Fruit Heights elected officials and residents celebrated the city’s 85th anniversary during its Founders Day celebration at the end of August. Created in 1939, the city has retained the small-town feeling of belonging, where residents take pride in their heritage and work together to create strong neighborhoods. 

“We see a lot of community pride at these events,” said Karen Coleman, Fruit Heights public information officer. “So many of our residents have families that have been here since the city was founded.”

The Founders Day event featured a car show, a quilt display, food trucks, a chalk festival, a bubble zone, free ice cream and live music, and the Fruit Heights Youth City Council organized kid’s games and activities. 

It also was the day the city unveiled its Veterans Memorial, located at city hall (910 S. Mountain Road). Fundraising efforts brought in nearly $20,000 for the memorial that includes markers made of Utah sandstone placed between the flag poles at city hall.

For many years, residents have been raising money and gathering support for the monument that features 240 names of Fruit Heights residents who served in the military. Names can be added to the monument as more residents serve in the armed forces. 

“It’s a very, very patriotic, very devoted community,” Coleman said. “So they wanted to have room to honor those who, in the future, will also serve the country.”

Fruit Heights Mayor John Pohlman spoke at the unveiling ceremony. He expressed his gratitude for the committee that took the lead in creating and funding the memorial, and the corporate partners who helped sponsor the project. 

“This is a dream come true, to be able to recognize those who have served and who are currently serving in our military,” Pohlman said. “Please look at the names of those who have lived in the city, and who have served this great nation. We could not live in the nation that we live in today without the service and sacrifice of all those who have or are currently serving our country.”

Those interested in submitting a name or donating to the memorial can find information at Fruitheightscity.com/418/Veterans-Memorial.

“We are going to do an official unveiling for Veterans Day,” Pohlman said. “We would ask that all of you come back for that special ceremony, of that unveiling of this memorial. I ask you to please think about and recognize and honor those who have served.”