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The Learning Page - The Santa Fe Trail

 

 

 

 

Bent's Fort Livestock and Reconstruction

People of Bent's Fort

Santa Fe Trail

 

Between 1821 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 1821 until 1846, it was an international commercial highway used by Mexican and American traders. In 1846, the Mexican-American War began. The Army of the West followed the Santa Fe Trail to invade New Mexico. When the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the war in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road connecting the United States to the new southwest territories. Commercial freighting along the trail continued, including considerable military freight hauling to supply the southwestern forts. The trail was also used by stage coach lines, thousands of gold seekers heading to the California and Colorado gold fields, adventurers, fur trappers, and some emigrants. In 1880 the railroad reached Santa Fe and the trail faded into history.

 

Freight Wagons Circa 1830’s and 1840’s

Freight WagonFreight Wagons were the primary method of transporting goods to and from Missouri and New Mexico in the day of Bent's Fort. Although the exact maximum load size is not known, wagons carried between 5,000 and 6,000 pounds of goods on each trip. Most wagons had the same color scheme. The wheels and running gear were painted red, and the body ranged from dark blue to gray-blue. The bed was covered with a canvas, spread over 8 to 12 hickory bows. Most wagons of the time cost about $150, large wagons cost $200. People did not ride in these wagons, they were completely filled with trade goods. The traders walked beside the wagons and drove the oxen or mules from there.

 

Maps of the Santa Fe Trail can be downloaded here.

Map of 1845 Trading routes-
GIF format (44k)
Can also be downloaded in PDF format here. (Follow Instructions, Go to Bent's Fort Section, and download 1845 Trading Network map, Screen-viewable Adobe Acrobat PDF.) You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer, available for free download here.

For more information on the Santa Fe Trail, visit the Santa Fe Trail National Historic Trail page.

 

Author: Matt Masten beol_interpretation@nps.gov
Last updated: 12-22-99
http://www.nps.gov/beol/learn_sft.htm