Bountiful is Utah's second settlement and was named for one of the ancient American cities described in the Book of Mormon. Bountiful was settled not long after Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Perrigrine Sessions explored the area just three days after his arrival. In September 1847 Sessions gathered his family into their wagon and herded 300 head of cattle into the South Davis Valley. Other families moved into the area and began planting crops the following year. Fifty-three families had established farms in the area by 1850.

Because of repeated Indian problems, a fort was constructed of dirt walls, three-quarters of a mile square, with the townsite being laid out within its boundaries. Each man from the area was required to put in a ten-hour day of labor toward its construction, and all settlers were urged to move within its fortified walls. Though the fort was never completed and its gates were not installed, portions of the walls stood until the turn of the century.

The settlement was first called "Session's Settlement," and later "North Mill Creek Canyon," which was shortened to "North Canyon." In 1854, the first post office was established and was named "Stoker" in honor of the settlement's Mormon bishop, John Stoker. On 17 February 1855 the name Bountiful was accepted unanimously by the people of the community.