Draper
Draper is a city rich in pioneer heritage and colorful character. In the fall of 1849, Ebenezer Brown, the son of Scottish immigrants, brought his cattle to graze the tall grass fed by mountain streams in the unsettled area known as South Willow Creek. The following spring, Ebenezer brought his wife Phoebe and their large family. Together they raised and fattened cattle to sell to immigrants heading to the gold fields of California.
The area grew rapidly and by the end of 1852, twenty families called South Willow Creek home. In 1854, the first post office was established with Phoebe Brown tending the office. The town was named Draperville in honor of William Draper III, who was also the first Presiding Elder of the small Mormon congregation in town.
Trouble with the Natives broke out in 1854, and Ebenezer donated land at approximately 12650 South 900 East as a fort site. There the settlers lived, mostly at night, during the winters of 1855 and 1856. Thick walls were begun but never completed as the feared hostilities did not become a reality. The recently completed Draper Historical park now graces the site of the old fort.