Story of the Land

Nathan Meeker

The Ute Treaty of 1868, often referred to as the Kit Carson Treaty after a US government agent, established western Colorado including Glenwood Springs (see map in the April 1^st entry below) as a reservation for Ute people. Mining in the Rockies was one of the key motivating factors for moving native people to a reservation in western Colorado. The treaty also established the White River Ute Agency at Meeker. In retrospect, the Ute Treaty was the beginning of the end for the established culture and norms of the indigenous people of Colorado.

Indian agencies such as the White River Agency were set up to monitor and control economic activity between the US government and native people.  Agencies were led by Indian Agents who served as representatives for the US government and enforcers of government policy. Agents oversaw the building of residences, shops, barns, and other needed buildings and typically managed employees including farmers, blacksmiths, and teachers.

The White River Agency, like other agencies, was also expressly focused on “civilizing” Ute peoples. Establishing reservations made Ute nomadic practices impossible and created a dependence on government supplies and required the need to farm. Indigenous people were also expected to send their children to white schools and turn in Ute who committed wrongs to the government.

Due to a number of issues, including a 175 mile trek from a rail station in Rawlins, Wyoming to get supplies to the agency, leadership of the White River Agency was turned over to 61 year old Nathan Meeker (photo above) in May, 1878. Meeker, a highly religious poet and war correspondent during the Civil War was excited for the opportunity to lead White River.

It was also a grand opportunity for Meeker to reestablish himself financially. Meeker went to White River under the threat of a lawsuit by investors for losing money in the development of an agricultural commune in modern day Greeley, Colorado.

With a belief that agriculture would be the savior of the Ute, Meeker’s first action was to move The White River Agency 15 miles to fertile farmland in Powell’s Valley. This fertile farmland was already used by the Ute as a horse pasture and racetrack. He built a school, store, and house for his family. Meeker’s wife Arvella appointed herself as a religious teacher for the Ute while his daughter Josephine was paid to be a schoolmistress and doctor.

Having the Ute grow crops was also a way for Meeker to pay for the agency. Uninterested in farming, most Ute left to follow traditional hunting and gathering circuits. To force compliance, Meeker followed Bureau of Indian Affair’s practices and withheld food and supplies for not following his teachings. Meeker’s hard line stances and, belief that Ute peoples were inferior intellectually and of character, portended the conflict that removed most Ute from 12-million-acres of Colorado in 1879 as well as the fate of Nathan Meeker [Part. 2, 4/27/22].

How familiar are you with this information? Does the recollection of what you learned differ from the way I am presenting the information? As always, I invite your feedback and ideas on actions you are considering for integrating land history into your work and perspectives.