History:
Legend has it the Greenhorn Mountians and Greenhorn Valley get their names from Comanche Indian Chief Tabivo Naritgant. The Spanish gave him the nickname “Cuerno Verde”, which translates to “Green Horn” in English. When in battle, Cuerno Verde wore a head-dress with green tinted horns. Cuerno Verde, which translates to “Green Horn” in English, is the Spanish name given to Tabivo Naritgant because of the green tinted horns that he wore on his head-dress in battle. The English translation of the original Comanche name is “Dangerous Man”.[1] He inherited both his name and his distinctive head dress from his father, who was killed in combat against the Spanish at Ojo Caliente, in what is now New Mexico, in October 1768.
Spaniard Juan Bautista de Anza, then Governor of the area that is now New Mexico, hunted Cuerno Verde because of raid he made into Anza’s territories.
Comanche and Spanish forces met in a series of running battles between August 31 and September 3, 1779. Cuerno Verde died in one of those battles on September 3 somewhere between the present day cities of Pueblo, Colorado and Colorado City, Colorado, probably in a gully of the St. Charles River.
Although Anza called him a “cruel scourge” and made note in his diaries of atrocities attributed to him, many modern Comanches question the veracity of Anza’s statements and maintain that Tabivo Naritgant was only meeting the obligations of a responsible Comanche leader of the period.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Today:
The Greenhorn Valley consists of the communities of Rye and Colorado City, about 5,500 people. The town of Rye has been around since the late 1800’s. Development of Colorado City began in earnest in the late 1960’s.
The Greenhorn Valley sits at the foot of the majestic Greenhorn Mountain, which at 12,347 feet above sea level is the highest point of the Wet Mountain Range. The mountain is encompassed by the Greenhorn Wilderness Area. There are two main trails that access the mountain, the Bartlett Trail and the Greenhorn Trail. Both are just minutes away from the Craftsman Lodge. The Greenhorn Mountain can also be accessed by vehicle via the Ophir Creek Road. Total drive time is about 1 hour, and though a four-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary, a vehicle with good ground clearance is recommended if you want to drive all the way to the end of the road.
The Craftsman Lodge is a great place for a family reunion, a corporate/church retreat, hosting your wedding party or a romantic getaway for two. Located southwest of the quaint town of Rye in the Greenhorn Mountains of Southern Colorado, the lodge is done in the Arts and Crafts design era. Located southwest of the quaint town of Rye in the Greenhorn Mountains of Southern Colorado, the lodge is done in the Arts and Crafts design era.
