History of the City of North Salt Lake
75 Years of North Salt Lake
2021 Marked the 75th Anniversary of the City of North Salt Lake! Historical information was updated (and continues to be), and events were planned throughout the year to celebrate this historical milestone!
50-Year Jubilee Edition
A history of the City of North Salt Lake was compiled and published in 1996, by then-City Historian Susan Day.
Some copies of this booklet are available at City Hall:
10 E Center St.
North Salt Lake, UT 84054
Since the publication of the Jubilee Edition in 1996, technological advances have led to the widespread scanning and publishing of photographs, diaries and other personal histories. With this new technology, we hope to bring even more insight into the history of this area, now known as the City of North Salt Lake.
We will include excerpts from the Jubilee Edition along with other information obtained from the internet. If anyone has personal histories, photographs, artifacts, or research material, related to the area we would sure love to be able to share this information on the website or in the up and coming South Davis History Center (Museum).
We would like to acknowledge all the hard work that has taken place in the past in researching and publishing the history of the City of North Salt Lake. We will continue to meet as a history committee. If you have any interest in helping with research, presentation or publishing this history, please contact City Council Member Stan Porter.
General History
Contributed by Susan B. Day
In 1930 most local residences and businesses were located below Highway 89/91. About sixty-five homes were on the hillside above. The main source of water was the natural springs that flowed out of the hillside. The area below the highway received water from the privately owned McDuff and McNeil springs located on the hills south on the Salt Lake-Davis County border.
In 1946 a developer purchased land on the hillside to build homes. In order to obtain water for his homes he made a purchase agreement with the owners of the McDuff and McNeil springs. This concerned the landowners below the highway since they were not allowed any additional water from the springs. Because of this concern, some of the citizens formed a committee to draw up a petition to form a town in order that control of the water system could be instigated.
On 3 September 1946 the Davis County Commission granted the area then designated, which was about 456 acres, status as an incorporated town. Chairman Amasa Howard of the county commission appointed Harold R. Howard, Jack Cummings, Alton Boggess, Harold T. Johnson, and David S Betts as the town board.
North Salt Lake took its name from the name of the small post office at the railroad tracks. The old Utah Highway Patrol weigh station was purchased and used as the first town hall. There was only one political party at that time, the North Salt Lake Citizens Party. In 1949 the first election was held, selecting Ray Hatch as mayor of the town.
In 1958 a new municipal building was built on the corner of Main Street and Center Street. This building also housed a fire department for the town.
See: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, East of Antelope Island (1969).
History By Topic
Because of the prior history in the Jubilee edition, landmarks that remain today, and the photographs and personal histories available, the following topics are some of our favorite. As time and volunteers permit, we would like to dedicate a webpage to each of these topics, and of course, we are always interested in adding more topics and correcting information, as this is a work in progress.
Bamberger Train (station, yard, trains)
Beck’s Hot Spring
Bountiful Dairy
Business of the City
Cudahy Packing Plant
Historic Maps and aerials
History of the forming of the city and governance
Landmarks
Cleverly Crossing 1913
Cudahy Crossing (Center Street and Denver and Rio Grande)
Parks and Recreation
Pickle Factory
Pioneer Homes
Police History
Post Office
Salt Lake Stock Yards … Union Stock Yards
St. Joseph’s Road House
Utah Light and Traction Company
Water Rights and Usage
