Cortez

Cortez. . Sleeping Ute Mountain , Sprawling ten miles across the highlands west of here, Sleeping Ute Mountain comprises no fewer than seven separate peaks , and at least as many legends. According to one, the mountain took shape eons ago when a giant warrior was wounded during a cataclysmic battle. He lay on his back and fell asleep; his blood turned to water, and his blankets began to change from green in summer to white in winter. Visible from one hundred miles away, this landmark has guided travelers for centuries. Some believe the Sleeping Ute will rise one day and bring glory to his people; but even in slumber he inspires hope , a cultural and spiritual focus for the Utes., Cortez , M. J. Mack, a water engineer for the Montezuma Valley Water Supply Company, laid out Cortez in 1886 on land owned by company manager and co-owner James W. Hanna. Unfortunately, he neglected to identify a source for drinking water; residents had to haul it in by the keg until 1890 when a ditch line from the Dolores River finally opened. Farmers and ranchers trickled in over the next fifty years. Though mining increased the area's population from the mid-1870s, after World War II uranium, vanadium, coal, and natural gas reserves brought a new wave of settlers. In the 1980s tourism emerged as a major industry. Ringed by Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, the Anasazi Heritage Center, and Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez today proclaims itself the "archaeological capital of the United States.", Captions , Top right: Sleeping Ute Mountain is aptly named, for it closely resembles a slumbering giant. From either side, its silhouette assumes the form of a reclining warrior, complete with flowing headdress, folded arms, and legs stretched in repose. A distinctive landmark, Sleeping Ute Mountain became a popular subject of postcards, such as this one. Colorado Historical Society , Bottom left: Main Street, Cortez, Colorado, c. 1945 Denver Public Library, Western History Collection