Written by Margie Arbuthnot
16 degrees above at 7 A.M.
Dad went to Ditch Meeting today.
Mrs. DeWalt spent the day with me.
Myrna Dodd here this P.M.
Dad & Mr. DeWalt back by three o'clock.
Donnie went home with Don to help cull the hens. He will stay all night.
A new 8th grader pupil at Batcheldor today from the Poppy house.
Yep tonight at 9 is 36 degrees and wind & rain from the west.
Letter from Mass. today. [from Margie's son Ken]
The new neighbors on Poppe Place Sappington.
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| Mr. and Mrs. DeWalt at Altona Grange |
The Left Hand Ditch Company
The Left Hand Ditch Company was started by Fred Arbuthnot's family and other neighboring pioneers. The first Left Hand ditch was dug high above Ward, Colorado first during the gold mining days, but later for the purposes of irrigating the land below. In a Boulder Daily Camera article from January 18, 1957, Jewel Jenkins interviews Fred Arbuthnot and records what he recalls. In his account, he credits his Uncle Jim Arbuthnot with finding the source where water could be diverted from the St. Vrain Creek into the James Creek. Along with Jerome Gould, N. M. Henry, and Sam Arbuthnot, they organized for the plowing and hand digging of the first Left Hand Ditch.
The company began in 1863 but wasn't officially recorded until 1866 with Jospeh H. Jamison as it's President. Later, P. M. Hinman would be president, then Nicholas E. Bader. Samuel Arbuthnot followed him and was President during the water wars. A dispute in which the settlement established the Colorado Prior Appropriations water law.
The company began in 1863 but wasn't officially recorded until 1866 with Jospeh H. Jamison as it's President. Later, P. M. Hinman would be president, then Nicholas E. Bader. Samuel Arbuthnot followed him and was President during the water wars. A dispute in which the settlement established the Colorado Prior Appropriations water law.
Fred's Uncle Fred Bader (whom he was named for) was an early Secretary/Treasurer for the company. He was later replaced by Fred Arbuthnot, Margie's husband.
Since the building of the Altona Grange Hall in 1896, the annual meeting has been held here every February..
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| The three Freds. Uncle Fred Bader, Donald Frederick Arbuthnot, Fred Arbuthnot. Both Fred Bader and Fred Arbuthnot were Secretary of the Left Hand Ditch Co. |
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| First inside page of the first minute book of the Left Hand Dirch Co 1866 |
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