Native Americans

For the city celebration in 1911, the commissioner of Indian Affairs announced he didn't like for the "Indians" to be used for "wild west" shows, and that they could only dance if it were for historical reasons, and each adult were paid 5 dollars. The dances "performed" were discourage on the reservations, and so to get more Utes to attend, the name was changed to Shan Kive in 1912.

The school superintendent of the Southern Ute Agency, Werner, still did not want the Utes to attend, and after much discussion agreed to allow it if they were not allowed to receive any liquor, and were paid one dollar for expenses. c/o. Haines Photo, Library of Congress

Utes were generally friendly with the Colorado City settlers from the beginning. They would pass through up Ute Pass to hunt (and sometimes fight other tribes) and come back peacefully. During one very dry year they even camped in the wooded area around the junction of Camp Creek and Fountain Creek, today's 31st Street and Highway 24.

Not so the Arapahoe, who in 1868, raided just east of Colorado City, killing the two young Robbin's boys in today's Shooks Run, and 17 year old Charlie Everhart, mutilating them all. (their bodies were laid out in the Garvin cabin). And they shot at 'Judge' Baldwin, knocking him from his horse, started to scalp him, but saw he had been scalped before, so let him go.

Colorado Springs - which never went through the Indian Wars, started the Shan Kive in 1912 in the Garden of the Gods. It went on for over 36 years.