In 2005, Cottonwood Heights took its first steps as an incorporated city. Today, our community stands tall as an example of civic pride and fiscal responsibility.

The tale of Cottonwood Heights began in the early days after Mormon pioneers came to the area to sow their crops and live their lives. Famous families like the Butlers and McGees arrived in this area to homestead and provide lumber for the growing population in Salt Lake. By the 1860s logs were brought out of the canyon for homebuilders and the railroad, while granite blocks were chiseled out of Little Cottonwood Canyon to supply stone for the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Conversely, shipments were also going up the canyon, bringing food and supplies to workers and their families living in the growing towns of Alta and Mineral Basin.

The original settlement was called Butlerville, named after one of the prominent families who settled the area.

Over the next century, Butlerville grew and progressed until it started to take shape as the city we know today, helping with some of the most important changes that took place in the valley.

Our modern legacy began to take shape in the early 2000s, when it became clear citizens wanted to take the reigns of their community and chart their own course. Local leaders began to see that incorporation would bring enormous advantages to residents. That drive reached a fever pitch in 2004 when residents voted to become the newest city in the Salt Lake Valley. Cottonwood Heights became on official city on January 14, 2005, amid pomp, circumstance, and excitement for the future.

In the years since, the legacy of Cottonwood Heights has surpassed the imagination of even the most optimistic founder.

A new police force, fire services, and business centers have all been established and improved since incorporation. A new urban trail system was planned in the early days of the city and has since been completed, linking with other trails across the valley. Well-known corporations have established their headquarters between the canyons in what has become one of the most business-friendly environments in the western United States.

Another major milestone took place in 2009 with the creation of the Canyons School District, an act that mirrored the same self-determining drive that led to Cottonwood Height's incorporation in 2005 years ago. The new school district gave citizens more power over how their schools were run and the ability to use taxpayer dollars effectively way to help students excel.

Today our population is 34,238. The city has received numerous local/national awards and recognitions including several Best of State and financial awards. In 2011, Cottonwood Heights was an All-American City finalist. We created our own police department in 2008 and became the first city in Utah to privatize our Public Works by using Terracare Associates. In January 2013, John Park became our new City Manager. in 2018 Cottonwood Heights completed a beautiful new City Hall on the northwest corner of Bengal Blvd. and 2300 East.

Under the guidance of our elected officials and city staff, we are among the most progressive cities in Utah with our vote-by-mail; financial oversight (we have never raised our taxes); viable home to corporations and small businesses; and according to Money Magazine in 2007, #100 of its Best Places to Live list for a small city.

But as bright as the past has been, the future looks even more impressive. We look ahead to how the future will help change and evolve our lives here, while paying homage to those who came before. We're a part of a rich tapestry that began on pioneer wagons and now points to new horizons not yet imagined. Whatever they are, we face them together as one community.