Meeker

Historical society offers Saturday tour of Milk Creek Battle site

MEEKER I After White River Indian Agent Nathan Meeker plowed up the Ute’s racetrack and tensions escalated, Meeker called for military assistance from the nearest fort, and Major Thomas T. Thornburgh and his 150 troops were dispatched from Fort Fred Steele in Wyoming. They rode south and crossed Milk Creek some 18 miles northeast of the White River Agency, where they were engaged in a fierce battle with the Utes that lasted 12 days.

During the siege, Thornburgh’s troops formed a wagon circle and sent out a plea for aid. In response, 35 African-American cavalrymen based out of Fort Lewis, Colo., broke through the Indian line to reinforce their comrades-in-arms. A relief expedition of 350 men led by Col. Wesley Merritt from Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., finally lifted the siege on Oct. 5, 1879. Army casualties were 13 dead, including Major Thornburgh, and 43 wounded.
The Utes had attacked the White River Agency on Sept. 29, 1879, and killed all the white male employees of the agency, including Nathan Meeker.
The Milk Creek Battle was the last major engagement between a Native American tribe and the United States Army.
To commemorate the battle and honor all those who lost their lives in the 1879 Battle of Milk Creek, a memorial park has been built on County Road 15, approximately 17 miles northeast of Meeker, and attracts heritage tourists from throughout the world as an historic destination.
The Rio Blanco County Historical Society and many other organizations and individuals worked together to create two monuments at the site: one for the Utes who died and one for the soldiers. Gates designed by iron artist Mark Scritchfield and local mason Paul Vinzant tell the story of the battle at the park’s entrance.
A comprehensive tour of the battle site will be held July 5 and is suitable for adults and school-age children. Along the 17-mile route to the site, the tour will make three stops to offer additional history related to the Milk Creek Battle, and tour guides at the site will share a detailed account of what happened during the 12-day siege.
Tour-takers should meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 5, at the White River Museum, 565 Park Ave., Meeker. The two-hour tour costs $10 per adult, children are free.

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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