mistressofmuses (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mistressofmuses) wrote2025-10-13 12:17 pm
mistressofmuses) wrote2025-10-13 12:17 pm
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Monday, September 29: The Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
I still have one post from the lantern festival, but I'm getting slightly out of order, because it's Indigenous Peoples' Day, and that feels like a fitting time to post about our visit to Sand Creek.
Then again, memorializing a horrific massacre isn't exactly celebratory, so.
A couple weeks ago, we decided to take my weekend and go out to the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. Alex has wanted to go out there for some time, but it's far enough that it would have to be an overnight trip, so we just hadn't had a good chance to. We had a weekend free, and could swing the hotel expense, so we decided to go.
It was a good trip. It's a somber, tragic place, but still good.
"Welcome to the Massacre" sets a bit of a weird tone, gotta say.
This sign does have the very brief explanation of the site and the massacre itself: November 29, 1864, the US Volunteer Cavalry attacked a peaceful camp of Arapaho and Cheyenne natives. They were camped in a place they had been told to go; they were actively engaging in peace talks with the territorial and federal governments; they had emblems that indicated they were part of these talks, they were flying an American flag, they flew a white flag of surrender; the camp itself was largely made up of women, children, and elders... And the Cavalry attacked and murdered them anyway, killing more than 200 of them, and mutilating many of the victims.
A 33 Star American flag. This is the flag that at the time would have been flown over the camp; the one that was ignored, even though it was supposed to keep them safe.
The site is pretty far away, and there weren't many people there, but we weren't the only ones, either.
We arrived pretty much just in time for one of the ranger-led talks about the history of the site. While I already knew a fair amount about it, it was still informative. The ranger who led it was very nice, and spent a lot of time talking with us. (It was Alex and me and then another couple who came to the talk.)
We were initially a little leery of the other two, as the guy fairly quickly brought up being a veteran. That shouldn't feel like a red flag, but. Turns out it was not; the guy had a lot to say about military violence, and how horrible anything like this was. When the ranger opened it up for questions, he asked about how he'd heard the current administration is threatening to shut sites like this down, or wants to ensure that things have to be portrayed positively, and wanted to know if those were concerns.
The ranger said that yes, those are very real concerns. He said they're under a lot of scrutiny, and well... "Massacre" is in the name of the site. It's hard to sugar-coat. He also said he has to inform us that if we feel he was being too negative about the nation's history, then we can report him and the site.
The other guy had some opinions about what bullshit that was, and how important history was, and accountability for history, and knowing what we've done wrong so we can do better now, etc. Appreciated it.
My thoughts on the mandatory signage. "Anything negative about past Americans..." Welp. They were murderous assholes, so.
There was discussion of a couple soldiers who did the right thing. Two in particular: Silas Soule, and Joseph Cramer. Both of them disobeyed orders and refused to fire. They also both later testified against Chivington.
I've visited Silas Soule's grave in Riverside Cemetery. He was murdered shortly after his testimony regarding the massacre; it is believed that is likely why he was murdered.
There are a few trails to different parts of the site. You can't go to the massacre site itself, though you can go up to an overlook. We didn't have time for one of the longer trails (the site's hours are limited, and they're closed on Tuesdays completely, so we had to do it on the Monday, after the long drive out, leaving us with limited time.)
One thing that we noticed on the walk up the trail we did take: so many grasshoppers! So many different kinds of grasshoppers. I'll put my squeeing over bugs into a separate post, though.
Looking out toward the actual camp site. Either a raven or a turkey vulture soaring over; I never got quite a good enough look at it to tell.
Toward the camp.
We met a couple older women up at the overlook. They also expressed that they were visiting because they'd heard about attempts to shut the site down by the federal government. They said that if the government tries, they and their friends will all come back and protest. Told them we'd see them there, ha.
One of the places I found most... emotional, I guess. There is a place for repatriation; remains are still being recovered. There were a lot of bodies and body parts, as well as belongings, taken as trophies. Some are still being found. The ranger mentioned that the most recent was earlier this year. I believe he said that the femur of a teenage girl had been found and returned.
These are not all of the signs at the site; there were several I didn't get pictures of. But here are some with more information.
I appreciate that someone has scratched up Chivington's face.
The National Parks and Monuments have a "BARK Ranger" program. (Basically you bring your dog and promise to keep them on leash and pick up their poop.) But Bella got a BARK Ranger tag!)
I guess it was good timing that we went before the shutdown.
Then again, memorializing a horrific massacre isn't exactly celebratory, so.
A couple weeks ago, we decided to take my weekend and go out to the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. Alex has wanted to go out there for some time, but it's far enough that it would have to be an overnight trip, so we just hadn't had a good chance to. We had a weekend free, and could swing the hotel expense, so we decided to go.
It was a good trip. It's a somber, tragic place, but still good.
"Welcome to the Massacre" sets a bit of a weird tone, gotta say.
This sign does have the very brief explanation of the site and the massacre itself: November 29, 1864, the US Volunteer Cavalry attacked a peaceful camp of Arapaho and Cheyenne natives. They were camped in a place they had been told to go; they were actively engaging in peace talks with the territorial and federal governments; they had emblems that indicated they were part of these talks, they were flying an American flag, they flew a white flag of surrender; the camp itself was largely made up of women, children, and elders... And the Cavalry attacked and murdered them anyway, killing more than 200 of them, and mutilating many of the victims.
A 33 Star American flag. This is the flag that at the time would have been flown over the camp; the one that was ignored, even though it was supposed to keep them safe.
The site is pretty far away, and there weren't many people there, but we weren't the only ones, either.
We arrived pretty much just in time for one of the ranger-led talks about the history of the site. While I already knew a fair amount about it, it was still informative. The ranger who led it was very nice, and spent a lot of time talking with us. (It was Alex and me and then another couple who came to the talk.)
We were initially a little leery of the other two, as the guy fairly quickly brought up being a veteran. That shouldn't feel like a red flag, but. Turns out it was not; the guy had a lot to say about military violence, and how horrible anything like this was. When the ranger opened it up for questions, he asked about how he'd heard the current administration is threatening to shut sites like this down, or wants to ensure that things have to be portrayed positively, and wanted to know if those were concerns.
The ranger said that yes, those are very real concerns. He said they're under a lot of scrutiny, and well... "Massacre" is in the name of the site. It's hard to sugar-coat. He also said he has to inform us that if we feel he was being too negative about the nation's history, then we can report him and the site.
The other guy had some opinions about what bullshit that was, and how important history was, and accountability for history, and knowing what we've done wrong so we can do better now, etc. Appreciated it.
My thoughts on the mandatory signage. "Anything negative about past Americans..." Welp. They were murderous assholes, so.
There was discussion of a couple soldiers who did the right thing. Two in particular: Silas Soule, and Joseph Cramer. Both of them disobeyed orders and refused to fire. They also both later testified against Chivington.
I've visited Silas Soule's grave in Riverside Cemetery. He was murdered shortly after his testimony regarding the massacre; it is believed that is likely why he was murdered.
There are a few trails to different parts of the site. You can't go to the massacre site itself, though you can go up to an overlook. We didn't have time for one of the longer trails (the site's hours are limited, and they're closed on Tuesdays completely, so we had to do it on the Monday, after the long drive out, leaving us with limited time.)
One thing that we noticed on the walk up the trail we did take: so many grasshoppers! So many different kinds of grasshoppers. I'll put my squeeing over bugs into a separate post, though.
Looking out toward the actual camp site. Either a raven or a turkey vulture soaring over; I never got quite a good enough look at it to tell.
Toward the camp.
We met a couple older women up at the overlook. They also expressed that they were visiting because they'd heard about attempts to shut the site down by the federal government. They said that if the government tries, they and their friends will all come back and protest. Told them we'd see them there, ha.
One of the places I found most... emotional, I guess. There is a place for repatriation; remains are still being recovered. There were a lot of bodies and body parts, as well as belongings, taken as trophies. Some are still being found. The ranger mentioned that the most recent was earlier this year. I believe he said that the femur of a teenage girl had been found and returned.
Six pictures of signs from the site:
These are not all of the signs at the site; there were several I didn't get pictures of. But here are some with more information.
I appreciate that someone has scratched up Chivington's face.
The National Parks and Monuments have a "BARK Ranger" program. (Basically you bring your dog and promise to keep them on leash and pick up their poop.) But Bella got a BARK Ranger tag!)
I guess it was good timing that we went before the shutdown.
no subject
For Bella, though! I like her little tag!
no subject
Super important, if tragic and devastating. It's a beautiful site, though, and preserving the prairie is at least one good thing on the site of something so horrible.
Bella was pretty hyped about her tag, haha.
no subject
Fuck that QR code and "negativity" nonsense indeed. From the depth of our souls.
While I can't say I'm surprised to learn there's been talk circulating about shutting this site down, it does sicken me to think the current administration is seeking to do away with and disregard the significance of this place so callously.
All in all, sounds like a good trip, albeit an extremely emotional one. And oh my goodness Bella's "BARK Ranger" tag is adorkable. xD
no subject
Fuuuuuck the shit about "negativity". Fuck it so much. Fuck the threats to get rid of places like this for commemorating and marking genuine parts of the past and asking us to face what that past contained.
It was a very good trip. And we did have a good time, even if it was also very emotional.
Bella seemed quite pleased with her "BARK Ranger" status, haha.
no subject
Lol, she looks quite dignified as a "BARK Ranger" haha. Is that something other parks offer for canid friends as well for that matter?
no subject
The "BARK ranger program" seems like something most of the national parks and monuments have. I know her little tag she got does specifically say "Sand Creek Massacre Site" on it, so I suppose it's a bit of a "collect them all" opportunity, ha.
no subject
Lol - "BARK Ranger" Pokemon? Bella's collar is going to get notably heavier methinks. xD
no subject
Haha, she'll need some extra collars just to collect all the tags!
no subject
Bella looks amazing, as always! Love BARK Ranger!
no subject
Haha, Bella was pretty excited to get her tag, lol.
no subject
If you move in now to take some other nation's land by force, you're the bad guy. Like, for example, Russia invaded Ukraine to take Ukraine's territory. Russia is the bad guy.
Back then, the United States moved westward, ever westward, under Manifest Destiny, to take the land of multiple other nations, broke treaties over and over, and kept taking, taking, taking. Giving it a fancy capitalized name doesn't fully disguise the fact that back then, we were Russia and the native peoples were Ukraine.
If you see Russia as the bad guy now, you have to look at US history a bit and be... hunh.
no subject
Bad enough that this, and far, far too many events just like it, happened; it's worse to try and pretend they didn't, and try to punish anyone for remembering that it did.
We were the baddies here. Not to be flippant, but... yeah, we were the villains of the event! And as is basically always the case, those villains did not see themselves as villains, and were shocked and infuriated when they were held accountable. They thought they would be getting praise and promotions! For horrifically massacring peaceful women, children, and elders!
It's dismaying how many people can ignore the parallels between history and now. When it comes to invasion and murder or to how to seize control and negate history in the name of "national pride" or whatnot.
no subject
I was a little o_O at that first sign, too! It really does look like "welcome to the massacre!" they gotta arrange that better ðŸ«
congrats to Bella on her BARK ranger job!
no subject
Though yeah, while I realize that the signs must have to fit the format of "Welcome to [site name here]" that really does... strike a bit of the wrong tone, I think.
Bella was a very good BARK ranger, haha.