National Register of Historic Places

Smith's Irrigation Ditch

Denver, Denver County, Colorado
Listed
October 7, 1976
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
76000555

About this property

Smith's Irrigation Ditch, originally the Big Ditch and also known as the City Ditch, is a historic ditch primarily visible in Washington Park, Denver, Colorado. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Denver's first irrigation canal, it was surveyed and built during 1860 to 1867, as an open unlined ditch 3 feet (0.91 m) wide at its bottom, steep sides, and 7 feet (2.1 m) wide at the top. It was dug using horse-drawn plows and scrapers, in addition to manual labor. It runs from the Chatfield Dam through 15 miles (24 km) of Englewood, Colorado, with Englewood taking some of its municipal water supply from it. Denver's Water Department takes control at Harvard Gulch near S. Downing St. and East Harvard Avenue and runs it through an enclosed pipeline, now, for about 8 miles (13 km) to Washington Park, where it remains as an open channel. It sustains trees, flowers, grass there.

Location

Denver, Denver County, Colorado
39.70187, -104.97127

Categories

ENGINEERINGEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Smith's Irrigation Ditch

This page lists Smith's Irrigation Ditch. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Smith's Irrigation Ditch report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Washington Park
Listed
0.2 mi
Field, Eugene, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
University Boulevard
Industrial
0.6 mi
Weckbaugh House
Industrial
0.7 mi
South Marion Street Parkway
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Smith's Irrigation Ditch listed on the National Register?

Smith's Irrigation Ditch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 7, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Smith's Irrigation Ditch?

Smith's Irrigation Ditch is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Smith's Irrigation Ditch?

The period of significance for Smith's Irrigation Ditch is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Smith's Irrigation Ditch?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Smith's Irrigation Ditch will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Denver County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Denver County.

Explore DenverCounty ›

More historic places in Colorado

Browse all historic places in Colorado.

View Coloradohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Colorado history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Coloradohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Smith's Irrigation Ditch will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report