Place · United States
The history of Goshen
Assembled from 2 dug tiles · 20 sourced records · 1851–now · last reviewed 1 October 2026
Goshen, Utah began in 1857 as a Mormon farming settlement on the dry southern edge of Utah Lake's basin, surviving Ute raids and a lower-ground abandonment before settling uphill. Nearby, Genola's forty acres were only surveyed out of farmland in 1981, a far later and quieter beginning.
These are the individual spots Strata has dug in Goshen — not a guide to the town, but a record of what happened on particular ground.
Digs in Goshen
The farm town that sent a boy to the big leaguesA left-handed pitcher grew up in this Mormon farm town before he ever saw a major league mound.
1852–now A survey line turned into a parcel
The county fixed these forty acres in 1981, long after settlers to the south had already staked their claims. Genola
1851–2012
Goshen in layers
The David Morgan House, a short walk from here, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wikidata
1851
Santaquin, the nearest older village, was founded in 1851, about 3.6 kilometers from this spot. FamilySearch
1852
The Goshen City Cemetery, still in use, dates back to 1852, among the earliest recorded features of the settlement. FamilySearch
late 1853 or early 1854
A Utah County militia unit attacked a Ute camp near Goshen in late 1853 or early 1854, killing four or five people, during the Walker War between Mormon settlers and Ute bands. Utah History to Go, Division of State History
1857
Mormon settlers founded Goshen in 1857, and the town you are standing near still carries that founding date in its civil record. OpenHistoricalMap
1857-1868
The first settlers lived two miles north at a site called Lower Goshen before the town, including its earliest graves, relocated to higher ground around 1868. FamilySearch Wiki: Goshen, Utah
1858-1880
An earlier Goshen cemetery operated from 1858 until 1880, before burials moved to the current Goshen City Cemetery. FamilySearch
June 13, 1863
A report dated June 13, 1863 described an attempted attack on Goshen by Ute men from Salt Creek in Juab Valley, led by a man named Shaocook and armed with guns, bows and arrows. BYU Studies: Lower Goshen - Archaeology of a Mormon Pioneer Town
1920
Family History records list Genola as a settlement by 1920, two kilometers from this ground. FamilySearch
1925-1995
Kent Peterson, who went on to play major league baseball, was born in Goshen in 1925 and died in 1995. Wikidata
1935
The town of Genola, a mile and a half northeast of this spot, was officially established in 1935. Wikidata
1974
The town cemetery, a little over a mile and a half from this lot, dates its records to 1974. FamilySearch
1981
Utah County created this parcel, a quarter-quarter section south of Genola, in 1981, with a small sliver already sold off to the state road commission. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
1983
The county assessor records a 432-square-foot structure built on this lot in 1983. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
1984
The county platted this ground in 1984 as Lot 1, Block 6 of the Whites Addition subdivision, 1.8 acres recorded as vacant land. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
1984-2015
A private buyer were the county's recorded owners of this parcel from its 1984 platting until 2015. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
February 17, 2000
A quitclaim deed recorded February 17, 2000 transferred land from McMullin Orchards Inc to the Town of Genola. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
December 28, 2012
McMullin Orchards Inc quitclaimed the parcel to McMullin Farm Properties Lc on December 28, 2012, the current owner of record. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
2016-present
A private buyer are the county's current owners of record for this vacant 1.8-acre lot. Utah County Land Records (Assessor and Recorder)
April 21-22, 2026
A wind-driven wildfire sparked by target shooting burned roughly 408 acres south of Goshen in April 2026, forcing the evacuation of three nearby homes. KSL
Questions about Goshen
What is Goshen known for historically?
Goshen is chiefly remembered as the birthplace of major league pitcher Kent Peterson, born there in 1925. It is the town's one widely named claim to fame, set against its origins as a Mormon farming community founded in 1857.
What happened at Goshen during the Walker War?
In late 1853 or early 1854, a Ute camp near Goshen was attacked during the Walker War. Later, on June 13, 1863, Goshen itself was reportedly attacked by Ute raiders from Salt Creek.
Why did Goshen's settlement move?
The original settlement, known as Lower Goshen, was abandoned sometime between 1857 and 1868, with the town and its graves moved uphill. Goshen's original pioneer cemetery had been used from 1858 to 1880, while Goshen City Cemetery dated to 1852.
How old is Genola compared to Goshen?
Genola appears as a named place by 1920 and became a town in 1935, far later than Goshen's founding in 1857. The specific 40-acre parcel recorded here was not surveyed out of farmland until 1981.
Who has owned the Genola parcel over time?
The 40-acre parcel, measured off the old Salt Lake Meridian, passed from McMullin Orchards to the Town of Genola on February 17, 2000, and later to McMullin Farm Properties Lc on December 28, 2012. A small building had gone up on the land in 1983.