History of Orem

There is great value in knowing the history of the places that you live. So often people move to a city and never take the time to find out who it was named after or when it was founded. Our research of and reverence for these histories helps us become better citizens wherever we live. Understanding the past often helps us understand the present better. We can also be benefitted by understanding the great sacrifices that were often made in the early days of a community.

Have you ever noticed a surname sculpted into the architecture of an old building. Who was the building named after? Who owned the building? Who built it? There is a wealth of information waiting for you out there. Learning the history of your community will help you feel more connected to it.

Have you ever thought about the person that built the house that you live in now? Have you considered what buildings stood there prior? Perhaps it was at one time a farm. Who owned it? What did they grow?

The Orem Public Library houses numerous resources about the history of Orem. Here are a few examples:

1. It happened in Orem : a bicentennial history of Orem, Utah by Orem Bicentennial History Committee


2. Sagebrush to steel : an Orem centennial history, 1861-1961 by Clyde E. Weeks


3. Early Orem homesteader's profiles, 1870-1900 by Reba Bowen


4. Tour of historic sites in the City of Orem (pamphlet)

This last resource moved me to search for an online tour. I found this Historical Sites Tour on the orem.org website. Great! I'm planning my tour already. I'll take my camera and post pictures but it would be much more valuable to take your kids and go visit a site or two yourselves each month.

Here are a few other resources I've found online:

• Orem Heritage Museum
• History of Orem Orchards
• Utah History Encyclopedia on Orem

By the way, Orem was incorporated in 1919 and named after Walter C. Orem.