In 1855, upon the counsel of Brigham Young, Joseph Harker, with John and Samuel Bennion, hand-dug the lower ditch to irrigate the farmland on the river bottoms west of the Jordan River. A small rock dam was constructed on the Jordan River at about 6300 South. Water was taken from the river at that point and came north to the park site. The ditch skirted the west and north boundaries of the park and then north to the mill. In 1880, a new grist mill was constructed on the Jordan River near 4800 South. Water was taken from the Lower Ditch to power the mill and the name Millrace was applied to the ditch.