Pieter Hondius, Sr., originally from Holland, came to Estes Park in 1896. Like many asthmatics, he came for the clean, dry air. Hondius began acquiring land for the purposes of agriculture, and eventually held almost 2000 acres in Beaver Meadows and Horseshoe Park. Cattle ranching and hay farming proved to be difficult in Estes Park’s climate, however, and Hondius eventually began selling off his holdings to summer tourists to build seasonal cabins.
Estes Park’s municipal water system did not include the High Drive area; consequently, Hondius had to provide water to the lots he sold. He built the Buck Creek Reservoir, which is currently located on National Park land just northwest of the main High Drive development, in 1906. A system of shallowly buried pipes from the reservoir delivered water to various homes nearby. The reservoir rapidly proved inadequate to meet the needs of nearly 200 summer cottages. With no formal engineering training, Hondius extended his water system into Upper Beaver Meadows, and tapped the stream there.
Hondius died in 1934, and management fell to his wife, Eleanor. By 1945, increasing water use by residents, coupled with the unreliable nature of the system, prompted residents to seek an alternative. A petition was circulated by resident Alwyn C. Haffiier for a 4″ municipal water line. Eleanor, upon hearing of the petition, circulated her own petition, convincing homeowners that the cost of city water was too high. The matter was dropped, but the problems continued.
In 1975, another effort was made to bring city water into the area. Residents formed the High Drive Water District, and in May of 1975, a bond to raise the $357,000 needed for a new water system was passed. Unfortunately, a single homeowner, who had a well and did not want to pay a mill levy, challenged the High Drive Water District in court. By the time the case concluded 10 years later, momentum for the project had dwindled. In a second election on the issue, homeowners voted against the project. Instead, several thousand dollars were spent to upgrade the existing system.
In 1996, the line between Buck Creek Reservoir and Upper Beaver Meadows was abandoned in favor of a municipal water line to service the Reservoir. The current Hondius system is now served by city (Town of Estes Park) water, which is purchased by the Hondius system from the Town.
For a more thorough history of the early Hondius Water system, please visit the Library of Congress’ Historic American Buildings survey at: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/co0480/. Andy Anderson’s History of the High Drive Area, available at the Estes Valley Library, also provides interesting background reading.