Prior to 1868, Ute aboriginal territory in Colorado encompassed 56 million acres. After the treaty of 1868, Ute lands were reduced to 18 million acres. Under the terms of the 1868 Treaty with the Utes, two agencies were established. The northern agency was established on the White River to serve the Yampa, Grand River, and Uintah bands, while the southern agency was established on Los Pinos Creek in the Cochetopa Hills to serve the Tabeguache, Mouache, Weenuche, and Kapuuta bands. (© and Courtesy of Ute Ethnographic and Ethnobotanical Research in the Bonita Peak Mining District, in-text citations removed)

Map of Ute Treaty of 1868 — Ute Treaty of 1868 Map

Kapuuta Men Once Known, 1874, Hillers Photograph, J.W. Powell Expedition, Courtesy of the Library of Congress — Kapuuta Men Once Known, 1874
*Hillers Photograph, J.W. Powell Expedition, Courtesy of the Library of Congress*

In preparation of the treaty in 1868, a delegation of Ute leaders travelled to Washington D.C. along with Colorado Territorial Governor Alexander Hunt, as well as Kit Carson, and Lafayette Head, who were both serving as Indian Agents in the Colorado Territory. The federal government created a reservation encompassing nearly 16.5 million acres or roughly the western third of the territory. In return, the agencies at White River and Los Pinos would distribute annuities including food, tools, supplies, farming equipment, and farm animals for each family.

According to the Treaty of 1868, settlers, miners, and non-Native people could not enter, live on, or travel through the reservation. While many Ute leaders purportedly signed the treaty, some signatures were later disputed. Most significantly, many Ute leaders resented Ouray for not only signing the Treaty of 1868, but for agreeing with the U.S. Government’s desire for him to, “Speak on behalf of all Utes as their Chief.” This type of singular leadership went against traditional Ute practices, but nevertheless federal and state authorities preferred willful ignorance of Native beliefs, values, and traditions for the sake of expediency.