Papers of John R. Fetcher

Collection

Identifier: WJRF

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Papers of John R. Fetcher consists of documents dated 1960 to 1966 and 2009. The collection largely relates to the construction of Steamboat Lake located in Routt County, Colorado. Initially named the Willow Creek Reservoir, Steamboat Lake is fed by Deep Creek, Dutch Creek, Floyd Creek, Larson Creek, and Willow Creek. The collection includes reports on the project's projected impact to the wildlife and ecology of the area as well as maps, blueprints, notes, and a brochure concerning the project. The collection also includes several blueprints for the Elk River Project (which was never built) and a DVD from the Steamboat Pilot and Today containing video of Fetcher's memorial service as well as a photo slideshow of his life.

Dates

Creation: 1960-1966 and 2009

Creator

Fetcher, John R. (Person)

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

Biography

John R. Fetcher was instrumental in the creation of many of Colorado's recreational areas through his involvement in the construction of several large water projects. Fetcher was born January 1, 1912, in Winnetka, Illinois. He graduated from Winnetka's New Trier High School in 1929 and then went on to earn his B.S. in electrical engineering as well as his M.S. in business and engineering from Harvard College. He married Clarissa Sidney Wells on June 19, 1943, and settled in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. The couple had four children named Ned, Bill, Jay, and Amie. In 1949, John and his brother Stanton moved their families to Clark, Colorado, about 23 miles north of Steamboat Springs.

The brothers bought a ranch and settled into mountain life near Steamboat Springs in Routt County. Fetcher became an active member of the community. He became involved in Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club in 1953 and helped correct problems with Howelsen Hill's lifts and ski jumps by using his engineering knowledge. Fetcher served as the Steamboat Springs Ski Area's president from 1962 to 1970. He also served as a volunteer ski patrolman. In 1983 Fetcher was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame. Helping found the Mount Werner Sewer and Water District, Fetcher served as the district manager from 1965 to 1997. Fetcher also helped found the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District in 1966 and only retired from his position as the organization's secretary shortly before his death.

In 1967, part of the Fetcher family's ranch was sold to allow construction of Steamboat Lake. Fetcher was involved extensively with the creation of Steamboat Lake, as well as Yamcolo Reservoir in 1981 and Stagecoach Reservoir in 1989. He helped found Steamboat and Stagecoach State Parks.

Fetcher served as both a member and an officer of the Colorado Water Conservation Board from 1970 to 1980. In 1992 he was honored with the prestigious Aspinall Award from the Colorado Water Congress, and in 2000 he became the first recipient of the Steamboat Heritage Award. John Fetcher served his community until his death on February 6, 2009.

Extent

0.25+ linear feet (1 document box, 1 flat file)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

John R. Fetcher (1912-2009) was instrumental in the creation of several of Colorado's recreational areas through his involvement in the construction of large water projects. Fetcher helped found the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District and only retired shortly before his death. The collection largely relates to the construction of Steamboat Lake located in Routt County, Colorado. The collection includes reports, maps, blueprints, notes, and a brochure. Also included in the collection are blueprints for the Elk River Project and a DVD from Steamboat Pilot and Today documenting Fetcher's memorial service. A portion of the collection is digitized and online.

Arrangement

The collection arrived in no particular order and was re-organized by projects and material type. The collection consists of one box and three oversized folders.

Acquisition

The Papers of John R. Fetcher was acquired by the Water Resources Archive on June 30, 2009. The papers were donated by son Jay Fetcher.

Online Materials

The collection's reports and some maps have been scanned and are available through the Colorado State University Libraries website. In the electronic version of this document, direct links appear in context.

Processing

The processing of this collection was completed in August 2009. The 25 oversized items were unfolded and their metal fasteners were removed. The items were flattened to store in oversized map folders. Unbuffered acid-free tissue paper was placed between blueprints. The DVD was placed in an archival case. The reports, hand-written note, and brochure were rehoused in acid-free folders and stored in an archival box.