The city has 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the Jordan River Parkway that contains fishing ponds, trails, parks, and natural habitats.

Founded in 1859 by settlers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and historically an agrarian town, South Jordan has become a rapidly growing bedroom community of Salt Lake City.

[5] Changes in climatic conditions to a cooler, drier period and the movement into the area of ancestors of the Ute, Paiute, and Shoshone, led to the disappearance of the Fremont people.

In October 1824, Provost's party was lured into an Indian camp somewhere along the Jordan River north of Utah Lake.

The people responsible for the attack were planning revenge against Provost's party for an earlier unexplained incident involving other trappers.

[10] On July 22, 1847, an advanced party of the first Latter-day Saint pioneers entered the valley and immediately began to irrigate land and explore the area with a view to establishing new settlements.

[11] Alexander Beckstead, a blacksmith from Ontario, Canada, moved his family to the West Jordan area in 1849, and became the first of his trade in the south Salt Lake Valley.

He helped dig the first ditch to divert water from the Jordan River, powering Archibald Gardner's flour mill.

[13] The flood plain of the Jordan was level, and could be cleared for farming if a ditch was constructed to divert river water along the base of the west bluff.

[17] As South Jordan grew, a new and larger building was constructed in 1873 on the east side of the site of the present-day cemetery.

[17] In the late 1890s, alfalfa hay was introduced and took the place of tougher native grasses which had been used up to that point for feed for livestock.

[19] A big celebration was held on January 14, 1914, to commemorate the arrival of electrical power, the addition of a water tank and supply system for indoor pumping and a new park for South Jordan.

[21] Citizens voted to incorporate on November 8, 1935, and immediately issued bonds to obtain money for the water tank.

In 1978, the city moved to a mayor-council form of government and assumed local supervision of police, fire, road and building inspections from Salt Lake County.

A bus loaded with 38 students from South Jordan, Riverton, and Bluffdale crossed in front of an oncoming train that was obscured by fog and snow.

[24][25] The concern about bus safety from the South Jordan accident led to changes in state and eventually federal law mandating that buses stop and open the doors before proceeding into a railroad crossing.

[31] As a result of this urbanization, South Jordan's economy went from agrarian to being a bedroom community of Salt Lake City.

Kennecott Land began a development in 2004 called Daybreak, which is a 4,200-acre (1,700 ha) planned community that will contain more than 20,000 homes and includes commercial and retail space.

The racial makeup of the city was 84.7% non-Hispanic White, 1.0% Black, 0.2% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, and 2.6% from two or more races.

Of those people 25 years and older in the city, 97.1% were high school graduates compared to 90.8% in Salt Lake County and 87.5% in Utah.

[41][43] The FBI defines violent offenses to include forcible rape, robbery, murder, non-negligent manslaughter, and aggravated assault.

[45][46] The city has 35 municipal parks and playgrounds that includes areas for baseball, softball, football, soccer, and lacrosse, volleyball, pickleball, tennis and skateboarding.

Other recreational facilities owned by South Jordan City include the Aquatic and Fitness center, Community Center providing the senior programs, three fishing ponds stocked with rainbow trout and catfish by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Mulligan's two miniature golf and two nine-hole executive golf courses.

The park grounds contain a horse racing track, a polo and dressage field, indoor arenas and stables.

A 90-acre (36 ha) addition is in the planning stages that will include areas for BMX, basketball, pickleball, tennis and volleyball.

[50] In addition to the lake, the Daybreak community includes 22 miles (35 km) of trails, 37 parks and five swimming pools.

[51] The lake, parks and pools are privately owned by Daybreak's home owners association and are for residents only.

South Jordan is part of Utah's 4th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives.

The Mountain View Corridor, an eventual ten-lane freeway, is located on the western edge of the Daybreak Community.

[63] The travel time between the Daybreak Parkway Station to downtown Salt Lake City is approximately 60 minutes.