By 1909, the completion of the Garland Canal brought water to the arid
lands in the central Bighorn Basin, transforming the high plains desert
into irrigated farmland. Homesteaders and businessmen poured into the
region and established the town of Powell, named after famed government
explorer John Wesley Powell. Residents of Powell worked through the
years to overcome a variety of obstacles and establish a vibrant and
lasting community that would continue to bloom in the arid landscape.