Draper, Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Draper, Utah
City
Draper Historic Park
Location in Salt Lake County and the state of Utah.
Country	United States
State	Utah
Counties	Salt Lake, Utah
Settled	1849
Incorporated	1978
Founded by	Ebenezer Brown and his wife Phebe DRAPER Palmer Brown
Named for	William Draper Jr.
Area
• Total	29.96 sq mi (77.61 km2)
• Land	29.95 sq mi (77.57 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation	4,751 ft (1,448 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	51,017
• Density	1,702.84/sq mi (657.35/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code	84020
Area code(s)	385, 801
FIPS code	49-20120
GNIS feature ID	2410355

Draper is a city in Utah, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of Salt Lake City. It sits in both Salt Lake and Utah counties. In 2020, about 51,017 people lived here.

Draper is part of two larger city areas. The part in Salt Lake County is in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The part in Utah County is in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area.

The city has good public transportation. It has two TRAX light rail stations and a FrontRunner commuter train station. There are also several bus routes connecting Draper to nearby towns.

The Utah State Prison used to be in Draper from 1951 to 2022. It was near a place called Point of the Mountain. The prison was moved to a new facility.

Draper is home to some big companies. These include 1-800 Contacts and a large eBay office.

History of Draper

Early Settlers and Naming

In 1849, a man named Ebenezer Brown brought his cattle to graze near South Willow Creek. The next spring, he moved there with his wife, Phebe Draper Palmer Brown, and their families. They settled in an area the Native Americans called Sivogah, meaning "Willows."

By the end of 1850, many people living there were part of the Draper family. Phebe's brother, William Draper Jr., was an important leader. Because so many Drapers lived there, the area was later named after William Draper Jr.

At first, the settlement was called South Willow Creek. By 1852, about 20 families lived along the creek. In 1854, the first post office opened. It was called Draperville, honoring William Draper Jr. Later, the name was shortened to Draper.

Life in Early Draper

The early settlers mainly farmed. Ebenezer Brown raised and sold cattle to people traveling to California for gold. This route became known as the Mormon Road.

In 1854, there were worries about conflicts with Native Americans. A fort was started for settlers to live in during winters. However, the fort was never finished because the conflicts did not happen. Today, the Draper Historic Park is located where the fort once stood.

The "Egg Basket" Era

In the 1940s, Draper became famous as the "Egg Basket of Utah." Many eggs were produced here and sold all over the country. During World War II, Draper's poultry farms even supplied eggs to soldiers in the South Pacific. The poultry business was the most important industry in Draper at that time.

Growth and Incorporation

Draper was a small farming community for a long time. But in the late 1990s, its population started to grow very quickly. In 1990, about 7,257 people lived there. By 2018, it was estimated to be around 47,710 people. Draper officially became a city in 1978.

Geography and Climate

Corner Canyon, Draper

Where is Draper Located?

Draper City is in the southeast part of the Salt Lake Valley. It has the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Traverse Ridge Mountain to the south.

Draper is known for being a great place for outdoor activities like hang gliding and paragliding. This is because of the good wind conditions at the Point of the Mountain.

The city is roughly halfway between Salt Lake City and Provo. Draper shares borders with several other cities. These include Riverton, Bluffdale, South Jordan, Sandy, Alpine, Highland, and Lehi.

Draper covers a total area of about 29.96 square miles (77.61 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.

Draper's Weather

Jordan River Parkway, Draper

Draper's weather is similar to other cities near Salt Lake City. However, it can be a bit drier in winter and have more extreme temperatures. This is because it's further from the Great Salt Lake and has different elevations.

In winter, average temperatures are between 30°F and 50°F. In summer, they are usually between 80°F and 100°F. Spring is often mild and wet. Fall can sometimes have warm, dry weather, like an Indian summer.

In July and August, moisture from the south can bring afternoon thunderstorms. Snow usually falls regularly from November through March.

Population Information

Draper has grown a lot over the years. In 1980, about 5,521 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 51,017.

Here is some information from the 2010 Census:

Economy and Jobs

The headquarters of 1-800 Contacts in Draper, Utah.

Draper is home to many businesses, especially in technology. Some of the companies located here include PGP Corporation, Musician's Friend, Control4, HealthEquity, and Pluralsight.

Utah's first IKEA store opened in Draper in 2007. The main office for Synchrony Bank is also in Draper. A regional office for Goldman Sachs is located nearby.

Major Employers in Draper

Here are some of the top employers in Draper:

Local News and Information

Draper has its own local newspaper called the Draper City Journal. It covers local government, schools, sports, and other community news. It is delivered to homes every month.

The city also publishes a newsletter called "Draper Forward" every two months. This newsletter is mailed to all residents.

For television, Draper is part of the Salt Lake City TV market. This means it is covered by major TV stations like KSL, FOX13, KUTV, and KTVX.

Education in Draper

The schools in Draper are part of two different school districts.

• The part of Draper in Salt Lake County is in the Canyons School District.
• The part of Draper in Utah County is in the Alpine School District.

Notable People from Draper

Many interesting people have connections to Draper. Here are a few:

• Dia Frampton (born 1987), a singer-songwriter.
• Ken Garff (1906–1997), a well-known businessman.
• Cody Larsen, an American football player.
• Tyler Larsen, an American football player.
• Andy Phillips (born 1989), a football placekicker.
• Lauritz Smith (1830–1924), a Mormon leader and one of Draper's founders.
• Kealia Ohai Watt (born 1992), a soccer player.
• Zach Wilson (born 1999), an American football quarterback.

See also

In Spanish: Draper para niños