BLAZING THE SANTA FE TRAIL

Of the 780 miles that comprised the Santa Fe Trail, Kansas claims the lion's share of the longest commercial route on United States soil prior to the railroad era. The trail cut a 400-mile-long swath across Kansas that angled from the fertile hills around Fort Leavenworth (in the northeast part of the territory) across the treeless short-grass prairie to the semiarid region in the southeast corner of the territory.

In September of 1821, a small businessman by the name of William Becknell, along with twenty tradesmen, left Boon's Lick, Missouri with a pack train. Initially, it was an expedition to trade for horses and mules, but some historians believe Becknell had his sights set on establishing trade with Santa Fe.

The expedition was expected to last three months. Becknell insisted every tradesmen fit himself accordingly for the journey with suitable clothing to withstand the elements, a horse, and a good rifle with plenty of ammunition. Six or eight men shared a pack horse, ax and tent.  Each man contributed a specific dollar amount of goods to trade. The entire profit they made was to be divided equally among the group.

Becknell's party crossed the rolling prairie in the Kansas Territory and followed the Arkansas River into the Colorado Territory. Then they headed south across the Raton Pass.

The caravan was intercepted by Mexican soldiers. But the news was good. Independence from Spain had been declared. The area was now open for Americans to trade in Santa Fe.

Becknell and his tradesmen traveled on to the Spanish New Mexico capital and turned a profit by selling their goods in exchange for Mexican silver. Eager to return to Missouri and organize a trade caravan, Becknell searched for an alternate route to Santa Fe. He knew the difficulty he'd face trying to cross the 7,834-feet-high Raton Pass with heavy freight wagons.

At Mora River in Spanish New Mexico, Becknell's party (which now included three wagons) set off in a northeasterly direction. He edged the Rabbit Mountains over rocky terrain, crossed the Canadian River and the panhandle of Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).

The tradesmen forged the trail into the Kansas Territory, following the Cimarron River. Traveling in a northeasterly direction, they entered a sixty-mile stretch of parched land and alkaline dust which became known as the Cimarron Desert.

Once the expedition reached the Arkansas River, they picked up their trail across Kansas and returned to Missouri. Over the winter, Becknell organized a trade caravan that would leave for Santa Fe the following spring.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic