Fort Uncompahgre was a fur trading post constructed in 1828 by Antoine Robidoux, a trader based out of Mexican Santa Fe. The post was situated about two miles down from the confluence of the Gunnison River and the Uncompahgre River, near the present day community of Delta, Colorado. Its design was more to secure goods and livestock than to be defensive,[1] and was abandoned in 1844 when hostilities broke out between Ute and Mexicans.[2]
Fort Uncompahgre | |
|---|---|
Trading post and fort | |
 The entrance to Fort Uncompahgre, originally built in 1928 and rebuilt in 1990 | |
| Nickname: Fort Robidoux | |
  Fort Uncompahgre | |
| Coordinates: 38°44′58″N 108°04′25″W / 38.7494°N 108.0736°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Delta |
| Nearest town | Delta |
In 1989–1990, local historian William Bailey headed up a group that reconstructed the fort. This reconstruction of the fur trading post is open to the public,[3] although the precise location of the original site has been lost and little is known about the original construction or layout.[1]
See also
edit- History of Colorado
- Fort Robidoux, northeastern Utah
References
edit- ^ a b "Fort Uncompahgre". Michael Schaubs. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- ^ O’Rourke, Paul. "Antoine Robidoux, Notorious Trapping and Trading Entrepreneur". Telluride Magazine. No. Winter/Spring 2009-2010. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- ^ "Fort Uncompahgre". Southwest Colorado Heritage. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
Further reading
edit- Antoine Robidoux and Fort Uncompahgre, Ken Reyher, ISBN 1-890437-13-1 Western Reflections Publishing Co.