Draper’s history stretches back to the fall of 1849, when Ebenezer Brown, the son of Scottish immigrants, drove his cattle to graze the tall grass fed by mountain streams in the area then known as South Willow Creek. The following spring, Ebenezer brought his family to settle the land, raising cattle to sell to immigrants heading to California’s gold fields. In 1850, Ebenezer’s wife Phebe invited her brother, William Draper Jr., to join in farming the area. By 1854 the settlement had grown enough to establish its first post office, and the town was formally named Draperville in William Draper Jr.’s honor. Porter Rockwell, the legendary pioneer and bodyguard to Brigham Young, was a well-known figure in early Draperville.

From those pioneer beginnings, Draper has grown into one of Utah’s most desirable cities. Today Draper is home to more than 51,500 residents and spans over 30 square miles at the southern end of the Salt Lake Valley. It consistently ranks among Utah’s fastest-growing cities, driven by its proximity to both Salt Lake City and Utah County, outstanding public schools, and a booming tech and business corridor that has attracted major employers to the area.