Taylorsville, Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taylorsville, Utah
City
Location in Salt Lake County and the state of Utah.
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Salt Lake
Settled	1848
Incorporated	July 1, 1996
Named for	John Taylor
Area
• Total	10.85 sq mi (28.10 km2)
• Land	10.85 sq mi (28.10 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,295 ft (1,309 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	60,448
• Density	5,571.24/sq mi (2,151.17/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	84129, 84123
Area code(s)	385, 801
FIPS code	49-75360
GNIS feature ID	1433206
Website	http://www.taylorsvilleut.gov/

Taylorsville is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah. It is part of the larger Salt Lake City metropolitan area. In 2020, about 60,448 people lived here. Taylorsville officially became a city on July 1, 1996. It is located near major roads like Interstate 215 and Bangerter Highway. The city sits in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley.

History of Taylorsville

The area known as Taylorsville today includes two old communities: Taylorsville and Bennion. People voted to combine them into a city in September 1995. Over 70 percent of voters agreed. The city officially started in 1996, which was 100 years after Utah became a state.

The land here was shaped by ancient Lake Bonneville. This lake left behind clay and sand. As the lake dried up, salt remained, making the soil a bit salty. This kind of soil is hard to farm. A small hill called "Bennion Hill" rises above the area.

Long ago, people lived near what was left of Lake Bonneville. Evidence shows people hunted mammoths nearby. Later, Fremont people hunted and gathered food along the Jordan River. Ute groups also traveled through the valley. The area was mostly dry land covered in sagebrush. The Jordan River was the only natural water source.

Some records suggest Spanish explorers came through the area in the 1600s. This whole region was once called "Teguayo." Spanish and Mexican claims to the land lasted until 1853. That's when the Mexican War ended, and the land became part of the United States.

Early Pioneer Settlers

The first pioneer settlers arrived in November 1848. Joseph and Susanna Harker built a log cabin west of the Jordan River. In 1849, Samuel and John Bennion and other families moved south. They dug into the river bluffs for shelter. This small settlement was called Harker's Settlement.

The settlers worked hard to dig ditches. They wanted to bring water from the Jordan River to their farms. The soil was difficult to work. Crickets destroyed many crops in the early years. So, the group moved further south to an area called Field's Bottom.

By 1851, eight families worked together. They brought water from Bingham Creek. This helped them grow their first successful crop. Rachael, the daughter of John and Esther Bennion, was the first pioneer child born in Field's Bottom.

In 1852, Harker's Settlement became part of the West Jordan LDS Ward. Some families moved their old cabins across the river. They rebuilt them in the new settlement.

Building Forts for Safety

In 1853, there was a threat of attacks from Ute groups. This was called the "Walker War." Settlers had to build forts for safety. In 1854, they built an adobe fort called the English Fort. It was located north of the North Jordan Burying Ground. People nicknamed it "Fort Hardscrabble." About 30 families moved into the fort for winter. When the danger passed, families spread out again. Part of the fort became a school and meeting house.

Another fort, Hickman Fort, was built further south in Bennion. It was located on a bluff above the Jordan River. Between 1853 and 1857, the North Jordan Canal was built. This was the first important canal on the west side of the Jordan River.

By 1860, Harker's Settlement had 178 people. The first post office was named Taylorsville. Elizabeth Harker's home was used for the first school classes.

Growth and Development

In 1858, many settlers moved south because of the "Johnston's Army" threat. Most residents went to Spanish Fork. When the army passed through, they returned in July 1858. By 1859, the adobe fort was falling apart. A new log school was built on a hill at 4800 South.

In 1859, the West Jordan Ward covered all of Salt Lake County west of the Jordan River. John Bennion was the first president of the North Jordan branch. The first business in Taylorsville was a small store and a blacksmith's shop. In 1867, the log school was replaced by a rock and brick schoolhouse. It was called "the Rock Schoolhouse."

By 1876, the South Jordan Canal and North Jordan Canal were connected. This brought more land under farming. More families moved to the area. Most of them were farmers. John Bennion named the area just north of Taylorsville, Bennion. A small blue schoolhouse was built there.

In the 1880s, John Taylor, a church president, hid from officers in Taylorsville. The town's name might be linked to him. In 1881, the Utah and Salt Lake Canal was built. This helped farming expand even further west. Sawmills, gristmills, and a woolen mill were built.

In 1894, a new red brick schoolhouse was built. It was called the 64 District School. Later, its name changed to Madison School. People in Taylorsville and Bennion grew corn, wheat, oats, and alfalfa. Sugar beets became a big crop in the 1890s. Taylorsville and Bennion remained small farming towns.

A small business area grew at Redwood Road and 4800 South. The largest store was Lindsay and Company. In 1894, the Taylorsville LDS Meetinghouse was built. In 1905, Bennion became its own separate ward.

The Twentieth Century

In 1890, Utah passed its first law for compulsory education. This meant more children went to school. In 1904, many small school districts combined into the Granite School District. Schools were given names instead of numbers.

By 1905, Bennion had 600 people. It split from the Taylorsville LDS Ward. A new meetinghouse was built in Bennion in 1907. The old Plymouth Elementary School was built in Taylorsville. By 1907, older students from Bennion went to Plymouth School. Electricity came to Taylorsville in the early 1900s.

Two railroads became important for Taylorsville. The Rio Grande and Western went to Midvale. The Bingham-Garfield Railroad was added in 1910. In 1913, the electric Salt Lake Inter-Urban train line was built. It allowed people to travel to Salt Lake or Payson. In 1915, the first water system was built. Electricity came along Redwood Road in 1916.

By the 1920s, more canals were built for farms. Redwood Road was rebuilt with concrete. This made travel easier for cars, wagons, and horses. The road got its name from "Redwood stakes" used to mark property lines. In 1927, "Pole Line Road" (2700 West) was built.

World War II and Camp Kearns

During World War II, 75 men from Taylorsville served. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. Army Air Corps needed a training base. They bought 5,000 acres of farmland west of Taylorsville. This became Camp Kearns. It opened in 1942. The base was named after Senator Thomas Kearns.

A year later, Camp Kearns had 40,000 residents. It was Utah's third-largest city then. It had two main jobs. First, it trained new troops for the war against Japan. It had a large practice range and obstacle course. About 1,200 civilians worked there. Camp Kearns also had Utah's largest hospital.

Second, Camp Kearns trained ground crews for the Army Air Corps. This included schools for navigation, radio, and more. It was not an airport with planes flying. Instead, ground crews learned on planes placed around the base.

The base had five chapels, three stores, and three theaters. One theater was for African-American servicemen. The United Service Organizations brought entertainers to the base. Camp Kearns helped Taylorsville indirectly. A large water pipe brought water to the camp. After Camp Kearns closed, this water system helped new neighborhoods grow in Kearns.

Becoming a City

In the 1980s, the area around Redwood Road and 5400 South grew. It became a shopping center with stores like Walmart. Taylorsville, Bennion, and Kearns grew quickly in the early 1990s. Some people felt Salt Lake County was allowing too much growth. They wanted more control over their community.

In 1995, voters approved creating a new city. They felt county services were too expensive. They also wanted more say in how their area developed. Many Kearns residents were upset about the proposed city border. But people in that area voted to join Taylorsville.

After becoming a city, there was a discussion about the name. Names like Midvalley City and Centennial were considered. Finally, Taylorsville was chosen. Taylorsville's nickname is "Utah's Centennial City." This is because it became a city 100 years after Utah became a state.

How Taylorsville is Governed

Taylorsville is run by a city council, a mayor, and a judge. These groups handle the city's laws, daily operations, and legal matters.

• The Mayor is the city's leader. They are elected by all voters in the city.
• The City Council has five members. Each member represents a different part of the city. They help make laws and decisions for Taylorsville.
• The Presiding Judge oversees the city's court. They handle local legal cases.

The mayor and city council members are elected for four-year terms. Judges serve for six years. The city also has a city administrator. This person helps manage the city's daily business. Taylorsville contracts for some services, like garbage collection. But it has its own police and community development departments.

Geography

Taylorsville is located at 40°39′18″N 111°56′58″W / 40.65500°N 111.94944°W / 40.65500; -111.94944.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 10.85 square miles (28.10 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Population Information

In 2017, about 59,992 people lived in Taylorsville. Most residents were White (67.3% non-Hispanic). Other groups included Black (2.2%), Asian (4.9%), and Pacific Islander (1.4%). About 20.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2016, there were 60,436 people and 19,121 households. About 39% of households had children under 18. Most households (54.9%) were married couples. The average household had 2.96 people. The average family had 3.43 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 27.5% were under 18 years old.
• 11.1% were 18 to 24 years old.
• 28.7% were 25 to 44 years old.
• 23.7% were 45 to 64 years old.
• 9% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the city was 31 years.

The median income for a household in Taylorsville was $54,881. For a family, it was $62,023. About 12.8% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 22.1% of those under 18.

Notable People

• Johnny Anderson, a former state representative
• Adam S. Bennion, a church official
• Harden Bennion, a state senator and former Utah secretary of state
• Milton Bennion, an academic leader
• Samuel O. Bennion, a church official
• John Buck, a baseball player
• Kim Coleman, a former state representative
• James Dunnigan, a state representative
• Wayne Harper, a state legislator
• Richard P. Lindsay, a church official
• Aimee Winder Newton, a Salt Lake County Council member
• Ryne Sanborn, an ice hockey coach and former actor
• Beverly White, the longest-serving woman in the Utah State Legislature

See also

In Spanish: Taylorsville (Utah) para niños