Following the Meeker Massacre of 1879 and the ambush of Major T.T. Thornburgh's relief force, Colorado residents demanded the removal of the Ute Indians. A treaty was signed, but the Uncompahgre Utes proved defiant, and in July, 1880, the Cantonment on the Uncompahgre was established on this site to guard settlers and pacify the Indians. After the Ute removal in 1881, the camp settled into routine garrison duty. In 1886 the post was renamed Fort Crawford in honor of Captain Emmet Crawford, who was killed that year fighting Geronimo’s Apache band. By the end of the decade the fort had outlived its usefulness. It was deactivated in 1890, the buildings were sold at auction, and the land was opened to settlement.