The name "Oquirrh", (pronounced O-Ker) is a Ute Indian word meaning the "Shining Mountains", possibly due in part to the range's appearance when struck by mornings first light.
When Mormon pioneers settled in the Salt Lake Valley, the area west of the Jordan River was known as Western Jordan or Over Jordan. In 1848 Brigham Young sent many prominent pioneers to settle the area. Through hard work, service and sacrifice these pioneers contributed significantly to the development of the Salt Lake Valley. Butterfield Canyon provided needed timber. Crops were cultivated in the fertile soil along the Jordan River. To this day Bingham Canyon and other mines supply valuable metals and ores.
Archibald Gardner and his family established the first mill west of the Jordan River. On March 8, 1859 Archibald Gardner was assigned to lead the Western Jordan congregation including all settlements west of the Jordan River. Construction of the first non-log permanent church building outside Salt Lake City was begun on 15 May 1861 under the direction of Bishop Gardner. This building became known as the “Rock Meeting House". The building still stands at 1140 West 7800 South.
As the population of the Salt Lake Valley expanded, many of the farm lands adjacent to the Jordan River were replaced by homes and businesses. In 1981, the Jordan River LDS Temple was dedicated and serves thousands of Latter-day Saints in the several communities of the south valley.
On 1 October, 2005, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the construction of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by President Gordon B. Hinckley on 16 December, 2006.
Now, more than a century and a half since the first Latter-day Saints settled in the area, the Oquirrh Mountain Temple stands on a prominent bluff overlooking the Salt Lake Valley from the west. The temple will serve approximately 83,000 members of the Church living in the shadow of the Oquirrh Mountains ranging from Magna, through Kearns, West Jordan, South Jordan, Copperton, Bingham Canyon, Herriman and Bluffdale.
The temple will be open to the public from Monday, 1 June 2009 through Saturday, 1 August 2009 (except for Sundays and Saturday, 4 July 2009, and Friday, 24 July 2009). Following the open house, the Temple will be formally dedicated on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 14-16 August 2009.