White River Massacre

Nathan Meeker was the Indian Agent at White River.
Nathan Meeker wanted to change how the Utes were living. He wanted them to become like the Greeley Pioneers and be educated, church-going farmers. He did not want them to hunt any longer.

The Utes did not like the changes that Meeker was making.
They wanted to keep things as they were. Nathan Meeker wanted them to plow up their horse racing track to use for farm land. The Utes would not do it so one day Meeker did it on his own. This made the Utes very angry.

The Utes decided to kill Nathan Meeker and the other men. They took the women and children as hostages.
On September 29, 1879, The Utes were already fighting the soldiers that Meeker had asked to come and help him force the Utes to farm. When they heard that Meeker had plowed up the race track, they went to the agency and killed all of the men. They captured the women and children and burned down the building.

When Chipeta (wife of Chief Ouray) heard the news of the massacre, she went alone to help free the women and children.
Chipeta rode alone to tell Chief Ouray what had happened. He told the fighting Utes that he would not help them.

Shawsheen (sister to Chief Ouray) lived on the White River Agency land, and she pleaded with the captors and was able to get the women and children released to Chipeta and Ouray.

Chipeta and Ouray then returned to women and children to freedom, but the Utes were doomed. After this event, the Utes were banished from Colorado. They were sent away from their homes.