The history of the Carbondale area is long and colorful.  Native people occupied these valleys, known for the abundance of fish and game, for thousands of years.  The Utes were forced onto reservations in the early 1880’s after which homesteaders—farmers from the Eastern U.S. and Europe, mostly—moved in, staking their claims and planting crops.  Carbondale itself was incorporated as a town in 1888, with a population of 166.

The cabin that houses the Mt. Sopris Historical Museum was built by homesteaders and occupied by many families in its first hundred years.  Recently, it was moved to its present site (not far from its original location) and opened as a museum of local history.

Ute natives, miners, farmers, cowboys, educators, business people, artists...they all played a part in the history of Carbondale, and you can take a look into their lives here.  The Museum also houses a research library with photographs and publications for visitors who want to dig deeper into the story of this area or work on genealogical projects.