Orem, Utah Real Estate and Homes For Sale

From a small beginning in 1861 as a rural agricultural town, Orem has steadily grown in importance and stature. It was named after Walter C. Orem, who was president of the Salt Lake and Utah Electric Interurban Railroad. Orem’s company constructed a railroad line from Salt Lake City to nearby Payson in 1914. Orem had four train stations, which enabled farmers to ship locally grown produce and fruit. The rail bonanza fueled Orem’s growth and it was incorporated in 1919. There are several original pioneer homes still standing in Orem. Mr. Bunnell, of the Bunnell Pioneer Home, is thought to have introduced Red Delicious apples to the area. The Thomas Pioneer home became an authentic archaeological dig after Mr. Thomas discovered a large tooth belonging to a hairy mammoth. An Ice Age relation to the elephant, the complete hairy mammoth skeleton was unearthed.

Stories like those are fodder for one of Orem’s most popular local events - the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. Each summer more than 12,000 people travel to Orem to hear the best national storytellers weave their “Tales Beneath Timp.” All year-round, the city is alive with tourists who take advantage of the area’s natural resources. Orem is less than one hour away from more than six national ski resorts, Utah Lake -- the state’s largest body of freshwater, fishing on the Provo River, many National Forest campgrounds and challenging rock-climbing canyons. The new Lakeside Sports complex is a recreational hub with five softball fields, eight soccer fields, a picnic area and a playground for children.

Located within 40 miles of Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake City International Airport, and even closer to nearby Provo, Orem is quickly becoming a great place to locate a business as well as live. There are many arts and cultural attractions within close proximity to Orem. Sister city Provo is home to Brigham Young University (BYU), which is replete with well-known museums, theater companies and art education. The Earth Science Museum at BYU, home to one of the world’s best Jurassic dinosaur bone collections, and the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, are two of the area’s favorites. If you can’t get enough dinosaurs, the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point is a mere 20 minutes away. Other popular area entertainment includes the famous Sundance Resort and the NBA’s Utah Jazz.

Thriving in the shadow of towering Mount Timpanogos, Orem is a city with historical integrity successfully building on a solid foundation of natural resources and an ideal location.