Pleasant Grove (population 23,468) was settled in 1850 as a frontier Mormon farming community, and a protective fort was built in 1853 in response to warfare with local Indians. Pleasant Grove is unique in the state for having developed as a town inside the fort walls even after hostilities ended.
The Pleasant Grove Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, encompasses the streets that once were within the fort. Many of the buildings are constructed of local "soft rock," a porous, easily quarried stone that hardens after exposure to air.
One of the oldest extant buildings, the Old Bell School (1864), is now a museum celebrating the community's pioneer heritage. Several historic buildings, including a granary, log cabin, and corral, have been relocated to Pioneer Park and are interpreted for visitors.
Each year, the community's historical development is celebrated at its Heritage Festival, which includes bus tours of the town's historic sites. In 2003, the City's Historic Preservation Commission published an expanded edition of a walking tour guide to historic buildings of the community, and the Commission is currently working on a comprehensive history of the community.
Designated a Preserve America Community in August 2004.