White River Indian Agency (Colorado)

Indian Tribes Associated With This Agency
Grand River Ute, Uinta Ute, Yampa Ute

History
The White River Agency, known as the Middle Park Agency from 1862 to 1869, was located at Fort Thornburgh, Colorado and served the Uncompahgre Band of Ute Indians. This agency was sometimes called the Upper Agency. In 1879, a group of Ute men killed the agent, Nathan Meeker, and the agency offices were burned. This agency was never rebuilt and the Indians it served were removed to the Uintah Valley in Utah, about 140 miles west of the White River site.

The agency was under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Superintendency.

Agents and Appointment Dates
Simeon Whiteley December 23, 1862, Daniel C. Oakes May 11, 1865, Lt. W. W. parry June 26, 1869, Capt. William H. Merrill October 23, 1869, Capt. H. Latimer Beck March 29, 1870, John S. Littlefield February 8, 1871, Edward H. Danforth May 8, 1874, and Nathan C.Meeker February 6,1878.

Records
Agencies and subagencies were created as administrative offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its predecessors. Their purpose was (and is) to manage Indian affairs with the tribes, to enforce policies, and to assist in maintaining the peace. The names and location of these agencies may have changed, but their purpose remained basically the same. Many of the records of genealogical value (for the tribe and tribal members) were created by and maintained by the agencies.

Correspondence and other administrative records may be a part of the records of the Colorado Superintendency. Some agency records were likely burned with the agency buildings in 1879.