Building Community: How WWII Transformed Hunter-Granger into West Valley City
From Farmland to Flourishing Subdivisions: Hunter-Granger’s Postwar Boom, 1942–1958
The impact of World War II rippled far beyond the battlefield, transforming even quiet rural corners of the Salt Lake Valley. Hunter-Granger, once a sleepy farming community west of the Jordan River, experienced rapid and lasting change between 1942 and 1958 as military expansion and economic growth reshaped its landscape.
Wartime Growth Sparks Housing Demand
With military operations moving inland from the West Coast, Salt Lake City’s Fort Douglas became a hub, drawing over 50,000 military personnel and 13,000 defense-related jobs. The opening of Kearns Army Base, just two miles south of Granger, fueled a booming demand for housing. This sudden population influx turned Hunter-Granger from farmland into a burgeoning suburb virtually overnight.
Estel L. Wright: Pioneer Developer
Visionary local investor Estel L. Wright recognized the opportunity. After purchasing a large farm at 3500 South and 2700 West in 1938, Wright built Granger’s first housing development in 1942 — six small frame homes near 3200 West and 3700 South. Despite early challenges including changing county regulations, poor drainage, and a scarcity of lending, Wright’s determination paid off. His leadership helped convince local banks that the west side of the Jordan River was a solid investment, shattering long-held stigmas about the area.
Infrastructure Breakthroughs: Water and Sewage
A key milestone came in 1950 with the formation of the Granger-Hunter Improvement District, aimed at solving critical culinary water and sewage problems. Spearheaded by Wright as chairman, a bond passed in 1953 funded the drilling of deep wells and the installation of over 31 miles of pipeline. This infrastructure paved the way for rapid residential growth.
Explosive Subdivision Expansion
Between 1948 and 1962, the number of subdivisions mushroomed from just one to seventy-seven. Affordable land and homes attracted a growing working-class population, many connected to local industrial complexes. Along 3500 South, a commercial corridor emerged, featuring early grocery stores like Harmon's (1950) and Albertson's Shopping Center (1956), medical offices, and Wright Realty, Granger’s first real estate company founded in 1954.
Community and Civic Development
The postwar boom wasn’t just about homes and businesses. Civic pride grew alongside the population. The Lion’s Club established a city park in 1951 at 3500 South and 3600 West, and the Winder family opened Valley View Memorial Park cemetery in 1954, cementing the community’s roots.
Legacy and Growth
Hunter and Granger remained unincorporated parts of Salt Lake County until 1980, when a close vote incorporated them as West Valley City — a name now synonymous with one of Utah’s fastest-growing urban centers. The legacy of the postwar subdivision boom lives on, with 3500 South still a vital artery for commerce and transportation, and the west side of the Jordan River continuing its steady expansion.
WWII caused a major population and job influx to Salt Lake Valley, especially military personnel and defense jobs.
Kearns Army Base opened 2 miles south of Granger, increasing local housing demand.
Estel L. Wright purchased farmland in 1938 and developed Granger’s first housing subdivision in 1942.
Early challenges included building regulations, poor drainage, and difficulty securing loans due to west Jordan River stigma.
Wright helped convince lenders to invest in Hunter-Granger land.
Granger-Hunter Improvement District formed in 1950 to provide culinary water and sewage systems.
1953 bond election funded deep wells and 31 miles of water pipeline.
Explosive growth from 1 subdivision in 1948 to 77 by 1962.
Affordable land attracted industrial workers; many rental homes were built.
Commercial growth along 3500 South included Harmon's Grocery (1950), Albertson's Shopping Center (1956), and Wright Realty (1954).
Civic improvements included Lion’s Club city park (1951) and Valley View Memorial Park cemetery (1954).
Hunter and Granger remained unincorporated until 1980, when they became West Valley City.
3500 South remains a major corridor for business and transportation
Postwar Boom: How Hunter and Granger Grew After WWII
After World War II, the Hunter and Granger area experienced explosive growth that forever changed its quiet rural landscape. Farmland that once stretched for acres began to give way to subdivisions as returning veterans and their families sought new homes. Between the late 1940s and early 1950s, more than 1,000 houses were built—many on streets that were newly laid out inside former farm sections, rather than just along the traditional section lines.
The earliest homes of this era were simple Minimal Traditional houses, practical and modest, bridging prewar architectural styles with the postwar boom. Soon after, the Early Ranch style took over, especially in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Many of these ranch houses were built of brick, which helped them stand the test of time, while those with original wood siding often found themselves covered with vinyl or aluminum as tastes and materials changed.
By the mid-1950s, small Ranch style homes dotted both new subdivisions and the older section-line roads like 3500 South and 4100 South. Some still stand today in good condition, showing the solid brick or concrete block construction common to the period—like the tidy example at 4758 W. 4100 South.
This building boom wasn’t just about houses. New schools—both an elementary and a high school—rose to serve the swelling population. Gas stations, grocery stores, and commercial strips sprang up along busy routes like 3500 South and Redwood Road. Community landmarks such as the Valley View Cemetery on 4100 South, the Redwood Drive-In on Redwood Road, and a new public park on 3600 West brought neighbors together and gave the area a sense of place.
One unique chapter of this postwar era was the relocation of houses from elsewhere. When nearby company towns like Garfield were dismantled and military bases like Kearns closed, homes were physically moved to the Hunter–Granger area—set down along roads like 3100 South, 3500 South, and 8400 West. Though many were later remodeled, they remain quiet reminders of how resourceful communities were in meeting the needs of a booming population.
Today, more than 200 buildings from this period still stand outside of the early subdivisions, with about half preserving their historic integrity. These homes and community buildings mark the transformation of Hunter and Granger from farmland into the thriving suburban neighborhoods we know today