When the Bar I Ranch was established, the north side of the ranch was the center of the present Town of Cedaredge.
Around 1885, the ranch consisted of 850 acres which farmed 600 acres of alfalfa. They were putting up 2,000 to 3,000 tons of hay each year. Henry Kohler, manager and part owner, brought 10,000 head of cows with calves onto the ranch. They ran the cattle on Grand Mesa in the summer and in the winter some were taken to the alkali flats in Delta. The ranch had the very best water right in the valley.
The Bar I Ranch and Cattle Company which was classed as "the best ranch west of the Divide".
At the time the ranch was established, it had a large grove of cedar trees. Sophia Kohler gave the ranch the name of "Cedar Edge". When the petition for new settlement was sent to the Postal Dept. , for some reason the two words were combined to make it "Cedaredge".