Who We Are

Our Name

Richard Sopris was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1813. As near as can be determined, Sopris and a party of prospectors were the first white men to leave a printed record of having been at the site of what is now Glenwood Springs. Those who arrived after him found carved on an old pine tree, near the Hot Springs, this inscription: “These springs were discovered on July 23, 1860 by Captain Richard Sopris and a party of prospectors.” These men had been up the Roaring Fork River to the foot of the peak that now bears his name. This naming was an honor bestowed upon Sopris by others in the group.

The Ute Indians, whom they met at a site near the present town of Carbondale, had told them about the Yampah Springs, which lay close to the junction of the two great rivers. The Indians told of the hot waters, blessed by the Indians’ “Great Spirit,” that were good for man and beast. Saddle-weary Sopris felt his men needed such a blessing, so before heading to Auraria, from whence they had come, they followed a Ute trail down the Roaring Fork River to the springs. Sopris’ party had come to the western slope in search of gold. Though they never found it, their trek uncovered another treasure in the hot waters. He and his followers were the first white men in this part of the country. Sopris himself was a captain in the Mexican War, a river boat captain, and captain of Company “C” of the 1st Colorado Infantry in the Civil War. In fall 1859, Sopris was elected to the legislature of the Territory of Kansas, representing the county of Arapahoe. He was a sergeant-at-arms in the second territorial legislature, a delegate to Colorado’s first Constitutional Convention, and served twice as mayor of Denver. He also served a term as sheriff and deputy sheriff of Denver County. Starting in 1881, he served nine years as Commissioner of the Denver Park System. The planning was so successfully worked out that it remains the same to this day. The Gateway to City Park was dedicated to his memory. His wife was the former Elizabeth Allen, a direct descendent of the famous patriot Ethan Allen. They had eight children. Richard Sopris died April 7, 1893, and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Denver. This taken from an article by Nellie Duffy in the Glenwood Post, February 25, 1992. Nellie Duffy was a charter member of Captain Richard Sopris Chapter, NSDAR.

Our History

Captain Richard Sopris Chapter was organized September 23, 1961, and chartered October 18, 1961, with 16 members living in Glenwood Springs, Rifle, and Meeker. By 1986, we had 28 members, adding 50 miles north to Craig and 28 miles south to Marble to the chapter area. New chapters have formed around us reducing the size of the area we draw from, but we currently have 30 members and we are growing. Chapter tea at Hotel Colorado to honor new members

Committees

America 250!
Commemorative Events
Conservation
Constitution Week
DAR Schools
National Defense
Project Patriot
Service to Veterans
Women’s Issues

Our Other Committees

Our committees are the base of our chapter’s involvement in our community; giving our members opportunities to serve DAR objectives that are most valuable to each person.

Our Patriot Ancestors

Listed on this page are the patriot ancestors of the current members of Captain Richard Sopris Chapter, NSDAR. Revolutionary War patriots include signers of the Declaration of Independence, members of local and state militias, members of the Continental Army or Continental Navy, men and women who rendered other types of aid to the cause of independence, and those taking oaths of loyalty. Other included patriots are foreign soldiers who served the cause of American independence and Spanish soldiers serving in the presidios at Santa Fe, El Paso, and New Orleans. With a few exceptions, military service began with the Battle of Lexington (April 19, 1775) and ended when the British evacuated New York (November 26, 1783). Patriots may have also provided civil service, conducting public business in the newly formed American states. If you have information that one of your ancestors may have aided the cause of freedom during the American Revolution, we may be able to help you establish your genealogical line for DAR membership. If you are interested in documenting your lineage and joining our chapter, or have any questions, please visit our Membership page or send us a message using our Contact Us page.