Layton History

From Kaysville farmland to Davis County’s largest city

Layton began around 1850 as farmland on the north edge of Kaysville and took its name from LDS leader Christopher Layton. Independence didn’t come easily: Layton farmers fought Kaysville’s taxes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — and won (Linford v. Ellison, 1894). Layton became independent in 1902, incorporated as a town in 1920, and is now the largest city in Davis County.

Worth Knowing

  • A Supreme Court origin story — few Utah cities owe their existence to a federal court case
  • Hill Air Force Base next door drove explosive postwar growth
  • The Vietnam Memorial Wall replica — a permanent half-scale replica stands in Layton Commons Park

More: Utah History Encyclopedia — Layton.

Explore more: Layton City Guide • Davis County Trails • Events Calendar • Get the Monthly Roundup