About Our amazing History

Celebrating the Heart and History of West Valley City
(formerly Granger, Hunter, and Chesterfield, Utah)

Wide open spaces once stretched in every direction, with irrigation ditches running alongside rows of wild asparagus. Crickets chirped in the summer air, and the lowing of cows carried from a neighbor’s farm. We rode our bikes on dusty dirt tracks, always carrying a shovel to build the next epic jump. Baseball games filled the corner fields, coached by someone’s dad, and big wins were celebrated at the Burger Chalet after taking region.

On hot summer days, we climbed the towering rocket at Granger Park, then cooled off at the city pool with our Lifetime swim passes. Root beer floats at the Frostop and Prince Burgers were childhood staples—though the debate over who had the best root beer, Frostop or Ab’s, still continues. A quarter at the corner store bought a bag full of candy, and we were certain life couldn’t possibly get better.

We camped out in backyards, lulled to sleep by distant train whistles. Shopping trips took us to Market Street, where store clerks greeted us by name and everything we needed was just a few steps away. The Lion’s Club pancake breakfasts brought neighbors together, and buying a broom or a calendar meant supporting the building of a park for the kids of Granger.

Evenings were often spent helping raise a new place of worship, while weekends brought parades down 3500 South, where everyone waved, cheered, and belonged. We saw Dr. Wilson when we were sick, and the VanOrden Drug Bug delivered medicine right to our door. After the hunt, families took their deer to Hunsaker’s for cutting and wrapping, then stored the meat in Al Warr’s freezers.

We met friends at the Valley Vu or Redwood Drive-In, played pool at Plaza, skated at S&M, and bowled at Delton’s. Special nights out might be at the Oaken Bucket and see Karen Barton a gracious hostess or hear Mrs. Almond on the piano. Maybe your choice would be to go to Francesco’s, famous for its pizza and lasagna. We watched drag races on 3200 West, and sometimes caught a flight from the little airport on 2100 South. We thought it was the coolest thing that Kimbo taught at Granger High and secretly hoped to be picked for Romper Room or Fireman Frank’s show.

These moments—and countless others—are why we loved growing up in Granger, Hunter, and Chesterfield, and why we still cherish West Valley City today. This site is dedicated to preserving those memories and histories, so they will always be remembered and shared.