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This hide is located at a historical site. To claim this as a find, take a picture of your self in front of the artwork. A "selfie" if you will. Or sign the log in the mailbox. I'll accept either as "logged". Enjoy this neat place!
You will notice the neat pieces of art in the area. These iron sculptures by a local historian and metal sculptor at the Cherry Creek Encampment, are in memory of the Cheyenne and other indians - survivors of the November 29, 1864 massacre at Sand Creek, Colorado - who fled to the Cherry Creek Valley. They remained until joined by other plains tribes for an attack at Julesburg, Colorado on January 7, 1865. The statues also acknowledge that in the Cherry Creek Valley, below, on April 25, 1887, Sam Ferguson and neighboring homesteaders shot and butchered the last known bull buffalo in the area. Following the massacre of the Cheyenne Indians at Sand Creek on November 29, 1864, near the town of Chivington, Colorado, survivors made their way to a camp on the Smoky River. The Cheyenne were so angry about the atrocities committed against their people that they sent around the war pipe at once. The pipe was taken to Spotted Tail and Pawnee Killer's Sioux, the Cheyenne Dog soldiers, and the Northern Arapahos. In response, all of these tribes moved and camped on Cherry Creek. It is written that nearly 3,000 Indians gathered here. On New Years Day, 1865, the chiefs assembled in council and decided to attack Old Julesburg on the South Platte. From Cherry Creek, they set out, nearly 1,000 strong, to seek revenge and plunder the town where the Stage Company had a large station. On January 7, 1865, the Indians attacked. After their successful coup, they loaded the plunder on their horses and in three days were back in the Cherry Creek encampment. The Cheyenne, who had been mourning the great loss of their people at Sand Creek, took heart when their warriors returned with the goods they desperately needed. The camp on Cherry Creek was a scene of great feasting. Scalp dances were held and the young people danced until sunrise. Meanwhile, the chiefs again gathered in council and decided to move north to the Black Hills to join the Northern Cheyenne, Sioux and Arapahoe, and ask them to join in the war against the whites. It was from this historical site on Cherry Creek that the runners were sent to notify the tribes that they were coming, and criers announced the plans in all camps. Cherry Creek Encampment near St. Francis, KS is where the Plains War between the Indians and Whites began; a war that lasted twelve years and culminated at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana in 1876. On September 9, 1990, a dedication ceremony, in honor of the Cheyenne Indian survivors of the Sand Creek massacre, was held at this site. Descendants of those survivors and family participated in the dedication. Although it will only take a couple of minutes to view the site, it is worth the 2 mile drive off of Highway 36 to stop briefly, learn history and grab a cache at the same time.
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