A nickname whispers through Utah. Taylorsville is known as Utah’s Centennial City. The city officially came into existence 100 years after Utah became a state in 1996. Taylorsville history stretches back much further.
Originally, Taylorsville was made up of the historic communities of Bennion, Taylorsville, and Kearns. The Ute Indians were the original settlers of the area. Mormon pioneer settlers arrived in November 1848. Joseph and Susanna Harker built a log cabin on the west side of the Jordan River. Their cabin was near 3300 South.
In 1849, Samuel and John Bennion and other families moved south. They crossed the river on the ice in January. Building materials were scarce. The families dug into the bluffs of the Jordan River for shelter. The settlement was called Harker’s Settlement. They began digging ditches to move water from the Jordan River onto the land. The soil was hard to work.
Crickets destroyed much of that year’s crop. The group moved south to where Big Cottonwood Creek flowed into the Jordan River. It was near 4800 South and known as Field’s Bottom. Eight families brought in the first successful crop in 1851. They used water from Bingham Creek. It was later called Gardner’s Millrace.
John and Esther Bennion’s daughter, Rachael, was the first pioneer child born in Field’s Bottom. John Bennion described Field’s Bottom as a place where peace dwells. He said it had the happiest and most prosperous people in the world. They enjoyed free soil, pure air and liberty.
By 1860, Harker’s Settlement had 178 residents. The first post office was established with the name Taylorsville. Elizabeth Harker’s home was used for the first school classes.
In the 1880s, LDS Church president John Taylor hid from officers. He stayed at a home on the west side of the Jordan River near 4800 South. Taylorsville might be named in his honor.
Two railroads were important to Taylorsville. The Rio Grande and Western to Bingham Junction. The Bingham-Garfield Railroad was added through the area in 1910. In 1915, the first water system was built by private subscription.
During World War II, 75 men from Taylorsville served. Two lost their lives overseas. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the US Army Air Corps wanted a training base. The War Department bought 5,000 acres of dry farmland in the western Salt Lake Valley. Camp Kearns opened in 1942. It was named for Senator Thomas Kearns.
A year later, Camp Kearns had 40,000 residents. It was Utah’s third-largest city. It served as a basic training facility for troops headed to the war against Japan. Camp Kearns included a 600 target practice range. It was the largest in the US. The camp had a difficult mile-long obstacle course and a grenade practice ground. The motor pool hired over 80 local women just to drive trucks. About 1,200 civilians worked at the base.
In 1995, voters approved the creation of Taylorsville. People felt the county was not giving residents their money’s worth. The city was incorporated in 1996. Several names were considered. Eventually, Taylorsville was chosen.
Today, Taylorsville is a thriving city. It has a mix of older housing, new homes, and rental projects. There are many small ethnic grocery stores and restaurants. Taylorsville offers a rich tapestry of history and community spirit.