Two Buttes Dam and Wildlife Area

The 1909 dam is significant for its engineering and as an intact example of a turn-of-the-century earthen dam built to aid in irrigating portions of southeastern Colorado. The dam was built before machinery with horses, mules and hand labor. Remains of the canal that delivered water many miles for farming use are still visible above the road through the adjacent Two Buttes State Wildlife Area that lies at the foot of the dam. Locally known as the "Black Hole," the deep water between the cliffs remains a vital source of water (and popular swimming hole) even when the reservoir is dry.