Dolores in Montezuma County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Big Bend and McPhee

Big Ben and McPhee Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Frank Houdek

1. Big Ben and McPhee Marker

Inscription. In 1776 the year of our independence, a family was led by two Catholic priests, father Dominguez and Escalante. They camped in a meadow on the Dolores River which in 105 years became the town of Big Bend. Big Bend had several saloons, a saw mill, a hotel, two general merchants, a meat company and the Office of Land. Big Bend was abandoned in 1891, when the narrow gauge railroad reached the area.

In 1926 the logging town of McPhee was established. It was abandoned in 1948, when a major fire destroyed the entire mill. The town was situated 11 miles south of Dolores, where the present McPhee Dam is located. Of the three settlements, Dolores is the only one left.

Erected 1999 by Al Packer Chapter No. 100, Matt Warner Chapter No. 1900, Lost Dutchman Chapter No. 5917+4, E Clampus Vitus.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1776.

Location. 37° 28.253′ N, 108° 31.058′ W. Marker is in Dolores, Colorado, in Montezuma County. It is on County Road 28, on the

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right when traveling west. Marker is located at the Dolores Cemetery entrance. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dolores CO 81323, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Exon Mercantile (approx. ¾ mile away); Father Escalante (approx. ¾ mile away); Galloping Geese of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad (approx. 0.8 miles away); Respite Along the Dolores (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Anasazi (approx. 0.8 miles away); Galloping Goose #5 (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Southern Hotel (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Landscape (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dolores.

Photographed by Frank Houdek

2. Big Ben and McPhee Marker

Photographed by Frank Houdek

3. Big Ben and McPhee Marker

Cemetery located just behind plaque monument.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2011, by Frank Houdek of Kingman, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,715 times since then and 64 times this year. Last updated on February 9, 2012, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2011, by Frank Houdek of Kingman, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.