Help tell the story of Cottonwood Heights!

Cottonwood Heights' unique historical heritage is one of our city’s most important assets. From the early settlers who founded Union in 1849 to the emergence of the settlements of Butler Bench, Poverty Flats, and Danish Town, our city’s history is one of industrious people making life work in one of the most scenic and, early on, remote areas of the Salt Lake Valley.

Cottonwood Heights is one of Utah's newest cities. Let's look back at our historical beginnings for the area’s growth, city’s creation, and accomplishments.

 Historic Beginnings

In 1849, eight families were sent to settle what would become Union. According to A Union, Utah, History by Steven K. Madsen, “Jehu Cox, the first settler of Union, donated ten acres of his farming land for the establishment of [a] fort.”

“By 1854, a total of 23 homes had been built inside the fort – the population stood at 273,” Madsen continued. The population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 484 in 1880, 602 in 1890, and 757 in 1900. Between 1848 and 1872, other settlements included Butler Bench, Poverty Flats, and Danish Town.

What was once Union is now parts of Cottonwood Heights, Midvale, and Sandy. Within the Cottonwood Heights area, Butler and Union Precincts (a basic form of county government) established in 1877, as did Butler School District 57 and Union School District 23. The Unified Jordan School District would not be created until 1905. Industries included the Deseret News’ Cottonwood Paper Mill, sand and gravel pits, mining, and poultry, fur, fruit, and agricultural farming.

Rural Growth to Suburban Sprawl

After World War II, the demand for housing began replacing farming and ranching in the area. In 1953-55, the first subdivisions — Greenfield Village, Cottonwood Ridge (Virginia Hills Drive), and Steffensen Heights — were built.

The area’s population soared to 5,000. The next two decades saw more subdivisions and population increases. Butler Middle School and Brighton High School were built. The Whitmore Branch Library was built in 1974 on land donated by Rich Whitmore, and the children’s room added three years later.

Creation of a New City

Prior to becoming a city, the area was represented by the Cottonwood Heights Community Council, which had been established in 1952. By the late 1990s, citizens began petitions to become its own city instead of being part of unincorporated Salt Lake County.

Citizens voted for the form of city government, city name, and city logo. Citizen-driven committees helped to get the city up and running by looking for space to lease for city offices, searching for a city manager, and presenting those and other options to the newly-elected mayor and city council.  Finally, on January 14, 2005, Cottonwood Heights incorporated. The first elected officials included Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore and Councilmen Gordon Thomas, Scott Bracken, Don Antczak, and Bruce T. Jones.