POWELL PARK In October 1868, Major John Wesley Powell, his wife, Emma Dean Powell, and a party of 20 students and neighbors came to the White River Valley and established winter quarters in the wide open space, later known as Powell’s Bottoms. They spent the winter of 1868-69 exploring the White and Green Rivers, also [...]
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Category: Local History
THE MEEKER MASSACRE The Meeker Massacre didn’t take place on the site of the Town of Meeker. The town didn’t exist at that time. It took place at the Indian Agency on the White River, on September 29, 1879. Nathan C. Meeker was the Indian Agent in charge of the Agency, which was located on [...]
THORNBURGH BATTLEGROUND The Thornburgh Battleground is on County Road 15. The turnoff from Highway 13, east of Meeker, is marked by a blue State Highway sign: Access to National Forest Yellowjacket Pass Right at the turn a brown sign says: Yellowjacket Pass Thornburgh Battleground 17 miles. The monument of the Thornburgh Battleground has been moved [...]
Nathan C. Meeker This was the final straw that brought on the massacre. Nathan C. Meeker was killed. Ten men, employed as carpenters by the Government, were killed. Mrs. Meeker, her daughter Josephine, Mrs. Price and her two small children were taken captive by the Indians. Because of the heroic efforts of Chipeta and Chief [...]
Early History of the Town of Meeker The following article was written by Mr. W. D. Simms of Meeker, Colorado, now deceased, but one whom the community will never forget for his insight and keen interest in the early founding of the town, and his avid interest that contributed to the progress and growth of [...]
THE MEEKER BANK ROBBERY OCTOBER 13, 1896 One of the most dramatic and colorful events ever to occur in northwestern Colorado was the attempted robbery of the Bank of Meeker which occurred on Tuesday, October 13, 1896. For a few hectic moments, bullets flew thick and fast in this pioneer town, and when the fusillade [...]
SITE OF THE FIRST INDIAN AGENCY ON THE WHITE RIVER A historical sign on County Highway 8, which turns off Colorado 13, east of Meeker, points to the site of the first Indian Agency on the White River. It is nine miles east of Meeker. The first Indian Agent came here in the fall of [...]
THE UTE WAR OF 1887 Carryover hostility from the Meeker Massacre, September 29, 1878, was the probable cause of the last major struggle of Indians versus White Man, resulting in the Ute War of 1887. Chipeta and Colorow were the only surviving participants of the massacre that resulted in the Ute Indians being driven out [...]
