Aurora Just Made History: First Monday in October Now Honors Indigenous Heritage
If you drove past the Arapahoe County Administration Building in Littleton last October, you might have noticed something different about the calendar. In a unanimous 2023 vote, county commissioners officially designated the first Monday in October as both Indigenous Peoples' Day and Arapahoe Day — a dual recognition that's been a long time coming for our Front Range community.
For Aurora residents, this hits close to home. Our city sits on the traditional territories of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations — tribes whose names are woven into our streets, parks, and county itself. Yet until recently, the second Monday in October only carried the federal Columbus Day designation.
Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully called the proclamation "a step toward truth-telling," noting that the Arapaho people were forcibly removed from this region following the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre — a atrocity Governor Jared Polis formally apologized for in 2021.
What changes locally? County offices now close for the holiday. Aurora Public Schools and Cherry Creek Schools have aligned their calendars. And the Aurora History Museum has expanded its Indigenous programming each fall, including last year's "We Are Still Here" exhibit featuring contemporary Native artists from the Denver metro area.
The move follows similar declarations in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs — but Arapahoe County's dual naming is unique in explicitly honoring the county's namesake tribe.
Mark your calendar: The next observance falls Monday, October 7, 2024. Expect community gatherings at the Aurora Municipal Center and virtual events hosted by the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs.
Want to learn more? Visit arapahoegov.com/indigenous-peoples-day for event updates and educational resources.
