The Ute Indian Museum tells the Ute story of the Uncompahgre Valley

Long before farms and canals filled the Uncompahgre Valley, it was Ute homeland. The Ute people lived across western Colorado, and this valley was central to the Uncompahgre band.

That history is held at the Ute Indian Museum, just south of Montrose. It is run by History Colorado, and it stands on ground connected to the Ute leader Ouray and his wife Chipeta, who were voices for their people during a hard and painful time. Through treaties and pressure, the Utes lost much of their Colorado land and were removed from the valley they had long called home. The museum does not paper over that. It tells the story from the Ute point of view, with belongings, words, and memory.

The grounds include a memorial and Chipeta’s grave, which makes the place quiet and personal, not just a set of exhibits. For anyone living in or moving to Montrose, it is a grounding stop, a reminder that the valley’s story did not begin with the tunnel and the corn.

To plan a visit and learn the history straight from the source, see the museum’s page through History Colorado.