On July 8, the Montrose County Historic Landmark Advisory Board presented a commemorative plaque to the board of county commissioners (BOCC) and the Rimrocker Historical Society, marking the Uravan Ball Park as a designated Montrose County Historical Landmark.
Located at 22355 Highway 141 in Naturita, the Uravan Ball Park dates back to the 1880s and stands as one of the last visible links to the historic town of Uravan. A once-bustling uranium mining community, Uravan was central to the development of Montrose County and instrumental in broader national history. The Ball Park was a gathering place for families, as well as a place where spirited baseball games took place.
The designation means a lot to people like Jane Thompson and Sharon Johannsen, directors of the Rimrocker Historical Society. The ladies, who are sisters, were the third generation in their family to live in Uravan. In fact, Johannsen was born there.
Their grandparents moved to “Tent Town,” which is now the site of the Ball Park today, in 1939. Their grandfather worked in the uranium mines. The family had two tents, one for cooking and one for sleeping. The family lost a baby there on that site, likely from water issues and sickness, Thompson said.
Later, the family moved to the top of the hill in a small mine shack. After WWII, the family moved back and forth to Norwood and finally stayed there. Thompson and Johannsen’s father later went to Uravan to find work in 1952, was then married and remained in Uravan until the town was dismantled and people were moved out.
“They were second to last to leave, and the postmistress was last, as she closed the post office,” Thompson said. “My siblings and I lived there until we left home after high school.”
To this day, the Rimrocker Historical Society every year sponsors the Uravan reunion picnic at the Ball Park over Labor Day weekend. In 2012 they celebrated Uravan’s 100th anniversary. Thompson said that year, more than 1,000 people RSVPd to come, only Umetco Minerals found out and locked the property up. Thompson said the Rimrockers put up a fight, and Montrose County got involved. Then, the property was given to the county in time for the annual picnic. Then, in April of 2013, the Rimrockers signed a 50-year lease with Montrose County, to be renewed every 10 years.
“We have had the Ball Park for 12 years,” Thompson said. “There was nothing there at all, and the weeds and willows were so overgrown that you could not even see the river. Poison ivy was completely entwined in everything. We just began cleaning up a small area at a time, and we finally have what we have today. We're not sure how we did it, but we did.”
She said the historic designation is an acknowledgment, showing that Uravan’s history is worthy and valid.
"We appreciate having Montrose County designate the Ball Park as a historical landmark. It is a testament to all of the families who worked and lived in Uravan to the fact that their time there was important and of value,” she said. “We will always have our memories of Uravan, and now we have a place to go back to that is home. That was our goal when the Rimrockers acquired the Ball Park property 12 years ago, and it's nice to think that we have achieved our goal. We have so many people to thank for helping us get to this point, and we can never thank them enough. They know who they are."
The county issued a news release and said the resolution, passed unanimously by the board of county commissioners, acknowledges the Ball Park’s unique role in the lives of local uranium workers and their families. They said it served not only as a recreational gathering space, but as a symbol of unity in a remote and rugged part of Colorado. Montrose County Commissioners Scott Mijares and Sean Pond made statements, acknowledging the importance of the dedication in the news release.
The Uravan Ball Park is currently used as a campground and day-use park. The Ball Park is open for the 2025 camping season, and reservations can be made by calling 970-864-7438. To learn more, the public may visit https://www.rimrocker.org/uravan-ballpark.
