The Utes Must Go!

In 1873, Chief Ouray and the Utes yielded four million acres to white gold miners. Still the miners were dissatisfied and in 1876, sought to remove the Utes from the newly recognized state of Colorado and send them to Indian Territory. Coloradans even blamed the Utes for unsolved murders and natural disasters. An eccentric named Nathan Meeker thought he could "civilize" the Utes and he tried to force them into a completely new way of life. When they resisted, tensions rose. A Utes chief met Major Thomas Thornburgh and they agreed to meet in a small group: one misunderstanding led to another and a large battle ensued. Eventually Chief Ouray submitted and the Utes moved to a reservation.