West Valley CityUT
West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, and it is a suburb of Salt Lake City. At the time of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 140,230 people, making it Utah’s second-largest city.
West Valley City’s history may be traced back to 1848, when Joseph Harker and his family crossed the Jordan River into what is now West Valley City. More pioneer families followed in Harker’s footsteps, leaving Salt Lake City to settle “over Jordan” in the farming settlements of Granger, Hunter, Redwood, and Chesterfield.
People in Granger and Hunter, Texas, had a lot of important things happen in the next century. In 1918, 3500 South was paved, the Granger-Hunter Improvement District was formed. In 1949, the community’s first bank opened, Granger High School was built, and the Granger-Hunter Chamber of Commerce was formed.
An unorganized region of western Salt Lake County had an incorporation vote on February 26, 1980. The amalgamation of portions of Granger, Hunter, and Chesterfield into West Valley City was approved by a razor-thin ninety-vote margin. A petition effort for a disincorporation vote was initiated almost immediately. In May, the Salt Lake County Clerk received petitions signed by 7,787 residents, and a disincorporation vote was set for July 8, seven days after the city was set to open for business.
Because the name West Valley City was deemed too long, a seven-member committee was formed to choose a new name for the city. The committee’s suggestion of “Oquirrh City” was found to be more awkward, so the original name of West Valley City was kept. Henry H. Price was inaugurated as mayor on July 1, 1980, while Renee W. MacKay and Jerry L. Wagstaff were sworn in as city commissioners on July 1, 1980.
The cultural diversity of West Valley City has long been celebrated. In the 2010 Census Report, the non-white population was expected to be around 35%.In 2002, the city broke ground on the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, fulfilling former Mayor Gearld L. Wright’s aim of providing a location where cultures may come together to celebrate with one another.
West Valley City’s progress continued, and the city hosted Olympic hockey at the 2002 Winter Games. As a result of the Olympics’ economic boom, the E Center (now the Maverik Center) was built, as was the redevelopment of the entire area surrounding the arena.
The Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Stonebridge Golf Course, The Ridge Golf Course, Rocky Mountain Raceways, USANA Amphitheatre, and the Valley Fair Mall are all located in West Valley City, in addition to the Maverik Center and the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. The drive-in is also located at WVC.