Previous Exhibition
Butch Cassidy was Here: Historic Inscriptions of the Colorado Plateau
During the summer of 2022, a temporary exhibition explored 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 wove together the records left behind by trappers, traders, missionaries, government expeditions, cowboys, outlaws, homesteaders, explorers, and others. The exhibition, featuring a diverse array of photographs and stories, introduced visitors to a sampling of rock inscriptions from Moab and across the region, and also paid homage to the research contributions of history experts Knipmeyer and Ford.
Why Inscriptions?
For thousands of years, people have left their mark on the canyon walls of the Southwest. While today, carving into rocks constitutes vandalism, historic inscriptions from past centuries can help historians piece together past chapters of human history. Take a look at some of the stories on display!