National Register of Historic Places

Waterwheel

McCoy, Eagle County, Colorado
Listed
April 10, 1977
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000372

About this property

The Waterwheel, in Eagle County, Colorado, is a historic device to lift water from the Colorado River to a height where it may be distributed for irrigation. It was built in 1922. It is located southeast of McCoy, Colorado at the Colorado River. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, at a time when it was in deteriorated condition. It has since been rehabilitated by the Colorado Water Restoration Foundation, Ltd. It stands 40 feet (12 m) high and is about 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. It was built of jackpine logs crafted by hand tools. It lifted water 32 feet (9.8 m) in 35 buckets around its perimeter, which emptied into a wooden trough that flowed into an irrigation ditch. It could be raised out of the water in winter to avoid damage from ice, and lowered to an appropriate level to capture the river's flow. It is significant as the last surviving water wheel out of many once in use on the Colorado River. It was built by Earl Brooks, a rancher, and Franklin Dixon and Jim Jones, without any formal design being available or produced.

Location

McCoy, Eagle County, Colorado
39.90288, -106.71739

Categories

AGRICULTUREENGINEERING
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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

State Bridge
Industrial
4.8 mi
Rock Creek Stage Station
Industrial
11.3 mi
Eagle River Bridge
Industrial
17.6 mi
Yust, E. C., Homestead
Industrial
18.6 mi
Antlers Cafe and Bar
Industrial
19.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Waterwheel listed on the National Register?

Waterwheel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Waterwheel?

Waterwheel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Waterwheel?

The period of significance for Waterwheel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Waterwheel?

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