Who has ever heard of Park J. Ash?
Even though Ash Mesa lies in both Montrose and Delta Counties, the mesa was name for the Ash family who lived in Olathe. In 1992, Thomas, William and George Ash, along with their sisters Anna, Mollie and Mattie, all siblings of Mrs. and Mrs. Park J. Ash of Longmont, Colorado, settled in the Olathe area. The Ashes made history by figuring out how to bring irrigation water to their land from the Uncompahgre River. Their work resulted in the building the Ironstone Ditch, which has one of the oldest priorities on the river. The ditch, built in 1908, covered about 2,000 acres and was a huge undertaking for the time, all built from private capital.
Jim Wetzel
Director, Delta County Historical Society and Museum
(970) 874-8721
Linda
