Fort Uncompahgre: Western Colorado's Oldest Fort & Trading Post

Colorado history is full of brave and rugged Americans. In Western Colorado, Fort Uncompahgre (Fort Rubidoux) is considered the oldest fort or Anglo settlements on this side of the Rockies.

So, who occupied Fort Uncompahgre, and what was it like to live on the Western Slope 30 years before Colorado was even a territory? Let's start by checking out the replica of the fort rebuilt during the early 1990s in Delta, Colorado.

Colorado's Fort Uncompahgre: 10 Facts You May Not Have Known

Colorado's Fort Uncompahgre is believed to be one of the first Anglo settlements built on the Western Slope. Fort Uncompahgre was erected several years before "Bent's Fort' on the Sante Fe Trail. Today, it exists as an interpretive site in Delta, Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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Origins of Fort Uncompahgre

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The location of the original 1828 settlement at Fort Uncompahgre has been lost to time. Nobody knows exactly where Antoine Robidoux built his fur trading post, but we do know it was a mile or two South of the confluence of the Gunnison/Uncompahgre Rivers (known as Confluence Park).

Robidoux built his trading post to protect livestock and secure goods, it was not a military fort. It's location meant constant trading between Ute indians, Mexican soldiers, and travelers using the North branch of the Old Spanish Trail.

The Role of Soldiers at the Fort

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When Antoine Robidou built his settlement, the land was part of the country of Mexico. Robodou and his family were from the Santa Fe area. Most of his employees were of Mexican descent and signed one-year contracts. Occasionally, Mexican soldiers would stop at the fort as part of an escort.

Soldiers would keep the fort supplied, they would drill, and stick to military discipline. They grew their own food if they stayed for extended periods of time.

Violence between the Ute Indians and Mexican troops would come to a head in 1844. The site was abandoned following the fighting. Robidou would never return to the area, and neither would Mexican troops following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.

Legacy and Preservation

Today, the Fort Uncompahgre Interpretive Center is open to the public and is embraced by the community of Delta, Colorado. The site is open Mon to Sat 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit FortUncompahgre.com to learn more about Blacksmithing classes, Western Wednesday Movie Night, the lecture series, and outdoor expos offered at the fort.

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Western Colorado is home to the Colorado River, the Gunnison River, and the Uncompahgre River. As the smallest of the three, most people aren't as familiar with this important waterway serving Ridgway, Montrose, and Delta. Keep going to learn thirteen cool facts about the Uncompahgre River in western Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams