ditch and Water company Office

The display in the Water Office is the result of John Spurgeon's research on irrigation and water usage in the Surface Creek Valley. The exhibit is being housed in one of the buildings on the east side of Pioneer Town's Main Street. A "ribbon-cutting" ceremony took place on Heritage Day, May 27, 2006, the season's opening day.

Spurgeon, with help from Bertie Brady, Susan and John Triebwasser, Dave R. Rasmussen and others, have researched and compiled an informative historical display that shows water sources and irrigation methods in the valley. The exhibit consists of documents, photos, a surveyor's tripod, and some of the tools used by workers to bring Grand Mesa water to irrigate our orchards, fields and homes.

A resident of the area, Norman Kehmeier, told Spugeon that he had always heard that Jim Hart had snow shoed to Gunnison (the county seat of western Colorado until 1883) and had filed the first water claim in the area.

Spurgeon went to Gunnison and after a long search found what he was looking for in an old leather bound book. On the first page a claim for water from the Alfalfa ditch was made by, not Jim, but John B. Hart, notarized on March 14, 1882. This date is six months prior to Sept. 2, 1882 when the last of the Indians were taken from the area. He filed on water before he could claim land in what was then known as Alfalfa Basin, now identified as Hart's Basin.

Phil and Margaret Ellsworth accompanied Spurgeon on a return trip to Gunnison where Phil took a photo of the written document of that first water claim. It is part of the display at Pioneer Town.

A large map marks ditches and reservoirs with ribbons leading to informational notes about the projects. A drawing gives insight to the geographical make-up of Grand Mesa, like a sponge, the slumping depressions collect water and slowly disperse it, rather than causing rapid run-off from melting snows.

Definitions referring to water related terms have been compiled and displayed.

Be sure to check out the "ditch horse" and discover how it was used to set the grade for digging early irrigation ditches.

Irrigating the Surface Creek Valley by John Spurgeon, published in 2007, is a detailed account of ditches, reservoirs, and people who had the foresight to make water available to all of us living here.

The Wells Fargo freight office, previously located at this spot, was readied for viewing by Vinetta Butcher and Verda Schafer, the sisters who assembled the displays in the Girling Mercantile. Vinetta donated a stove, Bob Chamberlin an authentic Wells Fargo saddle bag, and Leroy Chinn the 1910 Delta County map that hung on the wall. The room also contained a small desk with pigeon hole slots for papers and letters, and a collection of early suitcases and trunks.  Those items are displayed at other locations at Pioner Town.

PIONEER TOWN HISTORY

Veterans Memorial

Memorial honoring all our fallen local Hero's'