Cuerno Verde - Colorado City, CO - Colorado Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Cuerno Verde

In the 1700's, this area of southern Colorado became a significant cultural crossroads for the Indian tribes of the high plains. Apache and Kiowas, Utes and Commanche all pleased in to take advantage of the abundant buffalo and other game. This caused a substantial amount of intertribal warfare the continued well into the 19th century. So intense was the struggle that even the name Commanche emerged from the Ute word "komantcia," meaning anyone who wants to fight me all the time.

By the 1700's, this area also formed the most northern extremity of the Spanish empire. From Sante Fe the capital of New Mexico, Spanish soldiers, explorers, and clergy ventured north to draw the plains people into trading alliances, spread Christianity, and quell the destructive raids on settlements in the Upper Rio Grande Valley.

After driving the Utes and Apaches off the plains in the mid-1700's, the Commanches began to make ever more destructive raids on the settlements in Northern New Mexico. In 1779, the Governor of New Mexico, Juan Bautista de Anza, led some 600 Spanish soldiers, along with their Ute and Apache allies, north to suppress the attacks, particularly those led by the Commanche chief known as Cuerno Verde (meaning Green Horn because of the headdress he wore in battle).

Although Anza's exact route is subject to debate, he and his men ascended the San Luis Valley, crossed the mountains to reach the Arkansas River, then worked their way east to the high plains. Hurrying south just east of the mountains, they intercepted Cuerno Verde's band somewhere in this area. a battle ensued at the base of Greenhorn Mountain - later named for Cuerno Verde - and the chief and several of his principal warriors died in the struggle. Anza then established a fragile peace, one that lasted until the early 1800's.

The map on the panel shows the route that Anza took

Group or Groups Responsible for Placement: Colorado Historical Society and Colorado Department of Transportation. County or City: Colorado City Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link] Date Dedicated: Not listed

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