Cody in Park County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Buffalo Bill Reservoir
Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 14, 2017
1. Buffalo Bill Reservoir Marker
Inscription.
Buffalo Bill Reservoir. .
Buffalo Bill Reservoir The Shoshone Project Story. The development by the U.S. Reclamation Service of the great irrigation project in the lower Shoshone valley required sacrifice of their land by the settlers living in the upper part of the valley. Below the surface of this reservoir once stood the community of Marquette. Small ranches lined both the North and South forks of the river. The government bought all these properties for roughly $400,000 in 1905. The settlers were allowed to remain until the reservoir began to fill in 1910. More information on the development of the Shoshone Project can be found at Buffalo Bill Dam Visitors Center 1.5 miles east of this site and at nine other Wayside Exhibits located on the Project.
Project History. On February 10, 1904, the Secretary of the Interior set aside $2,250,000 for the initial construction of the Shoshone Project, one of the first federal reclamation projects in the nation, and the largest federal project in Wyoming. The Project was settled in four divisions: the Garland in 1907, Frannie in1917, the Willwood in 1927 and finally, Heart Mountain in 1946. Today, the Project comprises 93,000 acres. Major crops are alfalfa hay, sugar beets, dry edible beans, malting barley and specialty crops.
Buffalo Bill Reservoir
The Shoshone Project Story
The development by the U.S. Reclamation Service of the great irrigation project in the lower Shoshone valley required sacrifice of their land by the settlers living in the upper part of the valley. Below the surface of this reservoir once stood the community of Marquette. Small ranches lined both the North and South forks of the river. The government bought all these properties for roughly $400,000 in 1905. The settlers were allowed to remain until the reservoir began to fill in 1910.
More information on the development of the Shoshone Project can be found at Buffalo Bill Dam Visitors Center 1.5 miles east of this site and at nine other Wayside Exhibits located on the Project.
Project History
On February 10, 1904, the Secretary of the Interior set aside $2,250,000 for the initial construction of the Shoshone Project, one of the first federal reclamation projects in the nation, and the largest federal project in Wyoming. The Project was settled in four divisions: the Garland in 1907, Frannie in1917, the Willwood in 1927 and finally, Heart Mountain in 1946.
Today, the Project comprises 93,000 acres. Major crops are alfalfa hay, sugar beets, dry edible beans, malting barley and specialty crops.
Location. 44° 29.982′ N, 109° 13.085′ W. Marker is in Cody, Wyoming, in Park County. Marker is on North Fork Hwy (U.S. 14) half a mile east of Verner Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cody WY 82414, United States of America. Touch for directions.
View looking east. At left, at the base of the mountain, is the Buffalo Bill Dam, which forms the reservoir.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2017. It was originally submitted on June 1, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 1, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
