To Tia Shaw and the Name Advisory Committee / Ogden Valley City Council:
By Scott Eames - 24 July 2026
It will always be Ogden Valley. Just because we choose not to name our new city exactly after the valley does not erase its deep history — in fact, naming the city “Ogden Valley” risks diminishing the broader, all-encompassing lore of the valley itself.
The name “Ogden Valley” has defined this entire mountain community for over 150 years. It ties us to our Shoshone heritage, mountain man explorers, pioneer settlers, and the natural grandeur of the entire area — including Pineview Reservoir, the surrounding canyons, ski resorts, and the interconnected communities that have long shared this identity. Changing the official city name to something narrower (like Eden, Pineview, or another option) does not “modernize” us; it fragments a rich, unified geographic and cultural identity that belongs to all of us.
Huntsville and our neighbors must be considered. Huntsville has been part of the fabric of Ogden Valley since its founding. Residents here have always identified with the valley as a whole. If the city takes the name “Ogden Valley,” people from Huntsville (and the unincorporated areas) will inevitably hear phrases like: “We’re surrounded by Ogden Valley — in Ogden Valley?” This creates unnecessary confusion and a sense of exclusion for a town that has proudly maintained its own incorporated status while sharing the valley’s history, resources, and spirit.
The valley is bigger than any single municipality. Naming the new city “Ogden Valley” appropriates a name that has always described the entire region — from Eden and Liberty to Huntsville and beyond. It reduces a legendary, expansive place to the administrative boundaries of one city government. The lore, the stories, the sense of place — these belong to the land, the people, and the history, not to city hall paperwork.
We can have both: A clear city identity and preserve the valley’s name. Many nearby communities (like Farr West, Harrisville, or others) thrive without tacking “City” onto a broader regional name. We can select a name that honors a specific community or feature (if desired for clarity) while proudly continuing to call the region Ogden Valley — just as we always have. The history is not erased by careful naming; it is protected by refusing to let bureaucratic labels overwrite a 150+ year legacy.
This isn’t about resisting change or incorporation itself. It’s about wise stewardship of our shared identity. Let’s ensure the new city reflects thoughtful respect for the full scope of Ogden Valley’s heritage, rather than narrowing it. The valley’s name, stories, and spirit will endure — let’s make decisions that strengthen that, not subdivide it.
I urge the Council and Name Advisory Committee to recommend keeping or honoring “Ogden Valley” in a way that unites rather than divides.
Our Valley, Our Voice — including every neighbor who has always called this place home.
Thank you for the consideration,
Scott Eames
Eden resident
By Scott Eames - 24 July 2026
It will always be Ogden Valley. Just because we choose not to name our new city exactly after the valley does not erase its deep history — in fact, naming the city “Ogden Valley” risks diminishing the broader, all-encompassing lore of the valley itself.
The name “Ogden Valley” has defined this entire mountain community for over 150 years. It ties us to our Shoshone heritage, mountain man explorers, pioneer settlers, and the natural grandeur of the entire area — including Pineview Reservoir, the surrounding canyons, ski resorts, and the interconnected communities that have long shared this identity. Changing the official city name to something narrower (like Eden, Pineview, or another option) does not “modernize” us; it fragments a rich, unified geographic and cultural identity that belongs to all of us.
Huntsville and our neighbors must be considered. Huntsville has been part of the fabric of Ogden Valley since its founding. Residents here have always identified with the valley as a whole. If the city takes the name “Ogden Valley,” people from Huntsville (and the unincorporated areas) will inevitably hear phrases like: “We’re surrounded by Ogden Valley — in Ogden Valley?” This creates unnecessary confusion and a sense of exclusion for a town that has proudly maintained its own incorporated status while sharing the valley’s history, resources, and spirit.
The valley is bigger than any single municipality. Naming the new city “Ogden Valley” appropriates a name that has always described the entire region — from Eden and Liberty to Huntsville and beyond. It reduces a legendary, expansive place to the administrative boundaries of one city government. The lore, the stories, the sense of place — these belong to the land, the people, and the history, not to city hall paperwork.
We can have both: A clear city identity and preserve the valley’s name. Many nearby communities (like Farr West, Harrisville, or others) thrive without tacking “City” onto a broader regional name. We can select a name that honors a specific community or feature (if desired for clarity) while proudly continuing to call the region Ogden Valley — just as we always have. The history is not erased by careful naming; it is protected by refusing to let bureaucratic labels overwrite a 150+ year legacy.
This isn’t about resisting change or incorporation itself. It’s about wise stewardship of our shared identity. Let’s ensure the new city reflects thoughtful respect for the full scope of Ogden Valley’s heritage, rather than narrowing it. The valley’s name, stories, and spirit will endure — let’s make decisions that strengthen that, not subdivide it.
I urge the Council and Name Advisory Committee to recommend keeping or honoring “Ogden Valley” in a way that unites rather than divides.
Our Valley, Our Voice — including every neighbor who has always called this place home.
Thank you for the consideration,
Scott Eames
Eden resident