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	September 2001
Departments Feature Articles AAA President's Message Colorado Calendar AAA Commentary AAA Mini Tour Feedback FYI Auto Talk My Colorado Approved Auto Repair Offices to Serve You Travel Specials Office Events Join AAA		My Colorado A Tree Grows in Delta *by Loren L. McDaniel* Nothing I can think of can snap me back into nostalgia faster than a visit to the Ute Council Tree, located where 1550 Road and G-86 Road meet, just north of Delta, Colorado. From first memories to present date, the tree holds an aura of awe for me. As a youngster growing up in the North Fork Valley of the Gunnison River, we never passed that little lane leading to "the tree" without begging our dad to stop. The rare trip to Grand Junction was successful, in our eyes, only if we got to visit the huge cottonwood tree. The Ute Council Tree plays a small part in family history, also. My great-great-grandfather, William Addison Sheppard, an early settler along the North Fork of the Gunnison River, was commissioned to help relocate the Ute Indians from that region to their new reservation in Utah. The Ute Council Tree is where they congregated before starting their journey west. Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta, with their braves, met with white settlers under this tree to smoke the pipe of peace between the years of 1857 and 1880. It is said that Chipeta was the only Indian woman ever allowed to sit in on council meetings. The promotion of peace between Indians and settlers was advanced under the branches of this magnificent tree. The tree is thought to have "taken root" in about 1802. It is now about 85 feet tall. It was deeded to the Delta County Historical Society "for as long as the tree shall live." Loren L. McDaniel is a freelance writer residing in Cañon City. He is a motivator for a local writers' support group and is currently working on a historical novel based on fact. Editor's note: The 7th Annual Ute Council Tree Pow Wow & Cultural Festival takes place in Delta September 21-23, 2001. For more information, call 800-874-1741 or visit www.counciltreepowwow.org. Do you have a special memory or humorous story about living in Colorado? The Motorist is looking for original essays that capture the uniqueness of our state. Payment is $60 upon publication. Entries must be typed, double spaced and 200-300 words. Please include a daytime phone number. Entries will not be returned. Mail to: The Motorist, Attn: My Colorado, 4100 E. Arkansas Ave., Denver CO 80222, or e-mail: keastlund@colorado.aaa.com Return To Top © Rocky Mountain Motorists, Inc.

My Colorado