Origination Of Tooele

Since some of you might be wondering about our great city and its origination I took a few and googled some information. Back in 2004 Tooele had a population estimated at 27,903. Tooele according to the Census Bureau has 21.2 miles of total area. Its name is thought by some to have evolved from an old Ute indian word for tumbleweed (we definately have enough tumbleweeds!). Some explain its origination from a Native American chief but controversery exists about whether such a chief actually lived. Others hypothesize the name derives from "Tu-Wanda" the Goshute word for Bear or from "tule" a spanish word of Aztec origin meaning bulrush. About 100 Goshute Indians lived in the Tooele valley when Capt. Howard Stansbury surveyed the region for the US Army in 1853. On 4 Sept 1849 three Mormon pioneer families settled on a small stream south of present Tooele city. A few months later four men obtained timber rights from Small Canyon (today's Middle Canyon) and Big Canyon (Settlement Canyon). Tooele City Corporation was formed in 1853 and grew to a population of about 1200 at the turn of the century.