In honor of our daughter (Ashlynn) being selected as the first place winner of the "Why I Like My Community" 4th grade essay contest in 2023 (sponsored by the Utah League of Cities and Towns, we thought we pay tribute to our great city of Hooper! :) Here's a copy of the essay that she wrote, highlighting this amazing place! (For the cache, after you find it, make sure it's pretty well hidden for the next geocachers to find!)
My Hometown of Hooper
By: Ashlynn Nelson
The first thing you need to know about Hooper is how you pronounce its name. You may want to say it like “Hoop-er” but the local way to say it is “Huh-per.” That is how you know if the person is actually from Hooper, so make sure you say it properly.
As you drive into Hooper, what is the first thing you notice? Hopefully, you will see something you have never seen before…GIANT TOMATOES! Why, you may ask? We have a yearly celebration called Tomato Days. There are so many activities you can do at Tomato Days. They do dog races, pageant shows for young kids, concerts, and a parade.
Hooper is a very quiet place to live because of the open fields, rivers, and ponds. Because there are so many open spaces, Hooper has bright sunsets. Sometimes you might look outside and see a beautiful sky of warm colors peeking over the mountains to end the day.
People are very kind and welcoming, but so are the animals! You will not only see the cows, goats, and bunnies, but if you get lucky, you might see a herd of deer behind your house too. The deer blend into the fields, along with many geese that feed off the dry grasses. The deer and geese are usually eating. If you walk past the deer or near them they will just look at you in a creepy way.
Did you know that Fremont Island is actually a part of Hooper and is the third largest island in the Great Salt Lake? You would not be able to live there, because the land is being preserved. However, it is a short boat ride from Antelope Island.
While country living might not be for everyone, Hooper is definitely a place that could change your mind. Everything that you need is still close by, but yet it is still a nice little piece of heaven on Earth.