De Beque, Colorado
In 1882, early settlers in Mesa County soon found the Roan Creek and De Beque areas to be prime for ranching. De Beque is part of the Grand Junction, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 451 at the 2000 census. The town sits along the north side of the Colorado River upstream from De Beque Canyon in a small ranching valley approximately 25 miles (40 km) northeast and upstream from Grand Junction. It is located across the river from Interstate 70, a small hill overlooking the river. The town consists of a small grid, including a historic downtown featuring a town hall, a tavern, and several commercial businesses in historic structures. The southwest edge of the Roan Cliffs overlooks the town from the northeast.
The town is located in a region historically occupied by the Ute people and a location where wild horses, prevalent in the surrounding lands, were rounded up and sold. White settlers arrived in the region around 1880. The town is named for Dr. W.A.E. De Beque who explored the area with several companions in 1884 while looking for a suitable location for a ranch. In August 2001, the Town Board of Trustees designated De Beque as the only Wild Horse Sanctuary City in the West. The town now undertakes projects in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, as well as private organizations, to protect the remaining wild horses and burros in the area. Such measures include the construction of a public corral for the care of injured and sick mustangs and burros awaiting adoption. Each August the town hosts a "Wild Horse Days" featuring a rodeo and parade.
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