According to Ute elder Roland McCook, the Ute name for the Crystal River Valley was “Nuche-Mu-Gu-Avatum-Ada’he,” or “The People’s Place of the Heart.” The first white settlers who arrived in the Valley somewhat unimaginatively named the river “Rock Creek.” The contrast in cultural sensitivity was palpable. It was soon realized by early settlement boosters that […]
Nuche
Roland McCook shares Ute history in Colorado, 1860-present
On April 11, Roland McCook, an Uncompahgre band member from the Ute Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, shared his knowledge and lived experience of Ute history in western Colorado. The free presentation was organized through the Glenwood Springs Historical Society’s speaker series and took place at the Glenwood Library. McCook currently runs an organization […]
Ute traditions inform water conservation in the Shining Mountains
“If we take care of that water, we know that water is going to take care of us,” stated Lorelei Cloud, who has spent a lifetime advocating for water conservation and access. Cloud, a former vice chairman of the Southern Ute tribe, was also the first tribal member on record to serve on the Colorado […]
Historiography: We shall fall as the leaves
The Meeker Massacre, as it is known in Colorado history, was the final straw for the U.S. Government in its territorial struggle with the Ute tribes, leading to expulsion from their Colorado homeland. Famously, the “Meeker Incident” as it’s referred to by the Utes, culminated in a small band of rebels taking women and children […]
Aspen Historical Society hosts ‘Ute Knowledge’ exhibit
History and culture buffs, mark your calendars: a free three-day pop-up exhibition is coming to the Aspen Historical Society (AHS) next week, providing an in-depth exploration of the technologies of the native Ute people — also called Nuche. Titled “Ute Knowledge: Colorado’s Original Science, Technology, Engineering & Math,” the exhibition will teach visitors how the […]
RVR walks us through time
Fifty people, give or take, showed up to the grand opening of the new River Valley Ranch (RVR) History Trail. In conjunction with the Carbondale Historical Society, RVR installed several informational panels along the paved path which circles the development. The premise is that folks can take a stroll and learn some history about the […]
