Tooele City, Utah

3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 UTAH WELCOMING TRANSFORMATION T he site of today’s Tooele City, Utah was originally the traditional territory of the Goshute Shoshone people, who had lived on the land for many years prior to settlement. It was 1849, when three Mormon pioneer families set up homesteads in the area, leading to the migration of more settlers and the incorporation as a city in 1853. Through the 19th century, Tooele was a successful agricultural community, and many of its founding families have descendants who are still part of the city now. With the introduction of railroads, the community grew to a population of 5,000 by 1930 – bringing much diversity to the area. World War II brought change to the city once again, when military bases became part of the Tooele landscape. In 1942, Tooele became home to the 25,000-acre Tooele Ordnance Depot, acting as storage for weapons and other supplies. Now a community of close to 36,000, Tooele City is undergoing another transformation with the advent of new industry, housing, and opportunities, while preserving