Layton

History

Layton was settled in the 1850s as an outgrowth of Kaysville and is named after Christopher Layton, a Latter-day Saint settler and leader. It was included in the boundaries when Kaysville was incorporated as a city in 1868, but by the 1880s, many Layton residents wanted to separate from the city. They challenged Kaysville's authority to tax their property, claiming they received no municipal services. This dispute reached the United States Supreme Court in 1894 as the case of Linford v. Ellison, which was decided in favor of the Layton property owners. The separatist movement finally succeeded in 1902, when Layton became an independent unincorporated area. After further growth, it was made an incorporated town in 1920. The town's population increased slowly; up until 1940, it was about 600. The creation of Hill Air Force Base to the north in 1940, followed shortly by the United States' entry into World War II, led to a dramatic population increase. War workers streamed into the area; the 1950 census counted 3,456 people. Layton became a city, transformed from a farming town to a residential community. Growth slowed after the war, but Layton continued to develop as a suburban bedroom community, as those not employed at the Air Force base began commuting to the Salt Lake City or Ogden areas. The city continued to expand geographically, annexing surrounding parcels of land, including the adjacent town of Laytona and the city of East Layton. In 1985, Layton passed Bountiful to become the most populous city in Davis County.

Geography

Layton is located in the northern portion of the Wasatch Front, approximately north of Salt Lake City and south of Ogden. It is bordered by Clearfield to the northwest, Hill Air Force Base to the north, South Weber to the northeast, the Wasatch Mountains to the east, Kaysville to the south, Great Salt Lake wetlands to the southwest and Syracuse to the west. According to the United States Census Bureau, Layton has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.78%, is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Great Salt Lake effect snow is common in the winter.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Syracuse High
  High · SYRACUSE · 2,452 students · 25.5:1 ratio
• Layton High
  High · LAYTON · 2,242 students · 28.4:1 ratio
• Davis High
  High · KAYSVILLE · 2,175 students · 25.6:1 ratio
• Farmington High
  High · FARMINGTON · 2,083 students · 26.7:1 ratio
• Clearfield High
  High · CLEARFIELD · 2,030 students · 25.4:1 ratio
• Northridge High
  High · LAYTON · 1,954 students · 26.1:1 ratio
• West Point Jr High
  Middle · WEST POINT · 1,469 students · 27.2:1 ratio
• Syracuse Jr High
  Middle · SYRACUSE · 1,359 students · 27.2:1 ratio