Colorow

Colorow was a Ute chief of the Ute Mountain Utes, skilled horseman, and warrior. He was involved in treaty negotiations with the U.S. government. In 1879, he fought during the Meeker Massacre. Eight years later, his family members were attacked during Colorow's War.

Early life Colorow was born a Comanche about 1810. Five years later there was a battle in Northern New Mexico which resulted in him being kidnapped by the Muache band of Utes. He received the nickname "Red" or "Colorado" for his particularly red skin, as compared to the Utes. His name is spelled with a 'w' at the end, which is a reflection of english language speakers who would have heard the Spanish pronunciation of his name, "Colorao", which is a regional accent in Colorado and New Mexico Spanish where the 'd' in an 'ado' ending word is often softened or dropped, thus, Colorado would be spoken as Colorao, which to a non-Spanish speaker would sound like Colorow.

Career

Colorow was a skilled horseman and warrior. He traveled across the trails of Colorado, having known many chiefs of other tribes, fur trappers, military men, and the Spanish. In the 1840s he thought to surprise Black Kettle and his band he found camped at a spring where the Golden Mill stands today (1012 Ford Street) in the valley, but was thwarted when Black Kettle made an overnight tactical withdrawal to the top of North Table Mountain to be found the next morning upon the rim with his men shaking their blankets at Colorow in defiance. In 1856, a band of Arapaho and Cheyenne stole about 40 Ute horses. With Nevava and Ouray, Colorow fought for the stolen horses and although outnumbered eight-to-one were able to retrieve them and killed four of the enemy. He used a cave near Morrison for temporary shelter, which was named for him, Colorow's Cave. The town of Mount Vernon was built in the area in 1860, and Rooney Ranch that was built in their grazing area. Colorow and the Ute also had friendly and productive relations with Golden, Colorado, visiting the town seasonally around May and late summer, trading with its merchants, having wrestling and gambling contests with the townspeople including Golden Globe editor Edgar Watson Howe, with Colorow himself dining multiple times with Jefferson County Sheriff W.L. Smith and wife Sophrona, and with family socially visiting with Golden Transcript editor George West. Although West faced Colorow in hostilities later in 1887 as Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard, West, late in life, told the public he considered Colorow his "more or less esteemed and somewhat obese friend." Lookout Mountain and Indian Gulch at Golden were named because of Colorow, the mountain being a place where he camped, and Indian Gulch was where Colorow came to trade ponies with the townspeople. Colorow also spent part of each summer with his band in the Roaring Fork Valley between Aspen and Gunnison, Colorado. Colorow Point Park, Golden, Colorado Chief Colorow Park, Littleton, Colorado