Near Chivington in Kiowa County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Returned to Sand Creek
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
"Many years have passed. The land is still here. We lived here, our clans lived here. The land here is our home - we have come back home."
Arapaho:
Wonoo3ei’i ceciniihi’ coowoo’ou’u. Nih’iine’etiino’ hiitiino. Neito’eininoo nih’iine’etii3i’ hiitiino.Nuhu’ biito’owu’, neyeih’inoo - cee’no’eeckoohuno.
Cheyenne:
Etaose’esehohae’xove. He’tohe ho’e hetseohe eso’eaahtse’ho’ta. Hetseohe nahvo’estaneheveme, Tsetsestahetse naa Tseso’taevetse. He’tohe ho’e nahesto’estestovenone. Naa hetsetseha naeseevaho’hoo’ohtseme.
The Sand Creek Massacre resulted in the deaths of over 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho people, many of them women and children. During the attack, and throughout the following day, scalps and other body parts were cut from many of the victims. In addition, robes, headdresses, moccasins, and other personal items were taken from bodies of the deceased.
In the following years and generations, a portion of these items were donated, bequeathed, sold, or by other means, acquired by museums and other repositories.
On June 2, 2008, the first burial of human remains from the Sand Creek Massacre occurred in this area. It is anticipated additional remains and objects from the massacre will be interred here in the future.
Caption: Painted lodge cover by Bear Wings, a Southern Cheyenne, circa 1880's. The lodge belonged to Whiteshield, a Sand Creek eyewitness. Original painting collected from Bear Wings in Indian Territory by James Mooney, Bureau of American Ethnology.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is June 2, 2008.
Location. Memorial has been permanently removed. It was located near 38° 32.944′ N, 102° 30.723′ W. Memorial was near Chivington, Colorado, in Kiowa County. It could be reached from County Highway W just east of Chief White Antelope Way. Located on Monument Hill. Touch for map. Memorial was in this post office area: Eads CO 81036, United States of America.
We have been informed that this memorial is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Regionally, this memorial was in the Eastern Plains. It was also in the American Mountain West, on the Southern Plains, and specifically on the High Plains. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the Comanchería, the Dust Bowl, and the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Cheyenne and Arapaho Village at Sand Creek (within shouting distance of this marker); A Chief’s Village (within shouting distance of this marker); Dawn November 29, 1864 (within shouting distance of this marker); Sacred Memory (about 300 feet away); Fort Lyon Reservation (approx. ¼ mile away); Sand Creek as Camp Site (approx. ¼ mile away); Troops Approach the Village (approx. 0.4 miles away); Attack and Pursuit (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chivington.
Other markers no longer nearby. Remains (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Why? (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Pleas for Peace (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Testimony (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); Healing (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed); The Attack (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).
More about this memorial. Reported removed by Park Guide.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 340 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 3, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

