Butch Cassidy Was Here: Historic Inscriptions of the Colorado Plateau

June 7, 2022

This summer, the Moab Museum is thrilled to present a temporary exhibit exploring a fascinating array of intertwined histories. Featuring a treasure trove of photographs from across the region documented by rock inscription experts and backcountry adventurers James Knipmeyer and Mike Ford, Butch Cassidy Was Here: Historic Inscriptions of the Colorado Plateau weaves together the records left behind by trappers, traders, missionaries, government expeditions, cowboys, outlaws, homesteaders, explorers, and others. The exhibit, featuring a diverse array of photographs and stories, introduces visitors to a sampling of rock inscriptions from Moab and across the region, and also pays homage to the research contributions of history experts Knipmeyer and Ford.

The Museum is honored to steward Knipmeyer’s collection of over 1,600 images of rock inscriptions, and also house the library of Mike Ford.

Inscription left by “Hole-In-The-Rock” expedition member J.H. Pace, settler of Bluff, UT.
I.M. Behunin was a member of the 1855 Elk Mountain Mission, sent by the Mormon church to colonize the Moab Valley.
This 1891 inscription chronicles a boat wrecked on the Colorado River. Historic inscriptions often record landmark dates or events.
A colorful array of rock inscriptions and their stories on display at the Moab Museum this summer.
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