public market and an outdoor climbing wall on our new Millcreek City Hall."
—Mayor Jeff Silvristini
Must Love Canyons
Millcreek became Salt Lake Valley's newest city in 2016. The canyon above the city was named for the many mills that were built in and around the creek. In fact, you can see the restored home that belonged to Robert Gardner Jr. (built in 1848 and said to be the oldest standing home in Utah) at 1475 E. Murphy's Lane (where Gardner operated a commercial sawmill).
The area remained essentially rural in character until after World War II. As postwar suburban growth spilled south beyond Salt Lake City's limits, the city became the site of large subdivisions of brick cottages and, later, mid-century modern ramblers and splits.
Mill Creek Canyon is the only canyon east of the Salt Lake Valley that charges user fees to keep up the trails and picnic sites ($5/daily, payable when you leave) and is also the only canyon (other than City Creek Canyon downtown) to allow dogs.
People love the area because of its proximity to the canyons and because it sits on the southern slopes of Murdock Peak where cool breezes blow down on summer evenings. Old-time residents seldom had air conditioning in their homes (pre-global warming) and the breezes were appreciated. Also in Millcreek is Tanner Park, the largest dog park on the east side, which now connects the Parleys hiking and biking trail on the East Bench to Sugar House.
Murray
"I've lived here for 33 years and served 10 years on the city council and am constantly inspired by the city employees, the Murray and Granite school districts and by the recreation opportunities that my children all participated in. The best kept secret is the Salt Lake City Canal Trail that starts at the back of Wheeler Farm and travels northeast to Van Winkle Expressway. The 1.6-mile trail was the result of an interlocal agreement between Salt Lake and Murray. It's easy to walk or bike. I guess it won't be secret for very long!"
—Mayor Brett Hales
The County Hub
Murray is known for its diverse mix of newer housing, condominiums and mid-century homes—even a hidden subdivision surrounding a boatable pond.
There's a smattering of art deco structures along the central business district, and the original Iris Theater on State Street was rebuilt to become Desert Star Playhouse. It used to show Swedish films on Thursday nights for immigrants living in the area.
The town was named for Eli Murray, the 12th governor of the Utah Territory, but was originally known as South Cottonwood. The town was mostly an agricultural area until precious ores were found in both Park City and Little Cottonwood Canyon. Since Murray was close to a railroad line, a smelter was built here that operated for decades.
The territorial road ran right through the town (now known as State Street), and a trolley line was built to accommodate the many residents who didn't own cars.
The city is known for its outstanding parks and recreation areas, including the Joan M. Hardle Memorial Arboretum at 5051 S. Treetop Circle (in Murray Park).
Two popular farmers markets, one at Murray Park and the other at Wheeler Farm, attract weekly crowds.
Nowadays, many people associate Murray with the huge campus of the Intermountain Medical Center as well as the upscale Fashion Place shopping mall.
Murray has its own police, fire, utility and water companies and one of the lowest city tax rates in the state.
Midvale
"Midvale is lucky to still have a historic Main Street intact with so much potential for years to come. ... [With] a large Hispanic/Latino population and refugees from around the world, [we are] a true melting pot of life experiences and backgrounds. Finding that kind of mix of people is not something common in Utah, and I love that we have that here. If you're looking for some of the best beer and food in the state, Bohemian Brewery is perfect. If you're looking for a small local restaurant, then Del Barrio Café has incredible tacos and Sagato Bakery offers both desserts and meat pies. Finally, if you want to eat delicious desserts while supporting a great cause, Flourish Bakery—which offers a paid internships to those recovering from substance use and who have a history of incarceration—is a must!"
—Mayor Marcus Stevenson
Historic and Diverse
Originally known as the East Jordan Ward, then Bingham Junction (because it was on the road to the Bingham Copper mine), Midvale was the former location of Sharon Steel and a dumping ground for slag, the waste matter produced from ore refining.
Sadly, this left Midvale with swaths of lead, arsenic and heavy metals in the soils, rendering much of the Sharon Steel site heavily polluted. Through remediation, with help from the EPA and other parties, the site underwent a major cleanup that saw its name removed from the Superfund list, thus opening the door for development.
On the eastern edge of present-day Midvale (and later annexed by Midvale) was Fort Union, historically Union, which was an early settlement area. A small remnant of the fort still exists in the Family Center Mall (aka The Shops at Fort Union) near the Pie Pizzeria.
Midvale boasts a Top Golf facility along with a new crop of fast-food franchises, a Winco and a Harmons. Zions Bank is now building a high-tech campus here that should be completed this year.
Look for century-old homes that were original farmsteads dotting east and west of State Street, postwar bungalows and cottages as well as a high concentration of condo complexes with infill construction of townhomes going up faster than you can say "Midvale"!
Cottonwood Heights
"Cottonwood Heights is the epitome of suburban life, blending the best in retail—Target, Home Depot and Trader Joe's—with secluded neighborhoods nestled up against the mountains.
"Award-winning schools, top-tier restaurants and residents who value community are a few of the reasons I love and live in Cottonwood Heights."
—Mayor Mike Weichers
Up High
Cottonwood Heights is one of the new kids on the block, incorporating as a city in 2005. With a motto of "The City Between the Canyons," its landscape is dominated by a high ridge separating the valleys of Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, offering mountain and valley views.
The shoreline of the once-massive Lake Bonneville can still be seen halfway up the mountains. You can take an easy hike or a bike ride along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail here and find trilobites and other fossils.
Below, you'll see neighborhoods filled with suburban ranch-style, rambler and split-level housing with sweeping views of the Wasatch Range to the east. Most business and retail development are based in the lower-lying areas north of the ridge (along Fort Union Boulevard, in Fort Union itself and near Big Cottonwood Creek).
The town is the jumping off point to the mountain recreation of Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, Ferguson Canyon and Mountain Olympus.
Nowadays, everyone just wants to drive by Post Malone's house where he raps (in the song "Rockstar") that he's "in the hills f—kin' superstars."
Alta/Snowbird
"Right up Little Cottonwood Canyon, there is a small and precious community called Alta. It came into being in the late 1800s and was a vigorous mining town. The ore ran out, most of the miners left, but the skiers arrived. Now it is a gem that is unrivaled in its beauty and charm. Those of us who live there are committed to preserving its unique character so that others can enjoy it far into the future."
—Mayor Roger Bourke
Wildflower Central
Alta City was founded around 1870 as living space for miners from the Emma and Flagstaff mines along with other fabulously rich silver mines in Little Cottonwood Canyon. There are few year-round Alta residents (less than 500) but the resorts (Alta, established in 1939, and Snowbird, built in 1971) have many timeshares and part-time residents.
Alta is favored by locals for its deep powder and challenging terrain with runs like Eddie's High Nowhere and Baldy Chutes. Most of the homes are typical ski-resort cabins on some of the original mining claims owned by generations of Utahns. But there are also numerous luxurious get-away second homes.
The area has UTA bus service, with extra service during ski season as parking is at a premium and limited throughout the year. Yes, Alta and Snowbird are famous for winter skiing and summer retreats away from the heat of the city. But its "secret" during the summer is that both resorts are just below Albion Basin with its carpet of wildflowers that should not be missed.
Brighton/solitude
Why live here? "You're out of the inversion, you get to have true community policing, lower property taxes than in the unincorporated Salt Lake County, and the size of the community means you can have a voice in the town's decisions."
—Former Mayor Harris Sondack
Alpine Adventure
Big Cottonwood Canyon is indeed big but it's home to two of the Wasatch Front's smallest ski resorts: Brighton and Solitude.The town of Brighton was incorporated in 2020 with a population of a few hundred residents.
Much of the area is named after the Brighton family which migrated here from Scotland and established mining rights in the canyon, and then later built the Brighton Hotel in 1874. Catherine Brighton became the darling of the mining crowd who loved her cooking. Back then, the hotel was a great escape from busy Salt Lake City, and people came to fish in the lakes and walk through the wildflowers. Lake Catherine is named after Catherine Brighton. She named Silver Lake because it shimmered so brightly in the early morning sun.
In 1936, members of the Alpine Ski Club built a rope tow using wire and an old elevator motor to create Utah's first ski resort at Brighton. It brought recreationists with their heavy wooden skis and lace-up boots to the top of the hill. Brighton would later be the first ski resort to allow snowboarding.
Solitude opened its ski area in the fall of 1957. Both Brighton and Solitude resorts are part of the town of Brighton.
Some of the original mining cabins still dot the mountains, and locals know one of the best mountain drives is over the mountain from Brighton to Park City and Deer Valley on Guardsman Pass. (The Girl Scout Camp Trefoil is hidden near the summit).
Draper
[Draper] has the best mountain trail system in the urban core anywhere in the world—over 600 miles!
I'm very excited about helping to plan for The Point—the 600 acres where the prison sits. I hope people will get involved in the process by going to thepointutah.org."
—Mayor Troy Walker
A Point Well Taken
Originally home to Utes, Paiutes, Shoshone and Goshute tribes, Draper was settled by Ebenezer and Phebe Brown in 1848, a couple who raised cattle to sell to immigrants traveling through to the California gold fields. As the settler population grew, Native Americans pushed back, and a settler's fort was started but never finished. The site is now part of Draper Historic Park, which is not well advertised but a great educational public park worth checking out.
Up until the 1980s, Draper was a pleasant pig and dairy farm area with a smattering of polygamist-owned farms that were sold off and developed in the 1990s. The town grew in the past few decades into a sprawling area of new stucco homes and big box stores, including Utah's first IKEA store.
Draper is also home to Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake's Lisa Barlow, Musician's Friend and, for now, the Utah State Prison. When the prison begins relocating in June 2022 to a site west of the Salt Lake City International Airport, the 600 acres will be replaced with a new development called The Point, a planned area of commercial, residential and recreational use like none seen before in Utah. The mayor and city council have loosened zoning and height restrictions on new commercial construction.
An LDS Temple at the top of the bench above the South Mountain Golf Course opened in 2009, and most of the homes on the mountain are newer McMansions, town houses or condos. There are also horse, biking and hiking trails in Corner Canyon and over the pass into Utah County.
Sandy
"Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and just 13 miles south of Salt Lake City, Sandy City is a beautiful community known for its safe neighborhoods and sweeping mountain views. Our downtown district, The Cairns, offers top entertainment, shopping and dining. Other crown jewels include Hale Centre Theatre, Real Salt Lake soccer and The Shops at South Town. What really makes Sandy stand out is its variety of parks, trails and open spaces, including Dimple Dell, Hidden Valley and Lone Peak Park. It's also the gateway to the premier mountain recreation of Little Cottonwood Canyon. We are an active, service-oriented community, and we care about our neighbors. I'm proud to call Sandy City home."
—Mayor Monica Zoltanski
We're here for rsl
In the late 1800s, it was mining that shaped Sandy's destiny.
It's hard to imagine this family-friendly suburb filled with brothels and saloons —it was more like the Wild West. With three smelters that, at times, ran 24/7 extracting silver from canyon ore and a rail hub that was an interchange between two rail lines, Sandy was a veritable a boom town. When the ore ran out in the early 1900s, farmers moved in, and in the 1970s, the neighborhood begain to sprawl in all directions with housing developments. More and more Valley residents began flocking to Sandy for its proximity to four ski resorts (now accessed by regular bus service) along with convenient shopping and services.
Sandy has become a housing hub for those working on Silicon Slopes, and its Rio Tinto stadium is home to RSL Major League Soccer. Come summer, residents enjoy outdoor concerts at Sandy Amphitheater, splash pads for kids and hiking and horseback riding at Dimple Dell.
Magna
Latin for Great
European settlers began arriving in Magna and the Copperton areas in 1851 when precious minerals were discovered in the Oquirrh Mountains. In the early 1900s, jobs in the area switched from agricultural to industrial, when immigrants moved here to work in the Magna Mill (magna is the Latin word for "great") and the Kennecott Copper Mine.
There wasn't much housing available in the early years of the mining boom, so workers and their families lived in tents and rough shacks, with the town also getting the moniker of Ragtown. Drifters, prospectors and more immigrants followed, and soon there was a Japantown, Little Italy, Snaketown and Greektown.
A few miners owned cars but the mine and its mill were within walking distance, as was downtown Magna. There were plenty of saloons and churches, small stores and fraternal halls. The area grew rapidly over the decades as did industry. Hercules Powder Co. (a dynamite manufacturer) set up shop and morphed into a rocket motor company called Bacchus Works.
You'll find century-old homes dotting the western area of the valley with some affordable-housing options. New housing and commercial construction are evident as workers at the new airport and the soon-to-open Utah State Prison find Magna is only a short commute to and from work.
Main Street Magna is charming and was recently the set location for Disney's series Andi Mack. Historic Main Street underwent a major remodel in 2006, but a 2020 earthquake shook down bricks on Colosimo's Market and Sausage Factory as well as from the walls on other buildings.
West Valley City
Progress as Promised
At 140,000 residents, West Valley City is the second-largest city in Utah. The area that is now West Valley City merged four mostly agricultural communities: Hunter, Granger, Chesterfield and Redwood. These areas experienced rapid growth in the 1970s and then came together in 1980 to form the city.
WVC is home to the Maverik Center and ECHL (hockey) Utah Grizzlies, which also served as a venue for Winter Olympics hockey in 2002.
Other attractions include the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, West Valley Arts, Stonebridge and Westridge golf courses, Lodestone Park, USANA Amphitheatre and Valley Fair Mall featuring a Megaplex IMAX Theatre. For a blast to the past, check out the Redwood Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet.
With 45% minorities, WVC is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the Salt Lake Valley. Most housing is typical of designs and construction of the 1970s and 1980s.
Kearns
"I'm often asked why I like Kearns so much. You would expect that I would say the awesome Olympic venue, our incredible history and perhaps throw in the outstanding leadership (ha ha). All of these make Kearns unique and special, but above all, I most admire the unwavering pride this community has for their hometown. We stand by each other through good and bad. I have witnessed this community celebrate our accomplishments and mourn our losses. It's what I love about Kearns."
—Mayor Kelly Bush
Our Ice Is Nice
Kearns, named for Utah's U.S. Sen. Thomas Kearns, came into existence in 1942 as a World War II U.S. Army Air Force training facility known as Kearns Army Air Base. Before the base was built, the flat landscape consisted of dry farms.
A year after the war ended, the Air Corps deactivated the base and turned it over to the State of Utah. The presence of roads and other basic infrastructure made the area attractive to developers, and soon small, affordable houses and new businesses sprang up rapidly on what had just a few years earlier been farmland. The airfield of the Kearns Army Air Base is known today as South Valley Regional Airport.
In 2002, the world was welcomed to Kearns to watch indoor speed skating in the new Utah Olympic Oval built specifically for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The facility is still in use today. Its existing infrastructure is one of the many reasons Utah would be a terrific location again for the games.
Taylorsville
The good old Dayzz
Taylorsville, Bennion and part of Kearns became the City of Taylorsville during the centennial anniversary of Utah statehood in 1996. Some people liken Taylorsville to Salt Lake's Harvard/Yale area for its quiet neighborhoods and pockets of historical homes (but in Taylorsville case, it's great mid-century modern).
Taylorsville is ideal for students attending the Redwood campus of Salt Lake Community College who can let off steam playing disc golf at Valley Regional Park.
There's a good mix of older housing, new homes, condominium and rental projects. You can also find small ethnic grocery stores and restaurants, as well as every franchise eatery you could ever ask for.
Taylorsville Dayzz in June is an annual birthday bash to commemorate the city's incorporation in 1996, an event that brings the community together for concerts, a parade, a carnival and fireworks.
West Jordan
Copper in the hills
West Jordan ("WeJo") is one of the fastest growing suburbs of Salt Lake City, with a mostly modern housing stock, quality commercial districts and a strong industrial base. The Jordan Landing mixed-use development is one of the largest shopping centers in Utah. West Jordan gets its name from Jordan River that runs through it, and the city touts the world's largest open pit mine (the Bingham Canyon Mine).
City landmarks include Gardner Village (originally a sawmill built in 1850 and now a cute shopping/eating destination) and the historic Sugar Factory, built in 1916. The Viridian Event Center is a multi-use event space operated by the West Jordan Library and the county's Library Services.
The city is also the location of South Valley Regional Airport, formally known as "Salt Lake Airport No. 2." The airport serves general aviation operations as well as a base for the Utah Army National Guard for Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.
Old downtown West Jordan has been redeveloped with an expanded Main Park, a history museum, conversion of the Sugar Factory into a playhouse, an indoor recreation center, a senior center and a large courthouse to serve the State of Utah 3rd District.
South Jordan
"I love this city. Our people and their spirit of service make it a truly special place. I've seen so many South Jordan residents rise up and ask what they can do to help out. The spirit and passion to serve is just one of the many things I love about our great residents."
—South Jordan Mayor Dawn R. Ramsey
Riding High
"SoJo" lies along the banks of the Jordan River between the Oquirrh Mountains to the west and the Wasatch Mountains to the east. You can find a plaque marking "The Birthplace of South Jordan" at 10702 S. River Front Parkway, as well as ponds, trails, parks and natural habitats along the Jordan River. Alfalfa was grown in this area during the 1890s, followed by sugar beets that could be sold to the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co./factory in West Jordan. In the 1930s, residents in the area needed a water tank. They found the only way to do it was to incorporate into a city and get a grant from the feds, which they did in 1935.
Here, you'll find housing inventory that's made up of a few farms, large ranch houses with horse barns, scattered subdivisions from the 1970s-1990s and new neighborhoods that back up to Daybreak. It's also one of the first cities to warrant two LDS temples. The Salt Lake County Equestrian Park and Event Center, which was recently acquired by Utah State University, features a 120-acre equestrian park with a polo, dressage and racing track.
Riverton
"One thing that makes Riverton so great is its proximity to the freeway and major attractions while maintaining a semi-rural, community feel. This is something our council and I have strived for through conscientious zoning/planning, community events and engaging residents. Of course, our new Mountain View Village development (northwest corner of 13400 and Mountain View Corridor) is top of the line with amazing retail and dining options.
"However, a real hidden gem is the area along 1300 West just south of 12600 South where the county golf course and pool are located, next to our magnificent main park that is constantly curated with events and things to do for the public."
—Mayor Trent Staggs
Rural Vibes
Riverton (originally known in the 1800s as Gardnerville) is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state and is considered a bedroom community to the Silicon Slopes tech boom after it was discovered by techies who commute to Utah County south on Redwood Road, or via the Mountain View Corridor.
It started as an agricultural community of sugar beet and wheat farmers as well as sheep and dairy ranchers. Without much water available, canals were dug by horse teams to get water from the Jordan River.
The largest farm of recent years was known as Tithing Yard Hill, with hundreds of acres of property owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members would bring one tenth of their own crops and animals for tithing. There was a granary, large root cellar, weight scales and a barn. It's now a housing development.
For so long, Riverton was known for its large expanses of farmland, but it's slowly been sold off to developers. Mountain View Village is Riverton's version of Daybreak and has become the new central gathering place with retail, restaurants, offices, theater and, of course, housing. Many of the newer subdivisions have the distinction of larger lots that have been broken up from old farm acreage.
Bluffdale
A Foot in two Worlds
The historic site of Brigham Young bodyguard Porter Rockwell's Hot Springs Hotel and Brewery as well as a Utah Pony Express station, Bluffdale encompasses parts of Riverton, Draper and Herriman, with southern borders that stretch as far south as Lehi.
This bedroom community of 17,000 residents was incorporated in 1978 and is located in both Salt Lake and Utah counties. The National Guard base, historic Camp Williams, is a notable resident of the city, as is the Utah Data Center, which is a data storage facility for the U.S. intelligence community.
The town has five traditional public and four charter public schools, including Bluffdale Elementary, which offers a Portuguese Dual Immersion program.
Today, a significant portion of the Jordan River Parkway Trail goes through Bluffdale. If you have kids, you'll want to take them to the Wardle Fields Regional Park, an 80-acre family farm that now features a massive splash pad and playground area.
Daybreak
Build It, and They Will Come
Who would have thought 20 years ago that sleepy South Jordan would be one of the hottest places to live in the Salt Lake Valley? It was in 2004 that the planned community broke ground and now there are more than 6,000 units of apartments, condos and homes—intermingled with light rail and commercial businesses.
What started out as land owned by Rio Tinto is now owned by the Larry H. Miller Real Estate Group and sold off to select builders within the development. The community is expected to build out for the next 18 to 20 years and, when completed, it could contain more than 20,000 residential units and approximately 9.1 million square feet of commercial space.
It's not a city and doesn't have a mayor—it has a homeowners' association (HOA). You want to live here because every property is within five minutes of amenities such as a lazy river, the man-made Oquirrh Lake with watercraft rentals and sailing lessons, five pools, playgrounds, 40 miles of paved bike trails and well-maintained tennis, pickleball and basketball courts—with options (at a small cost) that include garden plots, swim lessons, fitness classes and rentable community centers. It's currently the home of Whitney (Justin) Rose, one of Bravo TV's Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Given the number of PRIDE flags on display each summer, Daybreak is getting the moniker of "Gaybreak" by the LGBTQ community.
Herriman
"Because of our location along the foothills of the Oquirrh Mountains with amazing trails for mountain bikers, hikers and horses, Herriman is also becoming a recreation destination in the Salt Lake Valley, with many more miles of trails planned for the next decade. The beauty of Herriman is also unrivaled right now. On a clear day, sitting on the west bench overlooking the Salt Lake Valley, you can see downtown Salt Lake City while relaxing in one of our amazing, well-planned parks. Herriman is now a destination city and will be a huge part of the future of the state of Utah."
—Mayor Lorin Palmer
Keep Looking Up
Herriman is the furthest west and south city in Salt Lake County and one of the newest cities to be incorporated in the Salt Lake Valley, in 1999.
Originally named after Thomas Butterfield, a white settler, it was later renamed after a prominent resident, Henry Herriman, and began seeing new construction in the 1990s when developers realized they could break up large plats of farmland into big residential lots for new rambler and two-story style homes.
It was on the list of fastest growing "large cities" in the U.S. from 2010-2019, growing over 135%. Butterfield Canyon makes up the far west border of Herriman with ranches and cabins dotting the bench.
The city's claim to fame was when Bangerter Homes built a 100% accurate large-scale version of the house from Disney's Up movie (it was built with permission from the Disney studios). The buyers purchased the finished product for just under $500,000, and it can be seen today (at 13218 Herriman Rose Blvd., therealuphouse.com) the same as when they bought it.
There aren't too many places in our landlocked state to dig in the sand and play in the water, so Herriman City built Black Ridge Reservoir as an outdoor recreation area. The summer destination suffers from its own popularity and, on weekends, you'll usually see police presence for crowd control, illegal parking and minor infractions. The reservoir has been closed off and on, due to algae blooms, something that's now common around some Utah lakes and ponds during summer.
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