The Wells

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Water was an important resource in the history of Four Mile and the surrounding areas. When the Booth family converted the property into a working farm, Levi Booth diverted water from Cherry Creek in order to irrigate his crops. He was the first landowner to divert water from Cherry Creek.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Eventually three different ditches would run from Cherry Creek onto the Booth property. Many other farmers in the area would divert water from the creek to water their crops. Levi would end up going to court a number of times to defend his rights to use the irrigation ditches.

Other water sources came from hand-dug wells on the property. Rather than hauling water from the creek, water could be drawn up from these wells. A pump system was installed in the Booth kitchen, which pumped water into the kitchen sink. The well near the Four Mile House is a decorative well and holds no water. It’s likely that there was a working well near the house, however. The well by the horse corral is used in educational programming.

Sources

Four Mile Historic Park Collections

The Wells

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information