The city of West Jordan, Utah is an expanding suburb of Salt Lake City. It has a population nearing 103,500 inhabitants and is considered the states 4th largest city. West Jordan is situated at an elevation of 4,330 feet on the southwest end of the Salt Lake Valley. The city of West Jordan was named after the Jordan River, which run close by. The city's limits stretch from the river's western bank and to the eastern foothills of the Oquirrh Mountains. The Kennecott Copper Mine, which is the world's largest man-made excavation, is where West Jordan ends.
Brigham Young led his group of Mormon settlers to Salt Lake Valley in the year 1847. They discovered that the western desert in the state of Utah bore several similarities to the biblical lands and named the river after the Jordan River, which is situated in Palestine. During roughly the year 1849 the city of West Jordan was established officially. Soon after, during 1850, the saw mill industry began. The mills, together with agriculture and mining, drove the economy during these early stages. West Jordan was amongst the very first cities to establish a leather tannery west of the Mississippi River. Moreover, it was also one of the very first sites for the earliest air flights to the west. Utah was amongst the main producers for sugar beet within the country. Ever since the 1970's, the city of West Jordan has experienced rapid development.
Amongst the most popular tourist spots within the city of West Jordan is Gardner Village. It is a quaint little area with several specialty shops lining the streets. The shops are located in historic mills and houses, and there is even an old train station which has been converted into a candy store. There is also a day spa and a petting zoo. There are several other attractions within the region, including Gardner Museum, which features numerous historic buildings. Others comprise Historic Sugar Factory, Kennecott's Bingham Copper Mine and Rock Meeting House. The city of Salt Lake is home to the historic Temple Square.
Skiers from all around the world flock to the nearby resorts of Brighton, Alta, Snowbird and Solitude to experience the famous Utah powder. Another famous tourist spot is Great Salt Lake. For people who are really interested in the local wildlife, Antelope Island State Park offers a fantastic chance to watch them in their natural environment. Utah Lake State Park offers some recreational activities, including fishing.
The downtown core of West Jordan is now undergoing a revitalization, with an expressed purpose of being more transit-orientated. The new name for the area would be "Briarwood." The proposed plan suggests the Main park be expanded, a history museum, indoor recreation center, and a senior center be developed, and a huge courthouse built which would serve the entire Utah State Third District. It also suggests that the run-down commercial area be demolished and replaced by housing, a performing arts center, a hotel, a big library, a conference center, retail and office space, an education center, and a pavilion which will be the location of the planned light rail station.