Draper, Utah


Draper is a city in Salt Lake and Utah counties in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 42,274, having grown from 7,143 in 1990. The current population is estimated to be approximately 48,587.
Draper is part of two metropolitan areas - the Salt Lake County portion is included in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, while the Utah County portion is part of the Provo-Orem metropolitan area.
The Utah State Prison is located in Draper, near Point of the Mountain, alongside Interstate 15. The execution of Gary Gilmore took place there on January 17, 1977. The Utah Legislature voted to relocate the state prison in Draper in 2014 and approved the Salt Lake City location recommended by the prison relocation commission in August 2015. The Draper Prison will be closing in 2021. The new prison facility in Salt Lake City is slated for completion in late 2020, with inmates moving from the Utah State Prison in Draper in 2021.
Draper has two UTA TRAX stations as well as one on the border with Sandy. A Frontrunner Commuter station serves the city's west side. The city has around 5 FLEX bus routes connecting neighboring communities and 2 bus routes to Lehi Frontrunner Station and River/Herriman connecting at Draper Town Center and the Draper Frontrunner Stations respectively.
The city is home of 1-800 Contacts and a large eBay campus.

History

In the fall of 1849, Ebenezer Brown brought cattle to graze along the mountain stream of South Willow Creek. The next spring, Ebenezer moved with his wife Phebe and their family to settle in Sivogah, the Indian name for the area which means "Willows." By the end of 1850, residents of the small settlement consisted of Ebenzer Brown and his three children, Phebe Draper Palmer Brown, and her two children, and Phebe's brother, William Draper, Jr. and his large family numbering about fifteen. Consequently, by the end of the settlement's first year, the majority of residents were members of the Draper Family, and William Draper, Jr. was soon called to be the presiding elder for the Church in the area. During this time, the Drapers mainly farmed, and Ebenezer Brown ranched and sold cattle to immigrants heading to the gold fields of California along what became the Mormon Road. More settlers moved to Draper in the next few years. Later the area was called South Willow Creek. By 1852, 20 families lived along the creek. In 1854, the first post office was established with the name Draperville in recognition of William Draper, Jr. and its other Draper residents. The name of the town in later years was shortened to Draper.
Hostilities with the Native Americans began in 1854, and a fort was established where the local settlers lived, during the winters of 1855 and 1856. The fort was never completed, as the feared hostilities did not materialize, and its former location is now the site of the Draper Historical Park and the aptly-named Fort Street.
In the 1940s, Draper was known as the "Egg Basket of Utah." Eggs produced in Draper were marketed from coast to coast and the co-op furnished eggs for the military troops in the South Pacific during WWII. The poultry business was the single most important economic industry in Draper during this time. One large poultry farm was the Washburn Poultry Farm run by Bruce D. Washburn with over 10,000 chickens during the 1950s.
Draper remained a small farming community until the late 1990s, when its population began growing exponentially from 7,257 in 1990 to an estimated 47,710 in 2018.
Draper was incorporated as a city in 1978.

Geography

Draper City is nestled in the far southeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley, with the Wasatch Mountain Range on the East and the Traverse Ridge Mountain on the south. At the Point of the Mountain, Draper is known for one of the most popular and best wind areas in the country for hang gliding and paragliding.
Draper lies roughly midway between Salt Lake City and Provo. Draper is bordered by Riverton and Bluffdale to the west, South Jordan to the northwest, Sandy to the north, Alpine to the southeast, Highland to the south, and Lehi to the southwest.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and, or 0.05%, is water.

Climate

Draper's climate is roughly identical to that of other Salt Lake City suburbs. However, due to being further away from the Great Salt Lake, varied elevation, and from the downtown urban heat island effect, Draper experiences a slightly drier winter, and more extremes in temperatures.
The average temperatures in winter and summer respectively are 30 °F to 50 °F, and 80 °F to 100 °F. Springs are usually mild and wet, while fall can sometimes become an Indian summer with drier weather. Monsoonal moisture from the south usually brings afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. Draper falls on the border of the humid continental/subtropical climatic zones, and is technically a cool/warm semi-arid desert environment, but with summer monsoonal moisture. Snow usually falls regularly from November through March.

Demographics

Historical population figures for Draper City are:
1980 - 5,521;
1990 - 7,257;
2000 - 25,220;
2010 - 42,274;
2019 - estimated at 48,587
2010 Census Information
Population: 42,272
Median Age: 30.7 years
Mean Household Income: $120,088.
Median Household Income: $94,852
Estimated Average Household Size: 3.38 persons
Total Households: 12,287
Owner Occupied: 9,708
Renter Occupied: 2,579
Median Home Price: $434,450
Median Rental Rate: $1,156

Economy

Draper is home to the tech call center of PGP Corporation, the call center of Musician's Friend, and the headquarters of 1-800 Contacts, Control4, and HealthEquity. Draper is also home to Utah's first IKEA, which opened in 2007.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/mormons constructed a temple in Draper that was dedicated on March 20, 2009.

Top employers

According to the City's Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 8, the top employers in the city are:
#Employer# of Employees
1Utah State Prison1,000-1,999
21-800 Contacts500-999
3EMC Corporation500-999
4Coca-Cola500-999
5City of Draper250-499

Local media

Newspapers, Magazines, and Newsletter
The Draper City Journal, a tabloid style newspaper covering local government, schools, sports, and features. Delivered to homes directly monthly by mail.
The Draper Families Magazine, published monthly, features special interest stories about the people who make Draper City their home.
Draper City publishes a bi-monthly city newsletter entitled "The Draper Forward." This publication is mailed to all of the residents in Draper City.
Television
Draper is part of the Salt Lake City DMA and is covered by KSL, FOX13, KUTV, KTVX.

Notable people