Woods Cross History

Named for a railroad crossing on Daniel Wood’s farm

Woods Cross is literally named for a crossing: in 1869, early settler Daniel Wood donated the lower part of his farm for a railroad depot, and “Woods Crossing” eventually became the town’s name. The city incorporated in 1935 — organized, unusually, by the owners of a water company who pooled their Mill Creek water shares.

Worth Knowing

  • Daniel Wood was the area’s wealthiest man by 1855 and built its school (1854) and church (1863)
  • Born from a water company — the 1935 incorporation grew directly out of the Reservoir and Pipeline Company
  • The RAP tax — since 2009, a voter-approved recreation tax has funneled ~$4.9M into parks and trails

Source: Utah History Encyclopedia — Woods Cross.

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