William Daven Farr
At 15, William Daven Farr worked on a ranch near Hayden, CO. At 19, he left Colorado to attend the University of Wisconsin. After school, Farr came home to help with the family farm. Farr worked on the farm until 1940, and during that time, his family bought an additional 125 head of cattle. After much success, they invested in a feedlot called Farr Feeders, and today, it is located east of Greeley, CO.
While on the farm, Farr worked with several irrigation companies, allowing him to see the vital role water played in keeping Greeley alive and growing. Later, Farr would become a dynamic player in the Big Thompson Water Project. This venture would bring water from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains to eight counties in the Northern Colorado region.
On top of the Big Thompson Water Project, Farr served as an advisor to the US Department of Agriculture under US Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Nixon. During this time, Farr represented the US Feed and Grains Council, traveling to other countries to talk with their agricultural leaders. Farr was also voted president of the Greeley Water Board and was active in the National Cattlemen's Association, serving as president in 1970.
Farr's success has been attributed to him being inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1991, Colorado Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995, Denver Western Stock Show Citizen of the West in 1999, and the Hall of Great Westerners in 2007.
On August 13, 2007, Farr died at 97. Those who knew him best described him as a pioneer rancher, water expert, financier, and visionary. Today, Farr’s legacy lives on in the form of parks, schools, libraries, and water plants. Many argue that Northern Colorado wouldn't be the same today without Farr's hard work.
While on the farm, Farr worked with several irrigation companies, allowing him to see the vital role water played in keeping Greeley alive and growing. Later, Farr would become a dynamic player in the Big Thompson Water Project. This venture would bring water from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains to eight counties in the Northern Colorado region.
On top of the Big Thompson Water Project, Farr served as an advisor to the US Department of Agriculture under US Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Nixon. During this time, Farr represented the US Feed and Grains Council, traveling to other countries to talk with their agricultural leaders. Farr was also voted president of the Greeley Water Board and was active in the National Cattlemen's Association, serving as president in 1970.
Farr's success has been attributed to him being inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1991, Colorado Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995, Denver Western Stock Show Citizen of the West in 1999, and the Hall of Great Westerners in 2007.
On August 13, 2007, Farr died at 97. Those who knew him best described him as a pioneer rancher, water expert, financier, and visionary. Today, Farr’s legacy lives on in the form of parks, schools, libraries, and water plants. Many argue that Northern Colorado wouldn't be the same today without Farr's hard work.