Santa Fe National Historic Trail Fall 2022 Newsletter

Read the latest project updates and completions from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS).

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Meet Kim White, NTIR Administrative Officer.

Photo/Kim White

National Trails Welcomes New Staff and Interns

The National Trails office (NTIR) welcomes Kim White as the new Administrative Officer (AO). She will be providing administrative support to NTIR staff, the National Historic Trails (NHTs) and Route 66. Kim works remotely from Mississippi. She enjoys spending time with her family, church ministry, traveling, shopping, reading, hanging out with friends, and getting to know new people. She has 16 1/2 years of federal service.

Meet Nicole Kemler, NTIR signing intern.

Photo/Nicole Kemler

Nicole Kemler is the new Sign Planning and Partnerships American Conservation Experience (ACE) fellow. She moved to Santa Fe in June, and recently graduated from UC Berkeley this past spring with a degree in Conservation and Resource Studies. While she will be primarily focusing on signing in the state of California she will also be supporting general sign planning for the Santa Fe NHT and other NHTs. Outside of her time in the office, she loves to explore Santa Fe and find new walking trails. She is looking forward to developing signage as well as partnerships throughout her 18-month fellowship.

High Potential Sites and Segments Update

NTIR staff met with Santa Fe Trail Association (SFTA) members and other community partners in Trinidad, CO, on July 20^th to discuss the ongoing effort to identify new High Potential Sites and Segments (HPSS) along the Santa Fe Trail. Following a discussion, attendees headed to the NRA Whittington Center (Raton, NM) to practice applying the HPSS worksheet criteria on Santa Fe Trail swales running through the site.

Buffalo Soldier Storymap

A project proposal for developing a storymap on the Buffalo Soldier history and experience was approved for funding for fiscal year 2024. The storymap will feature Fort Larned National Historic Site in KS and Fort Union National Monument in NM. The office plans to partner with a historically black college and university (HBCU) to produce the digital interactive storymap to enhance the public’s knowledge and understanding of the connections existing between the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, NPS units, and other federal and state parks.

QR code on a wayside exhibit at the Rice-Tremonti home in Raytown, MO.

NPS Photo

Wayside Exhibit Accessibility

Some of the first waysides to display QR Code Tags, connecting to Audio Description on the web, have been installed along the Santa Fe NHT. QR tags can be scanned by smart phones connecting visitors with visual impairment, or those just seeking more information, to online links to recorded speech that describes the wayside and surrounding area. Metal QR tags are being created and installed on waysides already in place. Future waysides will incorporate the QR code into the panel’s design. This will be an on-going project that is essential to meet accessibility requirements.

Signage Updates

Replacement signs were ordered for Barton County, KS and the Whittington Center, NM. And Site Identification signs were ordered for: French Franks Site, MO; Herzstein Museum, NM; Arrow Rock Ferry Landing, MO; Cave Springs, KS; Autograph Rock, OK; Fullers Ranch, KS; and Hart Grove Creek, KS.

NTIR staff finalized and implemented sign plans for the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, NM (pedestrian signage) and Kiowa Grasslands, KS (metal logos for the limestone posts that mark the Trail).

Updates on External Projects

Descriptions

NTIR staff is commenting on and monitoring the compliance processes of several federal undertakings with potential to affect the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

Four Low-level Aviation Training Routes

Last spring, NTIR staff commented under Section 106 on the “Four Low-level Aviation Training Routes” undertaking proposed by the Department of Defense at Fort Carson, CO. NTIR staff continue to monitor the situation as new issues are brought forward by SFTA.

Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Mindeman “Bloom Crossing” Tower

NTIR staff has also engaged in the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Mindeman “Bloom Crossing” tower mitigation near Iron Springs on Comanche National Grasslands, and in identification of potential visual effects to the trail and/or to Fort Larned National Historic Site (a high potential site) that may be incurred by the Grain Belt Express Transmission Line in Kansas.

Virtual Trail Stories & Experiences

Have you been following the trails on social media? You may have noticed an increase in articles, virtual visits, and virtual kids' activities. People can't travel to experience the trails in person, so NTIR has been working to bring the trails to your house. You can check out recent and past articles, become a junior ranger, take virtual visits to learn more about trail sites, and more - click the links below!

Connect with the Trail

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  Find us on Social Media

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  Santa Fe Trail Website

  Learn more on the NPS Santa Fe Trail website.

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  Contact NTIR

  Contact NTIR or individual staff.