A Brief History of Ordway
Established in 1890, Ordway was named for George N. Ordway, president of the company developing the area. The town grew beside the Missouri Pacific Railroad as irrigation opened surrounding land to farming. The Colorado Canal began delivering water in 1891, supporting the agricultural economy that sustained Ordway and neighboring communities. When Crowley County separated from Otero County in 1911, Ordway became its county seat. Farming, rail shipment and livestock shaped the town’s early economy, while drought and the Dust Bowl later placed severe pressure on the county’s farms and ranches.