History of the Colorado Cooperative Company
In the winter of 1894 nine men and one women met and formed the Colorado Cooperative Company. The colony constructed an irrigation canal from the San Miguel River to Nucla on Tabeguache Park. Mostly hand dug, it took the company 9 years.
January 1903 the last nail was driven into Cottonwood trestle. It was built on a curve and was 110 feet high and 800 feet long. This was the highest trestle of its kind to be built in the United States. In 1904 the company created the Town Improvement Company with the charge of planning for the Town of Nucla.
History of the Vestal House
Lincoln and Amy Vestal joined the Colorado Cooperative Company in 1900. Lincoln was heavily involved with the company as president, a director, general manager, and superintendent. They build their craftsman style home on their acreage on Tabeguache Park in anticipation of the irrigation ditch. They eventually sold their property to the Town Improvement Company. The Vestal property was the most scenic and logical area to build the town.
Owners throughout include Mary Buckley, Margaret Galley, Lee and Imogene Fagan, and John and Mary Helen deKoevend.
Mr. deKoevend had plans to build a restaurant on the property. Half way through the construction a medical issue forced him to abandon the project. The restaurant remained unfinished. Left was a brick shell. The old restaurant dining room is now the guest rooms and the the old kitchen and bathroom is now a common area with kitchen.