[Introduction] This biography of Colorado's famous Indian chief (and, I would like to say, one of our most beloved citizens) is the outgrowth of several years of painstaking research and collecting of evidence to either support facts of the chief's life or to set aside some of the myths.

[Prologue] High in the rotunda of the State of Colorado Capitol Building are sixteen stained glass portraits which honor outstanding Colorado pioneers.

To fully appreciate Chief Ouray, it is helpful to have an understanding of the Ute people as a whole, and to gain some idea of their heritage and traditions.

[Epilogue] Ouray's obituary in 'The Denver Tribune' read in part:
In the death of Ouray, one of the historical characters of Colorado passes away.