Fort Crawford, first known as Cantonment at Uncompahgre, was a U.S. military post along the

Uncompahgre River The Uncompahgre River is a tributary of the Gunnison River, approximately long, in southwestern Colorado in the United States. Lake Como at in northern San Juan County, in the Uncompahgre National Forest in the northwestern San Juan Mountain ...

, south of Montrose in

Montrose County, Colorado Montrose County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 42,679. The county seat is Montrose, Colorado, Montrose, for which the county is named. Montrose County com ...

. It was built following the

Meeker Massacre Meeker Massacre, or Meeker Incident, White River War, Ute War, or the Ute Campaign), took place on September 29, 1879 in Colorado. Members of a band of Ute people, Ute Indians (Native Americans of the United States, Native Americans) attacked t ...

and operated from 1880 to 1891. A historical marker is located somewhat near the site of the fort, which is on private property.

History

The

Ute people Ute () are an Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, Indigenous people of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau in present-day Utah, western Colorado, and northern New Mexico.Pritkzer''A Native American Encyclopedia'' p. 242 Historically, their t ...

hunted on ancestral hunting grounds and foraged for food, but they were increasingly pushed off the best land by settling farmers. When

Nathan Meeker Nathan Cook Meeker (July 12, 1817 – September 30, 1879) was a 19th-century American journalist, Homestead Acts, homesteader, entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the Federal government of the United States, federal government. He is noted for h ...

became a White River Ute Indian agent in 1878, he tried to force them to change their way of life and become farmers. When he was unsuccessful, he asked for help from the U.S. Army. Chief Douglas and warriors from his band attacked Meeker, killing him and seven other agency members on September 29, 1879, in what was called

. There was also a following attack on the forces of Major Thomas T. Thornburgh, killing him and nine others. Area residents then demanded removal of the Utes. After violation of a treaty by the Utes and the Anglo-Americans, the Utes would not leave and the Cantonment at Uncompahgre was established in July 1880 on the west bank of the Uncompahgre River. The Utes were moved to a desolate Utah reservation the following year. The post was renamed in honor of

Emmet Crawford Emmet Crawford (December 22, 1844 – January 18, 1886) was an American soldier who rose through the ranks to become an officer. He was most noted for his time spent in the Arizona Territory under General George Crook in the United States Cava ...

, who died fighting

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...

and the Apaches, in 1886. No longer necessary, the fort was deactivated in 1890. The buildings were sold and the land was made available for settlement. In 1966, the Chipeta Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society installed a marker by the site of the former fort.

Notes

References

External links

Historical marker
Fort Crawford {{Forts in Colorado Crawford 1880 establishments in Colorado Buildings and structures in Montrose County, Colorado 1891 disestablishments in Colorado Military installations established in 1880 Military installations closed in 1891