The Whitney Irrigation District was formed in 1922 and construction of Whitney Lake and a network of pipelines and irrigation ditches that brought much-needed water to the area was completed in 1925. Our thanks to Dixie Thompson, Secretary of the district for making these photographs available.
Workers finalizing installation of the Whitney Lake pipeline. Photo was taken in about 1925.
Water elevation drop -- looking north at "Rasmussen Outlet," part of the Whitney Lake project in 1924.
Measuring the flow of water flowing through the irrigation ditches was important. Officials from the university came to provide guidance with the techniques necessary to conduct such measurements.
Water running north just below "Spearman Outlet" -- part of the Whitney Irrigation Project.
A field of winter wheat. Note the shadow of the photographer in the foreground.
A haystack on the old Rasmussen place.
The caption on the back of this old photograph identified this fellow as Cy Spearman. He was a part of the irrigation project and also served as Dawes County Sheriff.
Rail cars of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad filled with sugar beets. Taken at Whitney, Nebraska in the late 1920s.
Loading sugar beets aboard a Burlington Route freight car.
A view of the old beet dump near the railroad tracks in Whitney. Notes on the back of this photograph indicate that the "Jordan or Cunningham" house can be seen in the background.
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