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Ute Indian Museum lays at heart of Ute territory

The grounds of the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose. The museum is located at 17253 Chipeta Rd.
Cassie Knust
/
KVNF
The grounds of the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose. The museum is located at 17253 Chipeta Rd.

November is Native American Heritage month. In honor of that, events took place in communities around the state and region.

The Ute Indian Museum in Montrose held a series of events throughout the month to raise awareness about the history of the Ute in this region. The museum sits at the heart of traditional Ute territory. It was originally built in 1956 and it's listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

KVNF's Cassie Knust recently sat down with CJ Brafford, the museum's director and carekeeper, to learn more about its history.

Cassie moved to Montrose from Texas in April 2020, right before COVID changed the landscape of the world as we knew it. She brought her love of people and a degree in broadcast journalism to the Western Slope, where she built a strong foundation in local print news. She’s excited to join the KVNF family and grow as a reporter. For Cassie, her job as a journalist is to empower the community through knowledge and information. When she’s not researching and reporting, Cassie loves to spend time with her cat, Jasper, and paint something new.