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Chipeta

By Jon Pinnow
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In the fraught story of the early years of Colorado settlement, you'll find two revered figures beside each other: Chief Ouray and his confidante, Chipeta.

Born in 1843 somewhere near Conejos, Chipeta was 16 when she married the Ute leader. She gave wise council in places women were not traditionally welcome, and she advocated for peace, even to aid some encroaching settlers lost in the wilderness. In 1880, Chipeta and her husband travelled to Washington to secure a lasting treaty for the Utes.

But Chief Ouray died soon after, and within months the Ute Removal Act forced Chipeta and her people to a reservation in Utah. She endured for 40 more years and died in a place called Bitter Creek. But in 1924 her remains were returned to Colorado, with thousands in attendance — a tribute to Chipeta’s legacy of resilience.

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Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.

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