Place · United States
The history of Draper
Assembled from 2 dug tiles · 14 sourced records · 1856–2021 · last reviewed 15 September 2026
East Longbranch Drive in Draper, Utah, traces a single suburban lot from farmland to subdivision to family home, set a mile and a half south of the Draper Utah Temple, dedicated in 2009, which gave this end of the valley its only landmark name.
These are the individual spots Strata has dug in Draper — not a guide to the town, but a record of what happened on particular ground.
Digs in Draper
A house on a quiet Draper streetLongbranch Drive sits on ground that no record shows anyone ever fought over, buried anyone in, or built a landmark on. Longbranch Court
2000–2021 A temple gave a nameless corner its only name
Longbranch Drive sits on ground with no story of its own, a mile and a half south of the reason the whole area is called Draper. Longbranch Drive
1856–2009
Draper in layers
1856
Roughly 4.3 miles west, Porter Rockwell founded the Hot Springs Hotel and Brewery in 1856, a Pony Express station, inn, and brewery at the Point of the Mountain. Wikipedia
1870
About 3.7 miles north, the Perry and Agnes Wadsworth Fitzgerald House was built in 1870 as the home of Fitzgerald's third polygamous wife, Agnes, who raised thirteen children there. Wikipedia
November 17, 2000
This parcel became lot 252 of the Oak Vista #04 At Suncrest subdivision when it was platted on November 17, 2000. Utah County Land Records
2001
Traverse Ranch LLC quit-claimed the property to DAE/Westbrook LLC in 2001, moving the raw land toward development. Utah County Land Records
June 3, 2003
DAE/Westbrook LLC conveyed the parcel to national homebuilder Centex Homes by special warranty deed on June 3, 2003. Utah County Land Records
June 3, 2003
The same day, DAE/Westbrook LLC also deeded the lot to Gold Medallion Custom Homes LC, which built the house that now stands there. Utah County Land Records
2004
The single-family home at East Longbranch Drive was built in 2004 on land freshly carved from ranchland for the Oak Vista subdivision. Utah County Land Records
July 22, 2004
Gold Medallion Custom Homes LC sold the newly built residence to a private buyer by warranty deed on July 22, 1804... 2004. Utah County Land Records
July 26, 2004
A private buyer signed trust deeds with Countrywide Home Loans Inc. four days after buying the house, financing the purchase. Utah County Land Records
2009
A mile and a half north stands the Draper Utah Temple, the 129th temple built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated in 2009. FamilySearch
September 23, 2013
A private buyer sold the property to a private buyer by warranty deed in September 2013. Utah County Land Records
May 26, 2017
A private buyer conveyed the house to a private buyer by warranty deed in May 2017. Utah County Land Records
March 29, 2019
A private buyer sold the property to a private buyer by warranty deed in March 2019. Utah County Land Records
September 27, 2021
A private buyer conveyed the house to a private buyer by warranty deed on September 27, 2021. Utah County Land Records
Questions about Draper
When was the house at East Longbranch Drive built?
The house was built in 2004 on a lot platted in 2000 as part of the Oak Vista #04 At Suncrest subdivision, land carved from valley farmland during Draper's later twentieth-century suburban growth.
Who developed the land before the house was built?
Traverse Ranch LLC handed the land to a developer in 2001. The lot passed to Centex Homes on June 3, 2003, and Gold Medallion Custom Homes took over the build the same day.
Who has owned the house since it was built?
A private buyer bought the finished house on July 22, 2004, financing it four days later. Ownership changed in 2013, then passed to a private buyer in 2017, a private buyer in 2019, and the owners in 2021.
What gave the Draper area its older name?
Porter Rockwell's 1856 Pony Express stop and brewery, four miles west of Longbranch Drive, gave the mountain pass its older name before the area became known as Draper.