A Brief History of Delta
Delta incorporated on October 24, 1882, at the meeting of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre rivers, in the homeland of the Ute people. Agriculture, ranching, mining and irrigation shaped its early economy. Ditches and canals carried river water to farms, while rail transportation helped growers reach markets. Civic improvements followed: the council authorized an electric-light franchise in 1897, and the city’s first electric lights came on New Year’s Day in 1903. A municipal electric utility established in 1935 marked another step in the community’s development.
Historical Sources
City of Delta: History and Culture · History of Electricity · City Facts