Santa Fe National Historic Trail - Things To Do (U.S. National Park Service)

Numerous programs and activities are available at developed sites and in communities along the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. Contact individual sites and tourism centers for more information. Nonfederal historic sites, trail segments, and interpretive facilities become part of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail through certification. This is a voluntary process in which an owner or manager agrees to adhere to National Park Service standards for resource preservation and visitor use. Look for the official trail logo at all certified locations. Public lands and state, county, and city parks along the trail route preserve trail resources. Although not yet certified, they may be open for public use. Other trail sites are on non-profit or private property and may not be open to the public.

The Civil War: 150 Years
The issues at the heart of the Civil War remain relevant today: equality for all Americans, the appropriate reach of the federal government, and the effort to reconcile differing cultural values under a single national flag. In 1858, Abraham Lincoln warned that "A house divided against itself cannot stand," but most Americans were confident that the forces of cohesion in the young republic would continue to triumph over the forces of division. The Civil War culminated 80 years of sectional tensions over economics, cultural values, the extent and reach of the federal government, but, most importantly, the role of slavery in American society. The relevancy of history - and of the Civil War sites of the National Park Service - is to help us better understand the issues, trials, sacrifices, and struggles that past generations endured to bring us where we are today.

Join us in experiencing the past through living history events at three sites that connect the Civil War to the Santa Fe Trail.

Pecos National Historical Park:
www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/civil-war-weekend-2012.htm

Fort Union National Monument:
www.nps.gov/foun/planyourvisit/guided-tours-and-talks.htm

El Rancho del las Golondrinas:
http://golondrinas.org/Calendar_of_Events/index.html#May

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