Riverton, UT

Riverton
City
The Old Dome Meeting Hall, in Riverton City Park.
Motto: Peace, Progress, and Tradition
Location in Salt Lake County and the state of Utah.
Location of Utah in the United States
Coordinates: 40°31′14″N 111°57′19″W / 40.52056°N 111.95528°W / 40.52056; -111.95528Coordinates: 40°31′14″N 111°57′19″W / 40.52056°N 111.95528°W / 40.52056; -111.95528
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Salt Lake
Settled	1870
Incorporated	1947
Named for	Jordan River
Government
• Mayor	Bill Applegarth
• Councilman - Dist. 1	Sheldon Stewart
• Councilman - Dist. 2	Patrisha Tingey
• Councilman - Dist. 3	Paul Wayman
• Councilman - Dist. 4	Trent Staggs
Area
• Total	12.6 sq mi (32.6 km2)
• Land	12.6 sq mi (32.6 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation	4,439 ft (1,353 m)
Population (2012)
• Total	40,398
• Density	3,200/sq mi (1,200/km2)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP code	84065
Area code(s)	385, 801
FIPS code	49-64340
GNIS feature ID	1431862
Website	http://www.rivertoncity.com

Riverton is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 38,753 at the 2010 census. Riverton is located in the rapidly growing Southwestern corner of the Salt Lake Valley.

Riverton shares city borders with South Jordan to the north, Draper to the east, Bluffdale to the south, and Herriman to the west. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.6 square miles (32.6 km²). The city is located in the Southwestern corner of the Salt Lake Valley about twenty miles (32 km) south and slightly west of Salt Lake City. Riverton City receives an average of 15.76 inches (400 mm) in precipitation each year. Snow can be seen in the winter, while during the summer temperatures occasionally break 100 °F (38 °C). Riverton has grown rapidly in the last few years, transforming it from a rural farming town into a suburban city. Businesses, housing, and roads have replaced many of the farms and cattle ranges.

Located in the southern end of Salt Lake Valley, the first people of European descent to live in the area that is now Riverton settled in the mid-1850s. These early settlers scattered widely along the river bottom in crude dugout homes. Although the early accounts disagree, Archibald Gardner may have been the first to settle Riverton land. The town was originally referred to as “Gardnerville” prior to changing its name to Riverton. Riverton's initial growth was slow because of the lack of water for irrigation. When more water became available, the town began to grow. Eventually three canals were built to extend water from the nearby Jordan River to the benchland areas, providing irrigation for agricultural uses to the larger area.

By the beginning of World War I in 1914, with its additional irrigation water and influx of people, Riverton prospered as an agricultural community. Its thriving business district was also evident at this time.