History

Hooper is situated on the delta of the Weber River, the center of town being three miles east of the shores of the Great Salt Lake and approximately twelve miles from the mouths of Ogden and Weber Canyons. The Weber River flows through the northern part of town shortly before it pours its water into the Great Salt Lake.

The recorded history of Hooper begins with the experience of the trappers and government explorers. John C. Fremont, accompanied by Kit Carson and others, passed down the river in a rubber boat through the present site of Hooper when they were on their way to explore the Great Salt Lake and Fremont Island.

In the pioneer days of Utah the district now included in Hooper, then known as "Muskrat Springs," was used as a herd ground by the Honorable William H. Hooper, Utah's delegate to Congress, and others. Captain Hooper ran his cattle from Clearfield to the Weber River. In 1854 he built an adobe house as a shelter for his herdsman. It was located near what is known as Hale's Bend. It consisted of four rooms on the ground floor and two rooms upstairs. It has a dirt floor, a porch on the south side, and a two-room lean on the north.  This was the first building in Hooper.

Quincy and Frank Knowlton, partners of Hooper, lived in the adobe house and supervised the cattle business for the company. The livestock ranged during the summer, but during the winter months their browsing was supplemented with hay cut from salt grass, foxtail, and cave grass.

Some of the early businesses and industry in Hooper were a cheese factory, Isabell's Store, Post Office, Hooper Cannery, Z.C.M.I. CO-OP Store, Molasses Mill, Grist Mill and Nursery, Cottle's Blacksmith Shop, Cox & Arave Grocery Store, a dairy, and Hooper Sugar Company. Currently there are about 4,200 people living in Hooper.