Incorporated in 1850, Ogden was first settled by Mormon pioneers. In
1869, the transcontinental railroad was completed and Ogden became known
as the Junction City. With the rise and fall of the railroad as a
backdrop, Ogden's legendary locals emerged in business, politics, and
culture. Famous entrepreneurs, like David Eccles and the Wattis
brothers, left their mark across the West, while actors like Robert
Walker, Moroni Olsen, and Gedde Watanabe took on Hollywood. Richard
Richards left Ogden to shape national politics as chairman of the
Republican National Committee, while Fred Kiesel challenged the local
majority to become Ogden's first non-Mormon mayor. Through it all,
Ogden's everyday citizens have helped shape the community as well. From
Willie Moore, whose barbershop has stood on Ogden's infamous 25th Street
for decades, to the women of the Red Cross who served food to over a
million servicemen in transit during World War II, Ogden's history is
full of local legends.