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Ute Indians
No one knows when the Ute Indians first experienced the healing steam that arose from the river, only that they viewed it as a gift from Manitou, their deity. They named the springs Yampah, meaning "Big Medicine", and made annual treks to the springs for many centuries. |
White Settlers
The Utes welcomed the first white settlers, who came via the mining towns of Leadville and Aspen seeking their fortunes. The rugged settlers soon became enchanted with the healing powers of the springs. One such settler was James Landis who filed squatters' rights on the property including the springs. The town named Defiance was established in 1883. Defiance soon became a rough-hewn town of tents and shanties, bars and brothels. The wife of another founding father, Isaac Cooper, thought the town needed a gentler image and in 1885 renamed the town Glenwood Springs, after her hometown of Glenwood, Iowa. |
The Development of a World-Class Resort
In 1888, an Aspen silver king named Walter Devereux purchased the property and began developing the springs into a world-class resort. The resort included a hotel (The Colorado), the spa, and its own electric plant. While successful silver kings and rich Europeans were developing the north side of the river as a health spa, common people made the south side of the river their home. |
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