| History | The date construction was 1861-1863, with the earliest priority date of Dec. 12, 1861. It is one of the few early irrigation ditches in the Denver Metropolitan area to retain its original appearance and function. Early farms known to have drawn water from the ditch include Hodgson, Mc Pheeters, Reed, and Lewis families. In 1884 the Pioneer Union Ditch Company was formed and issued 80 shares of stock with a value of 100 dollars per share. William Hodgson served as the first president of the company, and retained the position until March 1888. In 1967, the ditch was abandoned east of Wadsworth Blvd. During the 1970s and 1980s, shares were acquired primarily by the City of Lakewood, the Denver Board of Water Commissioners, and the Public Service Company of Colorado. |
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