“How did Mancos get its name and what does Mancos mean.” In
Spanish the word refers to someone whose arm has been maimed.
According to an article that appeared in a 1997 publication of
the “Mancos Visitor’s Guide,” Fern Ellis wrote in her book,
“Come Back to My Valley,” about a gentleman named George M. Carr
who, in 1895, identified how Mancos got its name. In his story
for the "Mancos Times" he described how an old manuscript,
written by Father Salvero, was found at a Spanish mission in New
Mexico. Father Salvero described how he stopped with his Indian
guide, Juan, at the top of a divide. He took in the view and
could see the bluffs of the San Juan River to the southwest and
the blue range of mountains to the west where his mission was
located. He and his guide continued to follow the river
downstream and then made camp. Father Salvero rose to his feet
and wandered closer to the river when a rock broke free and he
fell into the river. He injured his ankle badly. He had to rest
for ten days while his Indian