Farmington History

Settled 1847 • County seat • Home of Lagoon

Farmington began in 1847 when Hector C. Haight drove his cattle north from Salt Lake and built a log cabin near the creeks coming off the Wasatch. First called North Cottonwood, the settlement was renamed Farmington and incorporated in December 1892 with about 1,180 residents.

Three Things That Made Farmington

  • The county seat. Farmington has been the seat of Davis County government from the county’s earliest days — the historic courthouse still anchors Main Street.
  • Lagoon. Simon Bamberger brought his resort to Farmington in 1896 along his railroad line; it grew into Utah’s largest amusement park and remains the city’s biggest draw.
  • Rock houses. Many of Farmington’s historic homes were built from local stone — the city’s Historic Preservation Commission and the Farmington Historical Museum keep that story alive.

Read the city’s full account on the official history page.

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