Introduction to Sandy, Utah
Sandy is located in Salt Lake County. The eastern portion of the city is situated along the slopes of the Wasatch Range and the western portion is situated on the valley floor. Sandy is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The Jordan River is nearby. The popular Jordan Commons features numerous restaurants, entertainment venues and office buildings. The South Town Mall is another active location.
History
The Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone Indian tribes traversed through the area while migrating from Utah Lake to their summer home at Bear Lake. Beginning in the 1860s and throughout the 1870s the early pioneers arrived and established permanent settlements. Brigham Young named it Sandy City, due to the thirty soil. With the discovery of silver in Cottonwood Canyon, the city became a prominent supply base and soon included numerous hotels, brothels and saloons to serve the region's miners. Due to the thriving silver mining industry, Sandy became a major smelting location.
In 1873 the arrival of the railroad connected the town with Salt Lake City and trains became valuable assets for transporting ore and other goods. The mining industry's major decline during the 1890's led to an agricultural based economy. The Mormons pushed for the city to be incorporated in 1893 as part of a plan to remove the sleazy elements from the city. The transient males left the city and only a few saloons and hotels remained. Sandy had been transformed into a typical rural Utah community, where church, farming and family were the important factors of life.
Activities
Residents and visitors have numerous opportunities during a given year to ski along the mountain slopes, covered with some of the best snow in the world and then take a short drive down the canyon and enjoy playing golf. Skiing enthusiasts have numerous ski resorts to enjoy including Brighton, Alta, Snowbird and Solitude. Visitors are attracted to Sandy due to the beautiful landscape and excellent opportunities for hiking, fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing, snowmobiling and other outdoor activities.
Sandy features quality golf courses including Alpine Country Club, Hidden Valley Country Club Mountain, Schneiters Pebblebrook Links, River Oaks Golf Course and Willow Creek Country Club. The Alta Canyon Sports Center offers a variety of activities and is popular with families.
Local and Nearby Attractions
- Sandy City Amphitheater
- Living Planet Aquarium
- Southtowne Exposition Center
- Bingham Copper Mine
- Delta Center
- E Center
- Jordan River Temple
- Hansen's Planetarium
- Salt Palace
- Temple Square
- Wildwood Resort
