Ute Council Tree

An ancient cottonwood, once part of a grove where local Ute Indians camped and held council before 1881, stood near an Indian trail and came to be known as the Ute Council Tree in 1930. Edith Castle, who as a young teenager listened to conversations between her father, Newton Castle, and Chipeta, wife of Ute Chief Ouray, during Chipeta's visits after the Ute tribes were removed from the area in 1881, later served as DAR regent in 1930 and was instrumental in recognizing and honoring the historical significance of this sacred place. The tree had begun as a seedling around 1800 and survived for over 200 years, but during the final 50-60 years of its life its branches dropped periodically, creating danger below. After the last major branch on the trunk fell on August 1, 2017, leaving only the crown intact, the 89 foot crown was removed for public safety. The tree was cut down on August 25, 2017, leaving a 23 foot stump as a memorial to the Ute Indians, who still embrace its historical connection to their ancestors who once inhabited the area.

Delta, Colorado · United States