Fresh Spring Water – Ward, Colorado

This eclectic town is known for its drinking water!

The Town of Ward

The Town of Ward is pretty small, even by mountain standards. There really are just a few commercial buildings and homes, just below the Peak to Peak Highway. With just a few businesses, the charm and artistic vibe on the main street is unmatchable.

Government

After doing a little research, I found out that The Town of Ward is a Colorado Home Rule Municipality. Ward is a member of the Colorado Municipal League and the InterMountain Alliance. The Town of Ward itself is one of the few home-rule direct democracies left in the US today. Its system is similar to the Town Hall Meeting governments of early New England where all citizens vote at Town Meetings. Ward has an elected Mayor and Town Council, but all legislative issues deemed controversial by any one member of the electorate are sent to referendum and mailed to each voter. Voting occurs by confidential, written ballots; with meetings held monthly.

History

The Ward Mining District was established in 1861, shortly after the first gold prospectors arrived in the area. Ward was originally called Ward’s Camp, and also went by Wards and Columbia City.  The Ward District Post Office, and Ward School District were established in 1863. The laws of the Ward Mining District governed Ward from 1861 until 1896 – when the Town of Ward was incorporated, the Town received it’s land from the Federal Government, and lots within the Town were platted and sold (usually to town residents who had long ago built tiny cabins on land within the new Town boundaries). The Union Congregational Church was established in 1894 and dedicated in 1898. The railroad arrived in 1899.

The Town of Ward government includes the Office of the Mayor, Town Clerk, Ward Water Commission, Road Commission, Building Department,  Board of Health, Marshall Department, Ward Public Library, and Parks and Open Space.

Fresh Rocky Mountain Spring Water

We heard from our friend, Jonathan, about the water in Ward & wanted to check it out! If you don’t know about our Jonathan… we are so blessed to have met someone who is now seeking the Lord and asking for healing through the power of Jesus. Please pray for divine intervention in Jonathan’s quest to walk again!!! In order to support our ministry, please consider giving today.

The Ward Water Commission oversees the delivery of pure water, gravity-fed, from the glacial spring above town. The Ward Water System maintains a Chlorination Waiver from the State of Colorado based on the tested purity of its water. It often comes out of the tap at 33 degrees and people come from miles around to collect water from the overflow pipe at the bottom of Town. Staying in Nederland, we weren’t too far, and decided to make the trip!

Water was first brought to the Town by way of the Utica Flume, designed to bring water from the springs below Brainerd Lake to the mills in and below Ward.  In 1900, the Town of Ward purchased water shares from the Big 5 Mining Company for residential and fire protection use.

Source: Ward Government, Library, Businesses