The community was named for Charles W. Penrose, an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The first permanent settler to the Penrose area was C.S. Rowher, in 1890. He, along with others, farmed beets, wheat, corn and hay.
Penrose is a collection of homes situated along the last seven miles of Highway 102. Everyone lives between Mile Marker 1 and Mile Marker 7 on the road from Tremonton to Promontory. It was named for Mormon Apostle Charles W. Penrose in 1911, and is a place of refuge and safety. Anciently, it was part of large grassland ranging from the Snake River to Promontory Point. The lush, tall grass supported great herds of deer and tribes of Indians that sought out the many watering places located at the base of the mountains.
After Spanish Exploration, it supported great bands of wild horses that made trails from watering holes to highland pastures. Penrose ranchers were amazed when the sky would become darkened, so large were the dust clouds when the great numbers came to Connor Springs for water. As the grass died out and was replaced by scrub sagebrush and June grass, the land was ready for farming.
It was not until 1890 that C.S. Rowher, a dry farmer from Park Valley, became the first permanent settler to locate on the slopes of the valley with its excellent view of the majestic Wasatch sunsets. He and those who followed knew that the parched, overgrazed land would be turning into an oasis as soon as clear water from the Bear River was diverted to the sloping community. They fought alkali soil, snakes, mosquitoes, gnats, and coyotes. They delighted in the ample supply of muskrat, ducks, and pheasants. They cultivated beets, wheat, corn and hay, and they prospected for gold, oil, coal and diamonds. The first L.D.S. bishop in Penrose, P.N. Pierce, owned a sand and gravel company that he used to make road beds for the county. In all, they strove to provide for their families and provide a better life for their children, including higher education and an appreciation for culture. Travel didn’t appear to present a great problem, as early farmers walked to Brigham and back in a single day. With horses, several trips a month were not uncommon, and with cars, it could be done daily. To the question: “Can anything good come out of Penrose?” Our reply: “Only the best!” (*)
