Wagon Tracks Volume 7 Issue 4 Wagon Tracks Volume 7, Issue 4 (August Article 1 1993)

1993 Wagon Tracks. Volume 7, Issue 4 (August, 1993) Santa Fe Trail Association

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VOLUME 7 AUGUST 1993 NUMBER 4

FLOOD OF 1993 For more Information or to register. contact Don Hill. Symposium Coordi­ {President Bill Pitts requested reports nator. Bent's Old Fort NHS. 35110 from Missouri members of the SFTA Hwy 194 E. La Junta. CO 81050­ board ofdirectors on the effects ofthe 9523. telephone (719) 384-2596. record-breaking floods of 1993. Polly Fowler; Independence. and Virginia :::::::::::::::::$ANI4.::FI.JfgJ',§!~t~.:::.:.:.:.:.:.:.:l9+t::::::::::::::::::::: . ZOELLNER'S·TRAIL WALK Lee Fisher; Arrow Rock. each res­ by Margaret Sears ponded asfollows.J :::III::il::II:iilli::I::iii:liiiil~ll:il~.III:l~I::I::::::111:·:·: ..1:1::::1':,:1::1 PROMPTLY at 11 a.m. on July 8 Tom View from Independence Zoellner strolled onto the Santa Fe SYMPOSIUM COMING SOON Plaza. completing his hike ofthe Santa by Polly Fowler SFTA SYMPOSIUM 1993. "Corrldor Fe Trail from Independence. MO. In Water. water. every where. Through Time." will soon provide IHfor­ just over two months. Because he was mation and entertainment to those at­ not expected so soon, the welcoming And all the boards did shrtnk tending the meetings at La Junta. ceremony had to be organized qUickly. Water. water. every where. Bent's Old Fort NHS. and Boggsville. His parents. Mr. and Mrs. Tom Zoel1­ Nor any drop to drink. Se·ptember 23-26. Program Coordlna-. ner,.Sr.• were on hand to greet him with The Ancient Mariner. tor Don Hill recently reported that 280 hugs. kisses. and a T-shirt announc­ Samuel Colertdge people had preregistered for the bien­ Ing. "1 walked the Santa Fe Trail. May nial Trail gathering. Hl1\ also an­ 2-July 8. 1993." Marc Simmons. on THIS fam iliar poem correctly de­ nounced. for the benefit of those who scrtbes the 1993 weather. lands. and behalf of the mayor of Santa Fe. pre­ did not register before August I. that sented Tom with a certificate proclaim­ habitats through which the Kansas. the late registration fee Is not$2.00per Missourt. and Mississippi rivers nor­ 1ng him an honorary citizen of the city day but just $2.00 total for each late and noted that this was the first solo mally peacefully flow. but which in registration. It Is not too late to make July and August of this year turned walk-minus the companionship of plans to be there. Comejoin the festivi­ either humans or animals-under­ loose the worst flood in modem his­ ties. You will be glad to did. Because torY. even Including those recorded in taken on the histortc highway In recent much Important AsSOCiation business times. Congratulations from the End 1826. 1844. 1903. and 1951. As this will be considered at the meetings of essay Is written (third week In August) of the Trail Chapter of the SFTA were the board and general membership. extended by Margaret Sears. and he there are towns and villages still with­ you are especially Invited to partici­ out drtnklng water and water covering pate. (continued on page 2) some farm fields. But what of the Santa Fe Trail condition in this area? Were ruts damaged? Landmarks washed away? Markers destroyed? My surVey. conducted In the second week ofAugust. suggests that allis well with only minimum damage. ifany at all. Most of the Trail was located on up­ land ridges. except for stream cross­ Ings. and thus the remnants were above flood stages. Barbara Magerl mentioned that Kill Creek near the Johnson-Douglas county line In Kan­ sas was over Highway K-I0 and that . Indian Creek had flooded on one side. Craig Crease reported that the Minor Park ruts In south Kansas City. MO. • appear to be unchanged. Theyare not close enough to the Big Blue River to be affected by flooding, but the ex­ treme rainfall could have. but did not. erode the fine trail ruts there. The Prairie Village. KS. ruts are in good ,~. ;<.,-,. shape and Lone Elm and Round Grove ~,~ ';:'~~":;Z;N, ~. _~"." , _ •• '.. '- 0 no-,,_ showed no signs of back up. He also Tom Zoellner 18 greeted by hl8 parent8 at the End-ot-the-Trall marker on the Santa (continued on page 4) Fe Plaza, July 8, 1993. Photo courtesy ofMarc Simmons. August 1993 1

Published by UNM Digital Repository, 1993 1 Wagon Tracks, Vol. 7 [1993], Iss. 4, Art. 1

homa Panhandle, Bill Pitts PRESIDENT'S COLUMN W. C. "BILL" WHEATLEY V. New Business I I ALLSFTA members are invited to at­ tend the business meetings ofour As­ A. Discussion of Executive, by n Ray Blakeley sociation during the symposium at La Committee for 1994 Funeral services for William Junta in September. The open meeting B. SFTA/NPSJ994 Agreement . ClarenceMBill".Wheatley,. 90. was at3 of the governing board will be con­ 1. Agreement o'clock Sunday afternoon, May 30, in the First United Methodist Church in ducted on Thursday, Sept. 23, and the 2. NPS Report, NPS Rep­ general session ofthe membership will Clayton, NM. Interment was in the resentative lOOF Section of the Clayton Memorial be on Sunday. Sept. 26. The agenda C, Future Symposium Sites Cemetery. for each meeting follow: D. 1996.Anniversary Celebra­ The son of Clarence D. and Mae Agenda for SFTA Board Meeting tion Munson Wheatley was born at Otero Jr. College Humanities Center, La , Wheeler, Sac County, Iowa, on October Junta, CO, Sept. 23, 1993, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Agenda for,Membership Meeting 12, 1902. He died at 5:45 Thursday r Otero Jr. College Humanities Center, La evening, May 27,1993•.at Union I. Call to Order and Recognition of Junta, CO, Sept. 26, 1993, 12:30-1 :00 p.m. County Geneml Hospital in Clayton. Visitors, Bill Pitts . A re~ident of Union County since n. Minutes of September 26, 1991, 1. Call to Order. Bill Pitts 1917, and a gmdu~te of Clayton High Board Meeting, Ruth Olson Pe­ n. Minutes of 1991 Membership School, he attended the University of ters Meeting, Ruth Olson Peters New Mexico at Albuquerque. He oper­ ated Clayton Automotive Service m. Reports m. Old Business (Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge sales . A. President Bill Pitts A. Report of Bylaws Committee. and service) from 1932 until his retire­ ment in 1973. He also owned and op­ B. Vice Presid~nt Mark Gardner ,Bill Chalfant emted Wheatley FlyingService in Clay­ 1. Report B. Motion to adopt proposed By­ ton for several years. lawS, Bill Chalfant 2. 1996 Anniversary Pro­ A member of the New MeXico Legis­ posal C. DiSCUssion of proposed By­ lature from 1948 to 1966, he servea14 laws C. Sec/Treas Ruth Olson Peters years in the Senate including two . . D. Vote on proposed Bylaws terms as president pro- tem. He served 1. Report on the New Mexico State Board ofEdu­ 2. 1994 budget lV. New Business cational Finance, was charter member' 3. Dues increase A. Invitations for future sym po­ of the National Association of State sium meeting sites Legislators, and a member of the Na­ 4. Newbrochure 1. Council Grove, 1999 tional Association of Legislative Lead­ D. Editor Leo Oliva ers. 2. Trinidad. 2001 E. Bylaws Committee, Bill Chal­ The senator served on a large num­ fant B. Resolutions ber oflegislative committees. He was a C. Election of Officers and staunch proponent of highway paving F. Awards Committee, Marc and improvements throughout New Simmons (awards will be Board Members for 1993­ Mexico, not just the northeast. It was given at the Saturday even­ 1995, Marc Simmons mostly through his efforts that the ing banquet) V. Adjournment by newly elected Highway 56 rest stop east of Clayton G. program Committee, Don Hill president -BUl Pitts . WAGON TRACKS is the official publication H. Audit Committee, Dan Sharp of the Santa Fe Trail Association, a non-profit I. Education Committee. David ZOElLNER WALK organization incorporated under the laws of Hutchison . . the State of Colorado. Letters and articles are (continued from page 1) welcome, but they become the property of wr J. Historic Sites Committee, was given two mllagros, Spanish good and may be edited or abridged at the editor's Mary Moorehead discretion. All rights reserved Inquiries can luck charms, as mementos 01 his be directed to the appropriate address below. K. Membership/Chapters Com­ achievement. Annual subscriptions are obtained through m ittee, Mark Gardner Tom was well tanned and, despite membership in the Association, whose dues L. Marker Committee, John Ta­ the loss of 15 pounds, appeared hardy are fixed per calendar year. Checks should be rabino and in good spirits. As he posed for made payable to the Santa Fe Trail Associa­ photos beside the DAR marker that tion and sent to the secretary-treasurer M. Endowment Committee, Joy signifies the end of the Trail, his six Membership Categories Poole foot plus fmme. topped by a backpack. Benefactor Sl,OOO N. Publications Committee, Bill dwarfed this the largestofthese monu­ Patron SIOu/year Buckles ments. Institutional S25/year Although the inclusive dates of the Famlly SI5/year O. Nominating Committee, walk indicate that he was on the Trail Individual' SIO/year Marc Simmons. Chm.• Joy a little more than two months. they do Editor: Leo E. Oliva, PO Box 31, Woodston, I Poole. Paul Bentrup, Polly not reckon a week's break to attend his KS 67675 Fowler sister's college gmduation. Thus, con­ President: Bill Pitts, 7811 NE 10th #202, P. Chapter Reports by Chapter sidering the pace he set. it is not sur­ Midwest City, OK 73110 Representatives prising that he tmversed the 80 miles VI~-Presldent: Mark L. Gardner, PO Box between La Juntaand Trinidad, CO, in 879, Cascade, CO 80809 IV. Old Business a mere two days. He found that stretch Secretary.Trea~urer: Ruth Olson Peters, A. Report on Rice-Tremonti of the road beautiful. Santa Fe Trail Center, RR 3, Larned, KS Home in Raytown, Missouri, Following a few days' sightseeing in 67550 Marc Simmons Santa Fe, Tom returned with his par­ 1993 Symposium Coordinator: DonaldC. ents to their home in Tucson, AZ. He Hill, 621 San Juan Ave., La Junta, CO 81050 B. SFTA/NPS 1993 Agree­ wrote several articles about his trip ments, Bill Pitts Publicity Coordinator: Michael E. Pitel, which were published in the Albuquer­ Tano Rd., Rl. 4, Box 240, Santa Fe, NM 87501 C. DAR marker in the Okla- que Journal.

2 August 1993

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/wagon_tracks/vol7/iss4/1 2 : Wagon Tracks. Volume 7, Issue 4 (August, 1993)

was constructed in the theme of an MYRA ELLEN JENKINS ously. The Halpin plan eventually early-day frontier community, which I I failed, but working conditions deterio­ the governor, in the. dedicatiori cere­ by John Grassham rated, and Dr. Jenkins took early re­ monies,' referred to as ~Wheiitleyville~" tirement in 1980. Other archive staff [Excerptsfrom a tribute published in members also resigned in protest. Wheatley was an authority on the Compadres. newsletterofthe Friends history ofthe SantaFe Trail, especially of the Palace of the Governors, Santa Plainly, Dr. Jenkins never ran from the Cimarron Route and that section Fe, edited by SFTA member Mary a controversy. To say she was outspo­ known as the Clayton Complex. Jean Cook. Jenkins was a member of ken would be an understatement. But Through his efforts, the Santa Fe High­ SFTA. WT editor Leo Oliva long ad­ she always backed up her comments way Trail Association was formed and mired Dr. Jenkins's scholarship, to with logic, reason, and relentless re­ U.S. Highway 56 was designated as which he was introduced by one of search, expecUng an equally sound the Santa Fe Trail Highway. He served his professors whUe an undergrad­ argument from her opponent. the highway association as president uate in the 1950s, and he met her in Myra Ellen Jenkins was frequently • and as director for manyyears. He was Santa Fe in the 1960s. He was called upon to serve as an expert wit­ a charter member of the Cimarron surprised anq delighted afew years ness in cases involving land and water Cutoff Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail ago, whUe doing research at the New Issues. She worked with many pueblos , Association as well as SFTA,which Mexico State Records Center and on contract after her retirement, han­ recognized him at its initial meetingas Archives, when Dr. Jenkins sought dlingclaims against them by"Interlop­ one of seven individuals who had es­ him out to express her admirationfor ers." The Pueblo people have lost a true pecially preserved the history of the his publications on western military and valued friend. Santa Fe Trail. history andfor Wagon Tracks. It was Myra Ellen enjoyed close relation­ Perhaps highest among his legisla­ a most kindly act and, to him, like the ships with the eight governors under tive accomplishments was the location stamp of approval from a master whom she served. Additionally, she and ultimate construction of Clayton craftsman that will always be made good friends of numerous na­ Lake State Park. Wheatley served a treasured.] tional, state, and local officials. Many number of years as a director and of them were very fond of her. Numer­ president ofthe Clayton-Union County Myra Ellen Jenkins passed away ous researchers found her especially Chamber ofCommerce. He was a past. Tuesday, June 22, 1993. Born in helpful. She always took great interest Elizabeth, Colorado, on September26. president ofthe Clayton Gun Club and in research projects and encouraged ofthe Union CountyHistorical Society, 1916, she lived her early years on the people everystep ofthe way. New Mex­ of which he was an instrumental or­ family ranch southeast ofDenver. She Ico and Southwest historians fre­ ganizer. completed her B.A. and M.A. in history quently stopped by her office. They at the University of Colorado and An active Rotarian, he served the came out of respect for her, and they taught high school for 12 years in also wanted to make sure their re­ Clayton Rotary Club as president and Pueblo and Grande. In 1950she began received Rotary International's highest . search was headed in the right direc­ work on a Ph.D. at the University of tion. Open any contemporary New recognition, a Paul Harris Fellow. He New Mexico in the field ofWestern U.S. was a member of the Clayton Volun­ Mexico history book to the acknow­ history with a specialty in Pueblo In- ledgement page, and nine times out of teer Fire Department for 63 years, .dian history, which was completed in serving as fire chief for six. ten she will be listed as assisUng the 1953. She did research and consulting project. . He was preceded in death on March work until 1959, when she was hired 16, 1988, by his Wife, the former Lois as archivist for the. Historical Society Continually, Myra Ellen, affection­ Caudill, whom he married in Clayton, ofNew Mexico Collection housed in the ately known as Dr. J., went beyond the on May 31, 1936; by a sister Mary Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe. call ofduty in supportingNew Mexico's Matthews in 1991; and, by three historical community. She was the After Governor John Burroughs godmother to many mature and pro­ brothers, his twin, John, in 1970, signed the bill, in 1959. creating the Robert in 1989, and Caleb In 1991. fessional historians. She generously New Mexico State Records Center and shared information she discovered,' Bill retained a dedicated interest in Archives, Jenkins was hired in 1960 to and she had a superb memory for the Santa Fe Trail throughout his life. oversee the archives as assistant for details. She also had, when the occa­ One ofhis greatjoys was taking people archives and collections. In 1962 her sion demanded, a great sense of hu­ on tours of Trail sites in his area, and position title was changed to senior mor. Her enthusiasm and influence on he was an excellent tour guide With a archivist, and in 1967 this position New Mexico historyand historians will superb knowledge of his subject. Leo was designated state historian. In this long be felt. and Bonita Oliva relied on him for an capacity Dr. Jenkins greatly infiu-· outstanding slide program and as a enced New Mexico's historic preserva; PALACE OF GOVERNORS gUide to historic sites around Clayton tion program. ACCIDENTALLY DAMAGED for each of the Trail tours they con­ Under her careful guidance New ducted. The Olivas purchased a tile to Mexico's documentary history was re­ SANTA Fe's most historic structure, honor Wheatley at the Palace of the organized into a more accessible struc­ the Palace of the Governors, was dam­ Governors Library at Santa Fe. ture. Important records were saved aged when a large portion of the portal • Marc Simmons declared that the which might otherwise have been lost, was struck down in June by a 4-wheel­ SFTA will not soon forget Wheatley's the battle for their preservaUon waged, drive Nisson Pathfinder driven by a years of devoted service to the Trail. ironically, within the archives. When 14-year-old. Palace Director Tom Paul Bentrup suggested that Wheatley NMSRCA administrator Joe Halpin Chavez declared that the destruction be named "Grandfather of the Santa planned to have historic records In the looked worse than it was, and it may Fe Trail Association." Bentrup is work­ archives microfilmed and then de­ have been a blessing in disguise. It ing with the family to Identify and pre­ stroyed, thereby creating a "paperless revealed some dangerous dry rot that, serve Wheatley's fine collection ofTrail archive," Myra Ellen and New Mexico's undetected, might have caused a photographs. historical community objected strenu.- greater tragedy at a later time.

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FLOOD OF 1993 No particulars were given as to loca­ View from Arrow Rock tion of the trouble, however. . by Virginia Lee Fisher (continued from page 1) The SFTA Missouri River Outfitters FROM Arrow Rock. Missouri. July 31, inspected the Fitzhugh Mill site later Chapter held a six-hour successful 1993. on the bluffoverlookingthe Mis­ and reported that. although there were trek Sunday August 1 beginning east souri River, below me I see a lake five signs offlooding on the north side, the .of Independence at Buckner-City near miles wide. Itextends from the bluffof water had receded without damage to the Jackson-Lafayette county line and the Arrow Rock east to Petersburg­ the stone remains of the mill. Some­ endingwith supper at the home ofour near the point from where William one, perhaps the City of Kansas City. guide. Roger Slusher. in Lexington. Becknell left for Santa Fe on Septem­ has heavy equipment digging a trench MO. We drove to Dover and the Tabo ber 1, 1821. The rampaging river has on· the south side of the creek below Creek crossing. Slusher's commentary leveled levees, flooded fields of corn the mill site. and the off-the-beaten path sites he and,soybeans. and rose to the second John Leamon reported no known took us over were interesting and in­ story of houses or floated them down • damage in hisarea (Platte County, MO) formative. Although the road was clear the river. Except for that portion ofthe ( although nearby Parkville has been in we saw water still standing in many Trail from the Franklin areato the river trouble from the Missouri River over­ fields and Tabo Creek was out of its crossing at Arrow Rock. little damage flow. Ruts in Lou Schumacher's area banks. but the Trail.was still there. I to Trail sites has occurred. in South Kansas City show no signs of have not been apprised ofthesituation The Santa Fe Trail followed the Os­ erosion from the heavy rains and the east of Lexington. age Trace, the trail of the Indians. For BannisterMall area (nearwhere Edwin Jane Mallinson had nothingto report the most part the Santa Fe Trail is on Bryant .camped) has drained well.. regarding the DAR markers so we con-· high ground. For some fifty miles from Overall, as. nearly as can be deter­ cluded that all may have survived in­ Arrow Rock to Tabo. . Creek east of Lex- mined at this time, the Trail faired well tact. Later. unconfirmed reports indi­ ington, there are no major stream in this region. . cated that those on the north side of crossings. Through Lexington and on The ever frivolous Missouri River wa­ the river, in the vicinityofold Franklin, to Independence _the main Trail fol­ ters have eliminated some islands and were, indeed, washed away. The truth lowed higher ground. created new ones, as well and flooded about those markers will be known In 1828 and 1844 floodwaters both sides of the channel. Acres of when the waters recede. washed out Franklin, a booming river' crops now appear as lakes and road The lack of 1993 flood damage from town, steamboat port, land office approaches and bridges across the the Kansas/Missouri riversjunction is headquarters, and original starting mighty stream are closed to traffic. generally attributed to the planning point ofthe Santa Fe Trail. SFTA mem­ Great piles of mud and silt prevent and construction of levees and reser­ bers who attended the 1991 Sympo­ through traffic. ' voirs upriver. The installations worked sium will remember the monument From the overlook on the Upper In­ as intended to prevent another 1951­ site at the north end of the railroad dependence Landing bluffone can see type flood. bridge which is near the site of Frank­ across the Missouri River into Clay Which brings me to the heroic story lin and the picnic that was held at County, MO. The Missouri. in the fore- . (true) of the devastating flood of these Kingsbury Siding. Near the site of ground at the foot of the bluff. now two rivers in 1951. With all other Franklin stood the Missouri P.ress As­ appears as two rivers where once there bridges over the flooding Kaw River sociation granite monument. the War was one and the tree lines markingthe already downed (there were seven of of 1812 DAR monument, and a metal former channel nowappear as islands. them) the one remaining bridge was a narrative placard. The' two latter There also is visible one large newsand Missouri Pacific Railroad bridge. The monuments were moved in 1991 from island where there previously was railroad yardmasterparked eight ofhis a park area off Highway 40 east of the none and the old river road to the heaVy big locomotives onto the bridge junction pf Route 5. An interpretive Landing has been closed to traffic for where theirsolejob was to weigh down sign was also erected at this point by weeks. Of course, no potato crops are the bridge against the river's current, the National Park Service and the Mis-' visible on the flood plain to the north. risingwaters. and debris. His ploy was souri Department of Natural Re­ The small town of Missouri City (for­ successful and he became a local hero. sources in the fall of 1991. On August mer steamboat landing on the north It would be interesting to know, how­ 18 Mike Dickey, supervisor of Arrow bend of the Missouri River below the ever. what would have happened to Rock Historic Site, reported that the Upper Independence Landing) has him if his scheme had failed! area ofthe original Franklin. the mark­ been unreachable and under water for No matter how one gives thanks for ers noted above, the Kingsbury Siding weeks. The water is now receding, the preservation of the Trail through .site, and Highway 87 which ran west leaving only muck and mud, but the these rainy days, one must conclude past Snoddy's Store and passed the small city is still accessible only by that the real heroes were the farsighted location of Franklin had all been de­ boat. Indians and other astute early travel: stroyed by the high waters. The soil The Lower Independence Landing ers who, knowing the bogginess in the had been badly scoured, boulders and proved to be. completely inaccessible. lowlands and crossings ofsmall water debris were str~wn throughout the I One must walk a rough trail about 660 courses early in the spring, avoided area, and pools ofwater remained after feet, more or less. north from the main them by plotting and staying on top of the river receded. It would appear that road to reach the Santa Fe Railroad the many continuous ridges found in most of the route of the Trail from tracks which apparently were built al­ western Missouri and eastern Kansas, Franklin to the crossingat Arrow Rock mostdirectlyon the former 1830south and who· generally descended from suffered the same fate. The river may (right) bank ofthe Missouri River land­ these ridges only when necessary to have cut a new channel through a ing area. I could not get. down there. cross a major stream. Their planning 'portion of this area, which has been but I did happen to see a small com­ made it possible for the Trail in this described.. as looking like a H moon_ ment in a local newspaper by a Santa region to come through these recent scape now. Fe Railroad spokesman who said their storms and consequent flooding with­ One of my informants, who was out tracks had experienced some flooding. out serious damage. videotaping flood scenes, spent a har-

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https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/wagon_tracks/vol7/iss4/1 4 : Wagon Tracks. Volume 7, Issue 4 (August, 1993)

rowing night hanging on a tree limb pared to the power of the river. With a Among the many topics covered were after his boat flipped. According to re­ mind of Its own It will reshape terrain Trail history, Las Vegas history, Indian ports, the river cut a channel three feet and traffic as It did In 1828 and 1844 culture at Pecos, archaeology, trade below the level of the road west of when the old town ofFranklin washed commodities, folklore, teaching tech­ Snoddy's Store.. away. While we mortals argue about niques, and primary sources which The present nearby village of Frank­ levees and wetlands the river makes Its can be used to study the Trail. It was lin suffered severe flood damage to own decisions. For the most part, how­ a worthy course and will help those homes and businesses, despite efforts ever, the remains of the historic Santa who attended to Incorporate Trail his­ to sandbag. Residents of Franklin, Fe Trail survived the great flood of tory Into their classrooms. Louisiana, victims of Hurricane An­ 1993. drew, trucked In 30,000 pounds of DAR MARKER RESTORED relief supplies. At Glasgow, upriver ANOTHER OVAL SIGN . AND REDEDICATED from Franklin, the town sits high on ANOTHER of the oval Trail signs , • Thanks to Aaron Cross, Eagle Scout " the bluff and overlooks the flooded placed on schools In 1948 has been candidate from Troop 283 in Lewis, lands to the west. Highway240coming donated by Lee Reed to the Otero Mu­ KS, the DAR Santa Fe Trail marker on In from Slater, at first underwater, was seum In La Junta, CO, according to Wright Road, Fort County, KS, has • soon washed out and huge boulders of President Don Lowman of the Otero been saved from oblivion. The red concrete tumbled end over end In the Museum Association. This plaque, granite stone, knocked from Its con­ current. At the Glasgow railroad now on display at the museum, was crete base by an errant farm vehicle, bridge, the central supporting pUing<> from the long-defunct Tlmpas School. was reset and restored through eroded away leaVing railroad tracks Reed was remodeling the school build­ Cross's efforts to help fulfill the re­ sagging across the water between the ing many years ago for Western Foods qUirements for his Eagle Scout Service abutments on shore. At Glasgow and (now Green Bay Packing), after It was Award. . . other towns, commuters were trans­ sold to the canning company by the Cross organized a group of volun­ ported by bus and by boat. Buses East Otero R-l School District, when teers,lncludlng DaVid Cross, Steve transported sand-bag volunteers to he found the sign on a trash pile. He small communities. Men, women, and Wetzel, Mildon Yeager, and David took It home and hung It on his garage Clapsaddle, to help with the project. children came from throughout the at 22nd and Raton In La Junta, where They are all members of the Wet/Dry region to assist. It remained until recently when the Routes Chapter of SFTA. Ron Lind­ In Arrow Rock. on the high ground, Reed family presented It to the mu­ bergh Is Aaron's scoutmaster. we almost became accustomed to the seum. murmur of the river as It flowed over Members of the Dodge City Chapter A photograph of the sign and an of Daughters of the American Revolu­ crumbling levees In the bottom lands. article about It appeared In the La tion will rededicate the marker on Au­ The river reached the bluff and one Junta Tribune-Democrat on July 9, gust 29, 1993, at 5:30 p.m. It Is located wonders If the main channel could 1993. President Lowman invites every­ seven miles east ofthe town ofWright, shift back to Arrow Rock's WaterStreet one attending the symposlum to visit or five miles south of Spearville, KS. where steam boats used to dock at the the Otero Museum at Second and An­ ~._~.--.:.-~'-_ _-c---~ old landing. Water from the flooded derson in La Junta to see this plaque ..... bottom lands backed up to the park and the other exhibits. ,'\ road, at one time covered with two feet of water. Water levels almost reached TRAIL INSTITUTE , the top of the arches of the stone by Stan Seidel j' bridge. [Seidel is a member oj SFTA and a Few people were totally stranded, Topeka, KS, teacher who participated but travel often entailed extended de­ in the Trail Institute and flied the tours. The Interstate 70 bridge at jollowing summary.} Rocheport remained open except for one afternoon and was the only Mis­ A Santa Fe Trail Institute for public souri River bridge open between Kan­ school teachers was held at New Mex­ sas City and St. Louis. ico Highlands University at Las Vegas, Water supplies were disrupted. The June 13-18, 1993. This program, di­ Lexington water plant was completely rected by Keven Oakes and Rueleen submerged. The Slater wells serving Lazzell and sponsored In part by the the town, Arrow Rock, and surround­ DeWitt Wallace Foundation, allowed Ing areas were submerged. but now 26 teachers and administrators to ex­ provide water, although It Is not safe plore part of the Trail In New Mexico to drink. Today, unlike the days of the and to learn more about Its fascinating history, geography. and lore. Trail travelers, we think before we Aaron Cross, Lewis, KS, with the re­ drink. Our good friend has been An­ Guest lecturers Included Trail schol­ stored DAR Trail marker. heuser-Busch, who trucked In flats of ars Marc Simmons and Mark Gardner • six packs of water (Grandma's light as well as local authorities Katherine COUNCIL GROVE FESTIVAL light beer). Farther up the river there Slick. Joe Winter, Nasarlo Garcia, was .flooding In the bottoms around James Gonzalez, and Gary Sampson. SEPTEMBER 25-26 Grand Pass, Waverly, and Lexington. Participants toured Las Vegas, Fort THE Santa Fe Trail Arts Festival and Floodingat Lexington, Wellington, and Union, Pecos Monument, Glorieta Chill Cook-Off at Council Grove Is set Napoleon caused some detours on Pass, Watrous, and the United World for September 25-26. A pageant, Highway 24. College at Montezuma. "Voices of the Wind People," will high­ Heroic efforts have been made to College credit was available from light the festival at 8:00 p.m. Sept. 25. save homes, but theyseem puny com- New Mexico Highlands University. This will be a revision of a sm iliar

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program presented last year. with par­ WIWAM BENT GRAVE SITE ticipation by Kansa Indians. SFTA memberRon Parks. director ofthe Kaw .by Jesse &ott Mission Museum. wrote the script. Events on Sunday. Sept-ember 26. ISFTA member Jesse &ott. Garden grounds" under "a large cottonwood." will be at the Stone Barn near the Trail City. KS. has researched TraU stage Others included his daughter, Mary. east of Council Grove. with living-his­ stations and other TraU sites in her husband. Judge R. M. Moore. their tory demonstrations. church service. Kansas and Colorado. He is a two sons and another grandchild of and many other activities. For more frequent contributor to WT. He William and an old "servitor." Billy information. contact the Councir attended the program marking the Holdsclaw. In 1906 their bodies were Grove Convention and Visitors Bu­ original grave site of WUliam Bent. denuded. and they were reinterred in reau. 313 W Main. Council Grove. KS Scott wUl be on the symposium pro­ the Las Animas Cemetery. 66846. 1-800-732-9211. gram at La Junta.] It is most interesting how some ,• WILLIAM Bent left his mark in western things come back around. For the OKLAHOMA TRAIL TOUR history and the history ofthe Santa Fe May/June 1989 edition of The TERRI­ OCTOBER 2, 1993 Trail. On May 16. 1992. his original TORIAL and the August 1989 edition grave site was marked dUring a cere­ of WAGON TRACKS. I had written an The Cimarron County Historical Soci­ mony atterided by Bent family mem­ article on the oldeststandingstructure ety will host its 4th Annual Oklahoma bers. a number of historians. and in­ in Las Animas. a home ~uUt by John Trail Tour on Saturday. October 2. terested citizens of several states. The Hough, a Santa Fe Trail freighter. It is 1993. with visits to many Trail sites in La Junta Chapter ofthe National Soci­ located at 710 Moore Avenue. The the county that are not accessible to ety Daughters ofthe American Revolu­ street was renamed after Florida Bent the public at other times. The tour will tion (NSDAR or DAR) '1Vas primarily Moore. Driving out to the marker dedi­ leave the fair building in Boise City at responsible for the ceremonyas well as cation site, I crossed this street (ave­ 8:00 a.m. the marker. Don Hill. superintendent .nue) and recalled the Bent connection. Those who have been on previous of Bent's Old Fort NHS. was program Today's conception ofWilliam Bent is tours highly recommend this informa­ coordinator and one of the speakers. . that. primarily. he was a trader who tive annual trek. Reservations are re­ The grave site is one mile east of Las stayed within the confines of his forts qUired and space is limited. For more Animas. Colorado. or about a day's and traded with the Indians who came information or to make reservations. journey by ox-drawn freight wagon along and who often traveled to their contact Joan Wells (405) 544-3077. down river from his first and most' villages. However. he was one of the Joanne Wells (405) 544-2716. or famous adobe fort. or a long day by important Santa Fe Trail freighters. In Norma Gene Young (405) 544-3136. mule team up river from his second 1853 he had a contract for freighting stone fort. This is not altogether cor­ government supplies from Westport to rect. for he had other earlier forts up Santa Fe. He hauled government sup­ the Arkansas River and. in 1843. in plies almost every year from 1852 to Texas. 1862. "Col. Wm. Bent was the first inhabi­ In May 1869 Bent started a caravan tant ofthe family graveyard which was from New Mexico over the Mountain situated in a hollow on his own Route. On the Timpas. a late winter

'~""'l"~. ' .

The new marker.

\-. -~ ., ;,~

I

, ,Ii WIlliam Bent descendants present at Dignatarlee at the dedication, I to r: Paul Bentrup, Deerfleldllakln, KS, SFTA the dedication ceremony, I to r: Lucille Ambassador; Don Hili, Supt. Bent's Old Fort NHSj Phil Petersen, La Junta, SFTA Bent, great-granddaughter; Vera Gin­ member and head of Boggsvllle Revitalization Committee; Mrs. Danny Self, regent, gles, . great-great-gran~daughter; and Fort William Bent Chapter NSDAR; Mrs. Ed Masterson, Chaplain, La Junta NSDAR; Donna Reams, great-great-great-grand­ Mrs. Duane Bourne, regent, La Junta NSDARj and Gerald Faust, SFTA member and daughter. Bent County Commission chairman.

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cold spell caused him to become so ill that he stopped at the Purgatoire RATON MUSEUM where his daughter, Mary, lived. A doc­ by Michael J. Palomino tor from New Fort Lyon pronounced ~Pneumonla." and William Bent died [This is twenty-seventh in a series on May 19, four days before his 60th historic sites and museums along the birthday. TraU. Palomino, a member ofSFTA. is Bent was quoted as saying that for the director of the museum at Raton. making one trip with his train, the NM.] government paid him enough to pur­ THE town ofRaton developed around chase aU the Indian goods he needed a spring and camping site on the for a whole year's trade. That he was Mountain Route of the Santa Fe Trail such a successful trader of lon~tand­ at the southern entrance to Raton Ing may. in part, have been because of Pass. During the latter years of Trail Raton, 8een from Goat Hili, from M. F. this well-earned government subsidy. use the place served as a stage station Sweetser, King's Handbook of the U.S. Not that he could not have made it on and as a government forage agency for Buffalo (1891). his own; he had been on the Arkansas • the army, The town became Important stage station, general store, and res­ since 1824 (or 1826), many years be­ with the arrival of the railroad and the taurant became a favorite stopover for fore government freight was needed in development of mining and ranching stages. wagon trains, and other travel­ Santa Fe. in the region. ers. When Barlow and Sanderson es­ War .with Mexico was declared by The Raton Museum, founded in tablished a stage line along the Moun­ President James K. Polk on May 13. 1939. Is located at 216 South First tain Route. Tom Stockton leased 1846.. William Bent and Bent's Fort Street. The museum collections in­ Clifton House to them as a stage sta­ played Important parts in the need for clude documents, books, and pictures tion. U.S. government supplies reqUired in on local and regional history; artifacts The story of the Clifton House in the New MeXico. Itwas at the bigadobe fort and antiques which illustrate the lives days that followed reads like a pano­ In 1846 that theforces were stagedfor of early settlers and later residents; rama of frontier history. W~gon trains . the conquest of that territory. After and exhibits showing local resources and fast coaches continued to bring weeks ofgathering from the Trail back and historic developments. more and more men and women to the to Fort Leavenworth, they assembled The manyrepresentative articles and enchanting Southwest and legends for the push to meet the New Mexi­ began to center around this old stage cans. photographs on display help explain the technological and economic devel­ depot. Cattlemen and ranchers mi­ After draining the fort of provisions, opments which form the hlstoryofRa­ grated from the east and these were their livestock eating aU the'grass for ton and the surrounding area. Trans­ followed byadventurers. gold hunters, miles around. thearmy was ready for portation was the key to settlement and the general run ofcard sharks and the actual march of conquest. How­ and growth, first with the Santa Fe other gamblers hoping to exploit the ever, several Trail freighters had hur­ Trail but especially the railroad which new region and its inhabitants. Soon ried ahead to lay the groundwork for a followed the Trail through Raton Pass the Clifton House became notorious as bloodless occupation (always the in the 1870s and opened New Mexico a hangout for cutthroats and thieves, Santa Fe Trail traders In the van­ Territory, with its strong Indian and and one exaggerated report tells ofhow guard). James Magoffin, the Bents, Hispanic cultures, to economic devel­ innocent, stage passengers were arid their military aides arranged with opment as practiced by the Anglo cul­ robbed and murdered. and how their Governor Manuel Armijo the takeover ture ofthe United States. The livestock bodies were buried In a ~Boothill Ce­ of New Mexico, and Brigadier General industryand ranchingbegan along the metery" to the rear of the estab­ Stephen Watts Kearny marched Into Trail to supply travelers and the army, lishment. Actually, there was such a Santa Fe without having fired a shot. and it boomed after the railroad cemetery. !Jut it was more likely the Kearny marched on to California and opened new and distant markets. The resting place of those unfortunate piO­ made that Important segment of. the mining of coal became a major indus­ neers who were killed in any number Mexican Empire a part of the United try after the railroad came. of ways in the rough-and-ready fro~­ States, this time, however, with shots The exhibits renect the fact that Col­ tier life of the times. While there were two known murders in the Clifton set­ fired and with bloodshed. When the. fax County and Raton have gone war ended with the treaty of Guada­ through many phases in their develop­ tlement, the old hostelry was in reality no more a ~Robbers Roost" than any lupe ,Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, ment. The first phase belonged to the other stage depot in this part of the Mexico ceded to the United States. Indians and a few European explorers. country. nearly all of present New Mexico, most The next phase was the covered wagon of Arizona, part of Wyoming. all of and stagecoach days, when most peo­ The railroad came over Raton Pass in Colorado. Utah, Nevada, and Califor­ the late 1870s and with it came law r-- .., ple passed through but did not remain nia, and the southern border of Texas in the area. A diorama shows a stage­ and order. The Clifton House. built for was established at the Rio Grande coach on the Santa Fe Trail. A few the Tniil era, gradually fell into decay. River. A disastrous fire in the late 1890s and • enterprising individuals settled along The recreated adobe fort near La the route to service 'the needs of trav­ the erosion of time and weather have Junta, Bent's Old Fort National His­ elers in the latter part of that era. reduced this once famous stage stop toric Site which was reconstructged by Another diorama depicts the Clifton to a few piles ofjagged walls. the National Park Service in 1976, is a House, built by William Haden Stock­ Duringthe Trail-era phase a few men fitting monument to one of our great­ ton and his son Thomas on the Moun­ prospected for gold and other miner­ est western heroes; truly a man of tain Route at the crossingofthe Cana­ als. Mining became more Important empire. The marking of his original dian River approximately five miles with the coming of the railroad. As grave site by the DAR helps preserve southwest ofthe present town ofRaton noted, ranchingexpanded at the same that memory. in the 18608. This three-story hotel. time. The settlement phase Included

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these developments.'This era Is repre­ A FASCINATING TWENTY MILES sented in the museum bya,diorama of the famous old dredge called "The by Teresa Kesterson Eleanor" located near Elizabethtown, NM. Other exhibits tell the story ofthe [Teresa and Dale Kesterson, Las here is the location ofBent's Old Fort. railroad, ranching. social history, and Animas, CO, are members of SFTA Because the fort was an important more recent times. and prOduce and·market Santa Fe gathering place before heading south During 1992 the Raton Museum had TraU notecards featuring photo­ into Mexico, manywriters ofTrailjour­ two traveling exhibits: "The Battleship graphs ofTraU sites. This is a modern nals and diaries mentioned stopping USS New Mexico" and "The Civil War in personal story of a growing qfTection here. There is a wealth of information the West." The Civil War exhibit fo­ for a section ofthe enchanting TraU.} in these writings about the fort and the country around it. cused on Civil War battles in New Mex­ "WHAT in the world am I doing here in ico. in particular the battle at Glorieta the middle of nowhere?" I thought to Forthe most part the Trail was to the Pass, and was extremely well received myself. I had recently moved half way north of the Arkansas. Some parties and was attended by nearly every stu­ across the country, had left all those I traveled south of the river after they dent from the Raton schools. The mu­ loved and everything that was familiar, had forded, and then turned south­ seum also sponsored an art exhibit by to find "gainful employment" in ex­ west to follow Timpas Creek. Trail ruts • Anna Belle Birchett, who resides in treme southeast Colorado. I was trav­ are not readily evident to the north or Raton and Oklahoma City, OK. eling the last leg of an early morning south of the river, as they are in other In addition to these exhibits, the mu­ business trip and was not sure I had places rve seen along the Trail. On the seum offers its visitors many artifacts not made a terrible blunder (in more north side of the river any tracks that and photographs which are in its per-' ways than one). As the trip dragged on may have existed in earlier times have manent colle.ction. During the late and on, I had an increasingly nagging been erased through intensive agricul­ lBOOs and early 1900s, many mining inner voice that sinisterly whispered ture. South of the river much of the towns sprung up around Raton: Van that (1) I had taken a wrong turn in land remains.relatively untouched as Houten, Dawson, Sugarite, Koehler, Lamar, (2) I was utterly lost, and (3) grazing land, but there are no "tracks" Blossburg, Yankee, and Swastika that no one thatloved me would ever as such. This is a mystery to me. I (whose name was later changed to .see me again. cannot imagine how the staggering number of wagons (and other vehi­ . Brilliant!. These mining towns are now It turned out that I was not lost and cles), teams (and other animals), and gone, only the foundations remain the meeting went well. As time passed people could have avoided 'leaving per­ where once thousands of miners and I became familiar with, came to re­ manent testimony on. the land. I their families lived, worked, loved, and. spect, and even to love my new sur­ strongly suspect that many indica­ died. The museum has a fine collection roundings. rve found since that this is tions of the trail are evident from the of artifacts and photos from this gold­ far from "nowhere." DUring that trip I air. There are manysuspicio'us looking en age ofcoal mining. The collection of knew little of nor did I care about the dips and swales marring the land­ photos and memorabilia from the coal­ Santa Fe Trail. I had heard of it, hut I scape. Some of these have become mining community of.Dawson, NM, Is couldn't have described its route, or washed out gullies and almost in the quite extensive. even what it was. Over ten years have class of "arroyos." However, to my On display presently Is a photo­ passed. The land along the road has knowledge there is little or nothing graphic exhibit entitled Visions ofNew changed verylittle. rve changed much.. that one can point to and say, "This Is Mexico. The Farm Security Admini­ rve had a change in career, in home­ the Santa Fe Trail." A major reason, I stration (FSA) photographic project town, a marriage. My life and many of believe, are the numerous times the was created to chronicle the Grea(De­ my interests have changed. As a re­ Arkansas has fiooded the surrounding pression. The intent was to produce a sult, I am traveling this same road on visual report shOwing the beneficial my way to and from work each day. land and possibly.slightly changed its course ,over the years. Other consid­ effects of the federal government's so­ Once considered an inconvenience of erations are the river was likely cial relief and renewal programs (col­ time and space between two points on crossed in different places at different lectively call the New Dew). This Is a a map, I now find the road fascinating. times. In the building of the AT&SF remarkable look at a difficult time in It Is a rejuvenating force for me. railroad and modern highways, the New Mexico's history. This exhibit Is The road is a part ofU.S. Highway 50 land has also been disturbed. sponsored by the Raton Arts Council between Las Animas and La Junta, through a grant from the New Mexico Colorado. The length is approximately My favorite direction to travel the Arts Division and is funded in part by twenty miles. It roughly parallels the road is westward. Possibly because the Museum of New Mexico and the Arkansas River, and hence a portion of this is the way to Santa Fe. My favorite McCune Foundation. The Raton Arts what Is known as the Mountain Route time to drive it is in the morningon the Councll is sharingthis exhibit with the of the Trail. This is roughly where the way to work. I like the qUiet and still­ Raton Museum. Plans for 1993 in­ Mountain Route turns south and west ness of the morning. and the relative. clude a photographic exhibit of the from following the Arkansas River to lack of traffic. My mind is more active coal mining community ofMorley, CO, following Timpas Creek. Many of the at this time than after I have been at . which no longer exists. Morley was early expeditions and later the traders work all day. I haven't yet begun to located about 15 miles north ofRaton. and the military crossed the river at think about the workdayahead. As my The Raton Museum is open from some point along this twenty miles on commute is a long one, there is plenty of time to organize my day after rve 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during Sep­ the journey to Santa Fe, or to Taos, or tember through April on Thursday, on the return trip back to the "States." enjoyed my twenty-mile trip back in time. lfind it easy to imagine the occa­ Friday, and Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. The Arkansas was in early times the sional telephone poles, fence posts, to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Satur­ border between MexiCO and the United and even the road ahead to evaporate day, from May through August, and by States. I find it interesting to imagtne and to "see" earlier "trail" times. appointment for special groups. For that I am driving in what once was more information call (505) 445-8979. Mexico.. Another important feature I enjoy the trip most in the times of

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the year when the sun rises just as I continuity to life. There is a cycle, an approach, they barked, their short reach La Junta. There are undescrib­ ebb and a flow, a spring and a fall. tails pervously fluttering, and receiv­ able colors In the painted morningsky. Renewal followed by death and then ing a new impetus from the short. Clouds, ofcourse are beautiful at sun­ renewal again. Then, as now, I take qUick. and sharp tiny yelp, which they rise. However, I have found I appreci­ comfort in knowing that Msome thing<> constantly uttered; when they thought ate the cloudless sky much more. never change.M But more than this, I themselves in danger, with an Incred­ Without clouds the skycontains all the also realize a connection with the past. ibly qUick motion, they threw them­ primary colors. Though much the book was not spe­ selves back in the holes, and immedi­ There are times that the trip can be cifically written about this geographic ately reappeared with an impertinent. anything but uneventful. I make this area, parts of it are as valid now as daring bark. as ifto say. 'You can't get drive in all kinds of weather. I have then. Garrard wrote much about me: Others slowly 'crawfished,' hiding. driven in deep snow, before the snow plants and animals one might see on by their singular way ofcrouching the plow makes its way through. Some­ an early morning drive to work. back. until nothing but their heads ,, times there are only one or two sets of and tails could be seen-these latter M The plants are ofgreat interest to me Mruts in the dark road before me. I am as much ofmy formal trainingis in this shaking tremulously. Succeedinga si­ ever thankful to my brother Patrick for discipUne. In years past a bunch of us lence ofa few m inutes, after scaring in teaching me to drive under those con­ with similar interests have gathered the 'dogs,' we could see. by laying flat .' ditions. Rain isn't usually a feature. each springand taken our Mwild flower on the ground, so as to get the tops of However, I have made my way through tourMsouth of Las Animas and La the cones between the sky arid our cloud bursts in which there was Uttle Junta. The group included many who eyes, with the closest scrutiny, the or no Visibility. One cannot just sud­ have become my friends, includingDr. head, here and there, of a dog almost denlystop in the middle ofHighway 50 Dexter Hess (another SFTA member) im perceptibly moving. and with a cau­ and wait for the rain to pass. as other and Dale who has become my hus­ tious reconnoiter to see Ifthe coast be cars behind you don't stop either. Of band. Our pockets and vehicles full of clear; he would show himself, and no little concern is the possibiUty that references, we would look at the year's then, with a knowingyelp, appraise his a driver in front has stopped. Some of Mcrop" of sage, .penstemon. evening neighbors of the result of his Investi­ gations." the most interestingweather is the fog. primrose, yucca, sunflowers, cactus, , I cannot understand how this country grasses, and other plants that we Years ofraisingsheep and seeingthe can have so much fog, being as dryas might find. Garrard described the result of coyote attacks have not en­ it is. Sometimes the fog is as thick as yucca, p. 47: MThe soap plant (Amole deared me to coyotes. Some years ago any I have seen in Seattle. or Yucca augustlfoUa) dotted the prai­ I worked for a veterinarian and spent Over the years there has been a lot rie, here and there, in the strange­ a most disagreeable morning assisting of traffic through this area (pun in­ looking garb of green. Its root is much In an unsuccessful attempt to save a tended). Prehistoric peoples. Spanish used by the New Mexicans is washing youngster's pet lamb after a vicious and French explorers. Becknell. the clothes-more especially for finer attack. I understand that all living Bents, St. Vrain, Kit Carson, Abert, goods-It not possessing alkaline things have their place in this world, Emory, Kearny, Susan Magoffin, and properties in so great a degree as the but I will never think ofthat experience ' many. many others came and went in com mon soap of wood ashes. The as a Mfond memory." During my morn­ this area over the highway known as . plant is an evergreen. not dissimilar in ing drive, and sometimes in the eve­ the Santa Fe Trail. general appearance to the palmetto of ning. I will see them as they sUnk I find in studying this portion of the Louisiana and Texas." (pardon my prejudicial choice ofword) Mountain Route that a lot of informa­ Garrard also mentioned a particular across the road ahead, or I maysee the tion is aVailable. I will be learningmore species of grass. This grass would be­ results in their being too brave in their for a long time. A good source that rve come important to the economyofrais­ attem pts at crossing the highway. found is the book by Lewis H. Garrard, ing cattle in the regton, p. 24: MThe Garrard mentioned coyotes, p. 18: Wah-to-Yah and the Taos TraU (my edi­ grass in this regton is short, early, and MFor the first nightor two afterentering tion was published by the University highly nutritious. It has a withered. .the buffalo regton we were serenaded ofOklahoma Press, 1955). It happened brown appearance even in early . by the Coyote wolf, a species of music to be the first source I picked up. The spring. and is designated as 'buffalo much like a commingled bark, whine. book contains a wealth of information grass,' from the fact that it grows in the yelp, and occasionally a spasmodic and is charmingly written. In fact. I so present buffalo range and forms their laugh. now tenor. now basso; then one enjoy this book that it has been diffi­ principal food." would take a treble solo. and after an cult for me to leave it behind and look Animals are also an early morning ear-piercing prelude, all would join in to another source. feature along my route. The prairie dog chorus, making an indescribable dis­ Garrard must have been an extraor­ could easily be considered the come­ cord." dinary young man to have made such dian of the plains. Along the road is Antelope are a common sight be­ careful observations at his young age. evidence ofprairie dog towns. Theyare tween Las Animas and La Junta. After " '" Much ofwhat I find so appealing in his fascinating to watch. No one described I first arrived in this country a friend wonderful little book has to do with his a prairie dog town more precisely and or neighbor would point to some dis­ descriptions of nature. Each day on with more understanding than Gar­ tant spot and joyfully declare, MOhl my drive I am surrounded by nature. rard, p. 23: MThe prairie dog (a species Look at the antelope." I would sqUint Some things in nature along the road of marmot) is somewhat larger than in the appropriate direction and ask have changed little since MTrail Times.M the Norway rat; a scanty covering of MWhere?" MJust over therel A whole I enjoy seeing soinething with my own rusty brown or sandy hair renders the bunch. Don't you see them?" Still eyes, and then seeing it again through similarity the more striking. Their sqUinting, I usually replied, MOh, sure. the eyesofLewis Garrard in words that heads are short, bearing some resem­ I see," hopingmy deception was not too he wrote nearly 150 years ago. In the blance to that of a young bulldog. It readily detected. For some time I was stresses of everyday concerns, this was quite amusing to watch their sure I was the victim of a community gives me assurance that there is a movements on top ofthe cones; on our organized snipe hunt. Eventually I be-

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gan to recognize the llttlelight colored he was alone (if he was) and that close .The fort staff and liVing-history enac­ dots in the distance for myself. Some­ to the river. Garrard described an in­ tors help us understand well the origi­ times they come close to the road. They teresting eating utensil made from the nal fort and its role in the evolution of are indeed a curious animal. In an bighorn sheep. p. 61: MAfter the cus­ the West. There are manyevents at the effort to photograph them on one occa­ tomary salutations. we sat doWn to a fort each year emphasizlng Indians. sion. I was amazed that theystood and bowl of dried stewed pumpkin. with a trappers and traders. military influ­ watched while I slowed the car to a horn spoon sticking in it. from which ences. and ordinary life. Each time I go halt, got out of the car. slammed the we partook by turns. The spoon was a I learn something new. and meet old door. opened the trunk, rummaged for curiosity in its way-manufactured friends and a few new ones. the camera. found the camera. and from the horn of a Rocky Mountain Visiting Bent's Old Fort Historical slammed the trunk. only to bound sheep and holding at least a pint." Site. for me Is much like going home. away when I stood still and qUiet to I wish I knew the birds better than I My husband teases me that I must focus the camera. do. for I see a great variety of them on have been·a trader or trapper in an Garrard spoke--- of antelope. p. 40: my trips. One morning. near mile earlier life. I do feel strangely at home MThere Is much that is singular about marker 390 sittingon a fence post was with the sights. sounds. and smells at the antelope. it being a most inqUisi­ a beautiful bird. different than the the fort. The authentically-costumed tive creature; their curiosity ... often usual ones I see. As my car passed. the enactors. the sharp clang ofthe black­ • results in their downfall. .. The moun­ bird took to the air. Ithad an enormous smith's hammer. and the pungent. ac­ taineers spin long yarns of their ex­ Wing span. I felt that I had recognized rid odor ofcottonwood smoke combine ploits in hunting and toling game; and this bird. but I convinced myself that I to create an atmosphere that draws me theysay that standingon the head and really didn't see what I thought I saw. back often. and I find it difficult to shaking the legs in air is a successful It was early morning and still some­ leave. and favorite mode. Marcellus St. what dark. Besides. I got strange I have an acquaintance who lives at Vrain. brother to our leader. Is noted enough reactions when I said I had Bent's Old Fort. a cat named Pinky in comIng this dodge over them.MSo far seen a bighorn sheep. About a week who came there in 1976 after the re­ Dale has refused to perform this stunt later Dale's cousin told us that he be­ construction ofthe fort bythe National for the sake of photography. lieved he saw the same bird. He de­ Park Service. In recent years I met her One morning. because of icy roads. scribed It as being somewhat east of first owner who described how she my trip was earlier than usual. Along where I was. MWell. maybe." I said to reluctantly gave up the kitten years the way. ahead in the roadway on the myself. A short time later on the way ago because she planned to join the top of a low hill. lumbered a four­ home. from work I saw it again. This armed services. I believe it would be legged critter crossing the road. MHo time there was no mistake. I let out a safe to say that Pinky Is the longest hum." I thought. Manother antelope." squeal of glee as I watched the bald continuous resident of the recon­ But the bodywas too chunkyand over- eagle soaring above the car. Garrard structed fort. She's even lived there . all It was too large. The animal had desCribed two bald eagles he saw at longer than William Bent did. Some­ made Its way off to the right side ofthe Bent's Fort. p. 43: MIn the belfry. two times she Is a source ofaggravation for road. As I crept along and slowly eagles. of the American bald species. fort personnel. rve heard her referred passed. it was not ten feet from the car. looked from their prison. ... One to as MThat darn catl" when the search I kept a concerned eye to the road. but evening they were let loose; one es­ . was on to put her in for the night. glanced up for a quick mental snap­ caped unharmed. the other flew a Generally friendly. when she has had shot that I will never forget. and one short distance. and a Cheyenne shot enough lOVing attention from her for which I was not prepared. I was him for the feathers. to adorn his own droves ofadmiring public (fort visitors) lookingat a bighorn sheep. Itwas more ugly head." she simply walks away finding respite majestic with its big curly horns than I cannot write a story of my experi­ in a nook or cranny too high or se­ any I had ever seen in pictures. I was ences along my fascinating twenty cluded to be reached by young (or surprised at its size. I had never heard miles without mention of Bent's Old young at heart) adoring hands. Al­ ofsuch an animal any where near this Fort National Historical Site. It Is a though Pinky can take care of herself. location. The sheep had turned and reference point in the area. After the rve seen from time to time wounds on cast at me what I imagined to be the mid-I83Os the non-military fort was a her that were testimony of her entan­ forlorn. pleading gaze of one who was welcome stop for travelers. Rest. re­ glements with other critters. Pinky Is lost. Another Mtransplant" I thought. pair. supplies. and preparation to en­ getting a bit on in years for a cat. It just like I once was. I couldn't help ter foreign territory were their con­ hurts me to see her suffer. On espe­ saying out loud. MBuddy. I know just cerns. Today. in the winter when the cially cold days her movements are how you feell" cottonwood trees have lost their stiff and she walks on her toes. as if I later found that I was mistaken in leaves. the sharp eye can see it from her feet were sore. When the sun my assumption. An area wildlife biolo­ Highway 50. It Is a point that Is easily comes ouf she finds a warm place to gist. Jennifer Slater. stated that desert located by map. by the eyes. and bythe curl up and enj9Y the reflected or ab­ bighorn sheep roamed this country as feet. It is a place where we can physi­ sorbed heat from the fort walls and a contemporary of the buffalo. MWe callyand mentallystandand look back ground. know this from the pictographs and through the experience of others Each day as I make my way to work. petroglyphs of prehistoric native peo­ many. many years ago. Through the I am forced to leave my fascinating ples found here." She explained there words of diaries and journals we can twenty miles in fact as well as spirit; also has been physical evidence. such see what they saw. feel what they felt. As cares of the day creep into my as remains ofan animal's body. found. and meet the interesting characters thoughts. I think of the road ahead. of She said he could have walked down they met. crossing Timpas Creek. of the Rocky the Purgatory to get to where I saw The reconstructed fort assists us in . Ford crossing. and of Spring Bottom. him. She mentioned a herd in the Pur­ understanding. seeing, and feeling in rm sorry to leave. but am comforted gatory Canyon and another at Carrizo a much different way than would a pile that I will again make the tripalongthe Canyon. She said that it was odd that of adobe mud. stones. and artifacts. old Santa Fe Trail another day. ,.

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THE FOUNDING OF LOMA PARDA, NEW MEXICO by Harry C. Myers

[Harry Myers is superintendent. of lco, had a wife, aged 45, and five others date of the town in the mld-I85Qs. Fort Union National Monument and a liVing in the same household. The Indeed, the establishment of Fort Un­ frequent contributor to WT. His recent youngest, Jose Baca, was eight years ion in 1851 and the consequent need publication, La Junta Precinct No. old and also was born in Santa Ana for local supplies and foodstuffs 11, Mora County, New Mexico, 1860, County. Assuming that those people would have created a demand, from a 1870,1880, Federal Census lived in the same household since source closer than the larger settle- Enumeration, may be ordered from coming to Loma Parda, the earliest ments of Las Vegas or Mora. A settle­ New Mexico Genealogical Society, PO they could have arrived was '1860 mi­ ment date of the mid-1850s is some­ Box 8283, Albuquerque NM87198for nus 8 years, which equals 1852. what supported by the testimony of $18.00 postpaid.] Another example was Jose Ansinas, Juan ArmIjo in Elkins vs. Arce in 1881. LOMA Parda, meaning brown or gray 23, born In Bernallio County. His Armljo testified that he had lived in " hill, is the name ofa small hill located Household No. 4026 included his wife Loma Parda 25 or 26 ,years, placing I' him there about 1855. However, he, south ofthe Mora River and New Mex­ and four children. All except the ico Highway 161 between the towns of youngest child, Romifia, who was born later testified that he lived in Loma Watrous and Golondrinas. This hill in MoraCounty, were born in Bemallio Parda in February 1860 and had lived there about ten or twelve years prior to was named prior to the establishment County. Romifia was two in 1860 and that, possibly. placing him there as of a settlement of the same name on the next youngest, Pitacla, was four. 3 the Mora River approximately 1.5 These records support the conclusion . earlyas 1848. (Armijo was Household No. 4048 in 1860, No. 1047 in 1870, miles north of the hill. It is not known that the Ansinas family did not arrive and No. 296 In the 1880 census.)4 for certain when the town of Loma in Loma Parda before 1856 (1860 mi­ Parda was founded. nus Pitacla's age (4) = 1856). There were undoubtedly farmers David Keener, In his 1988 M.A. the­ The approximate dates of arrival for who settled along the Mora River be­ sis, A Town Maligned: Loma Parda, some families cannotbe determined or fore the mid-1850s, prior to the estab­ New Mexico, expressed disappoint­ even estimated with any degree ofpre­ lishment of the town. Armijo testified ment at being unable to determine its cision. Household No. 4022 consisted that Jose Crestino Tapia, one of the date of settlement. Keener noted that· of Julian Baca and Juana Gutierres, original Mora Grantees, cultivated several writers stated that Loma Parda ages 23 and 24 respectively. Julian land which he later sold ,to Damacio was settled in the 1830s or 1840s. He was born in Santa Ana County and Salazar, where Dutchman's Mill was did not speculate on a date of settle­ Juana was born in Bernallio County. later built at Loma Parda. Armijo ment but concluded that it was in It is conceivable but most unlikely that stated that Salazar had cultivated that existence "as a separate entity with an theycould have arrived in Loma Parda same land and other pieces of land historical agricultural heritage and as early as 1836 or 1837. with the aid ofpeones. Further, Armijo recalled that Tapia sold his land to economic base of its own before the Of the 20 households listed under 5 establishment of Fort Union" in 1851. , Loma Parda in the 1860 census, 14 Salazar In 1857 or,1858. Keener examined the 1870 United (70%) can be assigned an approximate Tapl~, who lived in or near Golondrl­ States Census records for New Mexico date of arrival. Two of those 14 could nas while Armijo lived in Loma Parda and found Loma Parda Precinct No. 13 have arrived priorto 1852, one in 1847 around 1860, and who died in 1862 or within the Mora County enumeration, and the otherin 1850. The other twelve 1863~was a true Poblador or frontiers­ and came to the conclUSion that It was ,apparently arrived after 1852. The ta­ man. The allocation of land to Santi­ the first official census identifying the ble below gives the year and number ago Bone in 1842 under the Mora community as a separate entity. He of families that could have arrived in Grant, near La Junta del Rios Mora y concluded that, if an earlier census that year. Years not listed contain no Sapello, noted that Bone's eastern were taken, Loma Parda was not iden­ arrivals. boundary was the land of Crestino 1 tifiable. While the 1860 United States Year Families Tapia. In 1846, two of Tapia's neigh­ bors at La Junta, Bone and Jose Ygna­ Census for Mora County did not in­ 1847 1 7 clude aLoma Parda Precinct, it con­ cio Madrid, were killed by Indlans. 1850 1 tained a Golondrlnas Precinct. Within Tapia sold his La Junta land In 1856, this precinct were three districts: Bar­ 1852 2 when he was probably livingat Golon­ clay's Fort, Fort Union, and Loma 1853 1 drinas. Tapia was listed In the 1860 Parda. Two pages of the census enu­ 1854 1 census as the fifth household recorded meration within the 20pages ofGolon­ 1855 1 in Golondrinas Precinct. He probably drlnas Precinct bear the, title "toma 1856 2 bought or had allocated to him tye Loma Parda land prior to that time. , Parda." The two pages, 445 and 446, 1857 2 contain 40 names each, for a total of 1858 1 , Clearly, with two men killed by Indl· l\ 80 persons, however one family over­ 1859 2 ans at La Junta in 1846, the frontier lapped, to page 447, giving at least a was dangerous. Al,exander Barclay total of 84 persons living In 20 house; None of the 20 heads (or first name 2 noted in his diary on March 26, 1849, holds In Loma Parda In 1860. listed) ofhouseholds was born In Mora that Golondrinas was deserted on ac­ The 1860 enumeration provided the or Taos (which MoraCountywas a part count of Ute indians being kHled by county of birth for each person and , of until 1860) counties. Only one U.S. Army troops from Taos.9 It was this, coupled with the given age ofeach spouse, Household 4031, Marla Dol­ probably only with the establishment person, can give an approximate date ores Gutleres was born In Taos of military posts in the area, such as of arrival of the family in community. County, and of the 84 residents enu­ the Post at Las Vegas In 1848 and For example, Juan LUis Montoya in merated only four were born in Mora Rayado in 1849, that the Pobladores , Household No. 4030, 50 years old, and Taos counties. ventured out from the security of the born In Santa Ana County, New Mex- This evidence argues for a settlement major plazas of Mora and Las Vegas.

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Indeed. wthough it was incomplete. FORT UNION'S ECONOMIC INFLUENCE the 1845 Mexican Census of the area onlylisted Lo de Moraand SanAntonio by T. J. Sperry in the area, indicatingthatsettlements in 1845 were mainly in the protected [T; J. Sperry, who died oj a heart next 25 years nearly 50 posts. garri­ western Mora Valley. 10 The settlement , attack last March. was ChiejRanger sons. cantonments, and camps were of Lorna Parda evidently came later. at Fort Union National Monument. An established in NewMexico and eastern , , However, the areaofLorna Pardawas expert onfrontier mUltary affairs, he Arizona. Fort Union. situated near the used seasonally for paSture even ear­ researched extensively into the op­ western end of the Santa Fe Trail, the lier. In 1821 Captain Don Francisco erations of the Fort Union Quarter­ principal lifeline into the territory. was Salazar led an expedition into the area. master Depot and communicated his established in 1851 for a number of eVidently searching for Indians who findings in interpretive programs to reasons. one of which reflected what had been preying on the herders. His visitors at thejort. Thejollowing is the would become its true place in history. journal mentioned perders and MIa si- latest version of his talk. From its Fort Union became the principal sup­ , erra Lorna Parda."l , founding in 1851 untU the raUroad ply depot for the Southwest, receiving. replaced the Santa Fe TraU in the late storing. repacking. and shippingthou­ The available evidence, indicates that the Lorn a Parda area had been in use 1870s. Fort Union was an integral sands of tons of quartermaster. sub­ sistence, and ordnance materials for for a longtime, but without permanent part of Trail history. including its settlement until at least the late 184Os. economic as well as its mUitary uses.] the next quarter-century. when possibly one or two farmers set­ RECENTLY the Department of De­ The Fort Union Depot was not just a tled along the Mora River. With the fense announced the intention to close simpIe warehouse operation. Part ofits establisbment of Fort Union in 1851 some 80 military bases and installa­ function was to keep the wagons roll­ and the consequent need for provi­ tions across the nation: In political ing, in a literal sense, and shops and sions, the commercial opportunity for circles such base closings have been facilities were included for major New Mexicans to profit from the considered a form of suicide,for local wagon repairs. care of thousands of nearby fort was established. The 1860 and congressional office holders. The draft animals, organization and dis­ Census indicated that the majority of reason has always been the same. The patch of trains. and clerks' offices people 'living in Lorna Parda did not , military provides work and money, di­ aplenty to tend to a veritable blizzard arrive there until the mld-1850s. rectly or indirectly, to surrounding of paperwork. Today's bureaucracy At this point. it seems safe to con­ communities. A centuryand more ago. has' nothing on that of the 19th cen­ clude that thetown ofLorn a Parda was Fort Union wielded this age-old influ­ tury. The Army Regulations of 1863 founded in the mld·1850s and was ence throughout the Las Vegas region. specified over 250 different forms and established, at least in part, because touchingall social levels and all ethnic blanks for the proper accounting. req­ of Fort Union with which it had along origins. ' Uisitioning, inspecting, receiving. re­ association until the fort' closed in Fort Union's influence on the econ­ porting. and paying of and for men, 1891. By that time Lorna Parda was a omy may be illustrated by looking at arms, materials. and animals. Indeed, viable community which survived well the storyofmilitarysupply. seeinghow m ore ink than blood was spilled in the into the 20th century when a combi­ the army conducted business. review­ winning of the West. nation of economic and social forces. ing the things the army procured, ex­ The three facilities that eventually , not in any way associated with, the aminingwhere these things came from made up Fort Union-the post, depot" closingofFort Union, led to Its demise. and how they were transported, and and arsenal-reqUired materials for explaining why this was done. From their own use. sources of transporta­ NOTES this~lt 18 possible to demonstrate that tion for supplying other posts, and a 1. David'P. Keener, A Town Maligned: Lorna Parda, the abtlity ofthe private sector to share good number of people, civilian work­ New Mexico (MA Thesis, Northern Arizona Univer­ in the business of supplying the army ers as well as military personnel, to sity, Flagstaff, 1988), 48. extended to rich and poor alike make it all work. All of these basic 2. Federal Population Census. 1860, Microfilm M653, throughout the region. needs brought money to surrounding Roll 716, National Archives. Golondrinas 1860 Pre­ San Miguel County and other nearby cinct has been pub~shed in Harry Myers. ed., La The quartermaster department of Junia Precinct No. 11, Mora County, New Mexico, U.S. Army had hauled military sup­ counties, 1860, 1870, 1880, Federal Census Enumeration (Al~ plies throughout the era of the Mexi­ The military post ofFort Union"was buquerque: ,New Mexico Genealogical Society Inc., constructed three times at adjacent 1993), 26-28. ' can War, including the provisions for locations. Log structures were erected. 3. Elkins vs. Aroo, New Mexico State Records Center General Stephen W. Kearny's Army of and Archives (NMSRCA), Santa Fe, 245, 247, 254. the West which were freighted over the by'the troops at the original site in 4. Myers, La Junia Precincl,No. II, 28, 68, 98. Santa Fe Trail. That practice proved to 1851-1852. A second fort, an earth­ 5, Elkins vs. Arce, 246, 247. be both inefficient and expensive. It work fortification located about a mile 6. Ibid., 222, 245. , was soon after this that the quarter­ east of the original post, was hastily 7. Ibid., 179; New Mexico Land Records, Roll 30, Sur­ master department, that part of the built during the early days of the Civil veyor General Rle No. 35; Roll 40, Court of Private army' charged with proViding every­ War. The construction ofthe third Fort Land Claims Case No. 62, frame 223, NMSRCA t,hiIig from nails to transportation, Union, an immense adobe complex 8. New Mexico Land Records. RoII'30, SUNllyor Gen­ tlirned to ctmtraet freighters for trans­ which included the Fort Union Depot eral File No. 35; Myers. La Junia Precinct No, 11. portation. as well as the post proper. was com­ • 9. George P. Hammond, The Adventures ofAlexsnder menced in 1863 and completed dUring Bsrday (Denwr: Old Wes Publishing Com pany, The acqUisition ofthe Southwest, the, 1976), 167. term applied to the portion of Mexico the next flve years. 10. Virginia L Olmsead, New Mexico Spanish and that had been added to the United Immense quantities of materials Mexican Colonial Censuses, 1790, 1823, 1845 (Al­ States. and the subsequent placement were needed for the third post. Fortu­ buquerque: New Mexico Genealogical Society Inc., 1975). ' of one-fourth of the U.S. Army in this nately, adobe could be produced at the site by NewMexican laborers and tim­ 11. Spanish Archives of New Mexico II, Twitchell No. region. created an immediate need for 2978, Roll 20, Frame 681, NMSRCA. continuous logistic support of un­ ber was not far off. People in several precedented proportions. During the surrounding communities reaped the

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benefits. Native laborers received pany found its way. in part. to cltizens to provide. at cost. a longlist ofsundry wages, and were introduced to the of San Miguel County. food items for sale to officers and benefits and adversities of a cash­ The military supplies transported by troops. their families. and authorized based economy. Privately-owned saw­ these freighters show the variety of civilians. Even though these items had mills near the towns of Sapello and cargoes and what the soldiers re­ to be purchased. rather than being Mora. the latter owned by Ceran St. ceived; The army divided its supply issued as part of Mthe ration." they at Vrain on the Mora River. furnished responsibilities among three staff de­ least gave the military community a plentyofgood pine lumber obtained in partments: ordnance. quartermaster. readily available alternative at a rea­ the hills and mountains of Mora and and subsistence. The ordnance de­ sonable cost. On the economic side. San Miguel Counties. The Santa Fe partment fabricated and supplied this placed the army in direct compe­ New Mexican of April 23. 1864. cited weaponry., artillery. ammunition. re­ tition with the post trader (officially the mill owner's prices at $30.00, per lated tools. and accouterments de­ known as the post sutler until 1867). thousand feet and stated the mills signed for use with weapons. such as the forerunner of the post exchange. were also supplying construction ma­ cartridge boxes. bayonets. sabers. and ' The traders screamed foul. but to no terials to Fort Sumner. waist belts.' avail. By the late 18608 most of them Only a limited amount of military enjoyed a reputation akin to today's The quartermaster department was used-car salesmen. supplies could be purchased ill New responsible for transportation. quar­ Mexico. and the Santa Fe Trail was the ters. and buIldin~.and an abundance The expanded responsibilities of the chief route of provisions for the army supplies such, as tentage. cooking subsistence department's supply in the Southwest. Annually. manylong utensils. stoves. clothing. bedding. tasks are Illustrated by a list of the wagon trains hauled the army's neces­ stationery. furniture. animals. feed. ,sundry goods brought over theTrall to ' sities from FortLeavenworth and other vehicles. paint. lumber; nails. plaster. Fort Union: points on the Missouri River to Fort window glass. and virtuallyeverything Asparagus Mushrooms Union fOf distribution to scattered required except for ordnance and food. Baking Powder Mustard military installations. Most of the The quartermaster was in charge of freighting was done by large outfits. living conditions. and most quarter­ Beef Tongues Nutmeg such as Russell. Majors & Waddell. masters lived well. Unofficially it was Breakfast Bacon Olive Oil who dominated the east-to-west sup­ said that a quartermaster had three Butter Olives ply line until the Civil War. and other duties: (1) to make himself comfort­ Candles Oysters firms that succeeded them. The large able. (2) to make himselfmore comfort­ Cheese Pepper freighting companies hired workers. able. and (3) to make himself most including New Mexicans. and they comfortable. Chocolate Pickles often subcontracted portions of the The subsistence department. re­ Cinnamon Pineapples payload to small freighters. especially sponsible for feeding the army. had the Clams Plums during and after the Civil War. In this lion's share of the work. A soldier re­ Coffee Pork waya considerable amount ofTrail-re­ ceived four pairs of trousers annually. lated money came to New Mexico. Com Potatoes but he waS entitled to tht:ee meals a Crackers Raisins In the copy of the Chick. Browne & day. The food he received on a regu­ Company bill oflading. dated June 20., 1arly scheduled table of allowance was Cranberry Sauce Rice , 1874. several significant items may be known as Mthe ration." and it included Cream ofTartar Salmon noted. The shipping point. Granada. the total allowance for a single day-all Dried Apples Salt Colorado. was the nearest railroad three meals. For most of the historic Dried'Peaches Sardines connection to the East and indicated period. this included 12 oz. pork or Flour Sauerkraut the eastern end of the rapidly shrink­ bacon or 1 lb. 4 oz. salt or fresh beef. ing Santa Fe Trail. The size of the 1 lb. 6 oz. soft bread or flour or in the Green 'Peas Soap, wagon train. 50 wagons. is of interest field 1 lb. hard bread. beans or peas. Hams Sugar to Trail buffs. Military historiaQs are rice or hominy. 'coffee or tea. and con­ Herring Syrup fascinated with the variety and type of diments such as salt. sugar. pepper. Jelly Tapioca foodstuffs being made available to the and molasses. Fresh potatoes were in­ army. Few if any. however. have paid cluded. with the provision Mwhen prac­ Lard Tea attention to the name of the fellow ticable." After theCivil War. desiccated Laundry Starch Tobacco-' actually hauling the supplies from vegetables. sort ofan earlyfreeze-dried Lemon Extract Tomatoes Granada to Fort Union: Casimero cake of mlxed vegetables. and called Lima Beans Vanilla Romero. a New Mexican freighter. ~desecrated" vegetables by the troops. Macaroni Vinegar were sometimes issued in lieu of the The bills of lading records of Chick, ' Mackerel Yeast Powder Browne & Company. one of the larger hominy. rice. potatoes. beans. or peas. forwarding and commission houses fa­ Immense quantities of ration items Molasses cllitating the shipment of supplies to were shipped overland. and a review of Once the freighters. such as Mr~ New Mexico. reflect the common prac­ wagon-train loads showed that fully Romero. delivered their freight to the tice ofsubcontracting to small haulers two-thirds of military freight was com­ Fort Union Depot. the provisions • like Romero. The names Montoya. prised of subsistence items. As if the passed into the hands of a vast army Varela. Lucero. Baca. Padilla. Pina. supplyofMthe ration"were notenough. of depot employees. mostly civIlians. Martinez. and Chavez. show up time however. matters were complicated in Manyofthem came to Fort Union from and time again as the freighter actually 1867 and after. A million and a half Las Vegas. Mora. Sapello. and, other moving the cargo. Casimero Romero. a men had served in the Union army nearby communities. Although the, Las Vegas resident. had to employ during the Civil War. living their entire number of civilian employees at Fort bull- whackers. herders. and others to enlistment on the ration items listed Union Depot. as well as the pay they move his wagons. In the end. each above. Complaints were loud enough received. varied from season to season payment from Chick. Browne & Com- to cause Congress to direct the army and year to year. an example was

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. found in a letter from military district monthly payroll of $18,047. Most of issued in December 1874and January headquarters at Santa Fe to the depot that money went into the local econ­ 1875. The forage needs of the milltary quartermaster, Captain G. W. Bradley, omy. In addition to wages, the army district were great, and numerous dated February 5. 1868, authorizing attempted to procure whatever sup­ agencies were contracted in the area. him to retain employees in the follow­ plies were available locallyin NewMex­ In 1878 the Fort Union Forage District ing positions at the rates listed: ico. The high costs of shipping com­ included the following agents (those No. Position Monthly Pay modities over the Santa Fe Trail was locations with no agent listed were ap­ the primary impetus behind directions parently vacant at the time): 1 Clerk $150.00 to quartermaster and commissary Location . Agent . 3 Clerks 135.00 (subsistence) officers to purchase pro­ 1 Clerk 125.00 visions locally through open bids or Between Fort Union and West Las Ani­ 4 Clerks 100.00 cash payments. Although many mill­ mas. CO 1 Storekeeper 85.00 tary needs. such as weapons, ammu­ Ocate. NM Andrew J. Calhoun nition, uniforms. tents, and most 1 Asst. Storekeeper 70.00 manufactured equipment, had to be Sweetwater, NM M. Heck 1 Forage Master 67.00 shipped in from the East, some provi­ Cimarron. NM W. R. Morley 1 Master of Transportation 100.00 sions were available in the territory. Vermejo, NM T. Meloche 1 Superintendent 125.00 Beef cattle, forage. vegetables, wood, Red River. NM J.H.Adams 1 Engineer 125.00 straw, and salt topped the list, and Willow Springs civilians from the region were qUick to 1 Fireman 45.00 respond to the military market. Even (Raton!. NM Geo. McGeer 8 Wagon Masters 75.00 though armycontracts for these provi­ Raton Pass, CO Richens L. Wootton 5 Hostlers 35.00 sions frequently were awanled to a Trtnldad. CO W. G. Rifenburg 2 Yanlmasters 45.00 few, relatively wealthy citizens, the Dimmock's 9 Henlers 35.00 contractors, in tum. often purchased the supplies from the larger commu­ Ranche, CO J. O. Dimmock 185 Teamsters 35.00 nity. Forage contracts for the Fort Un­ Bent's Canyon, CO 1 Blacksmith 85.00 ion Depot in 1875 included 1,000 tons Sizer's Ranch, CO of hay at a total cost of $13,710, 845 9 Blacksmiths 75.00 North ofTrinidad. co 8 B.S. Strikers 40.00 tons ofcornwhich totaled $30,542, 25 tons of bran at a cost of $475, and 55 Apishpa, co J. A. Foster 1 Chief Carpenter 100.00 tons of oats which cost $2.625. all of Butte Valley. CO Joseph Abrahams 4 Carpenters 85.00 which amounted to $47,352 for that Chucharas. CO 4 Carpenters 75.00 year. Walsenburg, CO Fred Wa1sen 1 Machinist 75.00 Anotheropportunityfor local citizens Veta. CO J. M. Francisco 1 Machinist 60.00 to benefit from milltary expenses was Fort Union and South 1 Wheelwright 85.00 to serve as forage agents. These were Sapello, NM Wm. Kronig 7 Wheelwrights 75.00 civilians who contractedwith the quar­ termaster department to supply hay. 1 Saddler 85.00 Las Vegas, NM T. F. Chapman corn, oats, and other items at estab- ' Tecolote, NM Charles llfeld 3 Saddlers 75.00 lished rates to troops who were travel­ 12 Cooks 35.00 ingin the field orfrom one military post San Jose, NM Ramon Lopez 1 Brickmason 85.00 to another. Most forage stations were APache located along well-traveled routes be­ 2 Brickmasons 75.00 Springs, NM John Taylor tween the various posts and were ex­ Gallinas 3 Packers 40.00 pected also to supplyaccommodations Springs, NM Jon E. Whitmore 1 Painter 85.00 for officers and troops overnight Mat 3 Painters 75.00 reasonable cost.MMany New MeXico Cedar 3 Expressmen 70.00 forage stations grew into veritable ho­ Springs, NM John Gehrhanlt tels and contracts as forage agents 1 Brick Moulder 75.00 Fort Sumner, NM were prized throughout the territory. Anton Chico. NM Anders Nelson 1 Cooper . 85.00 According to Darlis Miller, in her semi­ 1 Sail Maker· 50.00 nal study of military supply in the Conchas 1 Time Keeper 75.00 Southwest, Soldiers and SetUers (Univ. Station. NM John Odam . 4 Tinsmiths 85.00 of New Mexico Press, 1989), p. 115: Stone Ranche, NM Francisco Lopez MCitizens competed fiercely and went 1 Printer 85.00 Fort Bascom. NM to considerable expense to secure Cherry Valley, NM James T. Johnson 1 ChiefWatchman 50.00 agencies by building new corrals and 9 Watchmen 40.00 comfortable quarters for men and offi­ Canon Largo, NM George W. Gregg 1 Messenger 35.00 cers. digging wells to provide water, Johnson's 1 Chief Henler 60.00 and stockpiling grain arid hay." For Ranch, NM Thos. L. Johnson those wishing to know more about . 1 Asst. Herder 45.00 military supply, Miller's book is highly East ojFort Union 1 Foreman of Laborers 65.00 recommended. Santa Clara (Wagon I Foreman of Laborers 50.00 The monetary rewards for forage . Mound!, NM Fernando Nolan 75 Laborers 35..00 agents could be significant. especially Rock Cross- 1 Stonemason 100.00 duringperiods ofheavymilltary traffic. ing, NM B. Chandler The forage agent at San Jose. Ramon 5 Stonemasons 85.00 Sweetwater. Lopez. was paid $500.00 for forage Those 396 employees collected a Lower Road, NM F. B. Bernanl

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Las Garces, NM H. E. Blattman rades, and an occasional foray into Adventure (reviewed in this issue), had Chico Springe>, NMC. G. Burbank Colfax County civil troubles replaced an article on the Santa Fe Trail in the White's Cross- ' the Indian campaigns and wagon traf­ July issue of Bicycle Guide Magazine fic on the old Santa Fe Trail. Fort Un­ entitled "Chasing the Ghosts of the ing, NM John G. White ion provided a watchful presence and, Prairie." An 1868 forage return showed a trans­ more importantly, provided quarters • • • • • .action with the agent at Sapello, Wil­ for half a regiment. DUring the final decade, the post still needed fuel. for­ Comanche National Grassland liam Kronig. for an issue to John Cal­ opened a three-mile length of the age, and the local produce as of old, lahan, taking a wagon load ofgoods to Santa Fe Trail offU.S. Highway350 for albeit on a reduced scale, and thus it Fort Bascom on May 18. This was horseback riding, hiking. and biking. another example of jobs and money continued to provide some degree of .economic benefit to local residents. by constructing a wayside stop and a that 'resulted from Fort Union busi­ separate picnic area near Tlmpas. CO, ness. The public view of Fort Union by the about 14 miles southwest ofLa Junta. An 1881 bill ofladingfor the commis­ late 1880s was more one of indiffer­ ence rather than concern about the • • • • • sion and ,forwarding firm of Browne & The Colorado Historical Society is Manzanares revealed several aspects closing of the post. Most Las Vegans could not have cared less. After the contributing$105,000 toward the res­ of continuing economic influence in toration of the John Wesley Prowers the region by the army. First, the New arrival of the railroad, Las Vegas had entered its golden age and had become home at historic Boggsville. CO. Work Mexican freighter, Jose Montoya. was on the house Is progressing and those from Tecolote, showing that a San the financial center ofNew Mexico Ter­ ritory. Fort Union residents were only attending the symposium will be able Miguel County reSident had found em­ to see it. ployment hauling freight for the gov­ minutes away on the AT&SF and the ernment. Second. Browne and Man­ post itself became a nice place to at­ • • • • • • zanares, forwarding agents operating tend a concert by the lOth Infantry Federal funds are underwritingmost in the city ofLas Vegas, had a contract regimental band, take in a ball game ofa $400,000 Council Grove, KS, pro­ with the army, the proceeds of which between a local team and the Fort ject for slgnage and interpretation of undoubtedly found a home in an area Union Nine, or gawkat Apache prison­ its many Santa Fe Trail sites and for a bank. The firm, as noted, contributed ers held there. In a way. it was a historic walkway along the Neosho further to the local economy by sub­ peaceful way to go for Fort Union, sort River. contracting to local residents, such as of like dying in your sleep in old age. • • • • • When the last two companies of the Montoya. Third, and most signifi­ Federal funds are paying for 80% of cantly, it was April 1881. The Santa Fe 10th Infantry marched to Watrous and a $79,000 Boot Hill Museum project Trail had been superseded by the rail­ boarded a special train for Fort Win­ for several Improvements at the Santa gate in February 1891, Las Vegas waS road and carried only local traffic. The Fe Trail ruts off U.S. Highway 56 west need for the Fort Union Quartermaster beyond the point of feeling a painful of Dodge City, contingent upon a Depot was gone with it. Even though it loss. The Fort Union Depot, which had $16.000 match from the museum. would be anotheryear before the army once been the largest business enter­ finally closed the depot there, the bulk prise in the region, had served Its time • • • • • of materials destined for posts to the and purpose iil the economic develop­ More than 200 particpants rode 20 south and west were carried to Las ment of the region. Private enterprise, wagons and 120 horses dUring the Vegas on the Atchison. Topeka & stimulated by the army. had entered a Third Annual Santa Fe Trail Ride from Santa Fe Railroad (AT&SF), then by boom period in which Fort Union no Old Franklin to Lexington In June. wagon into the interior. The railroad longer mattered. When the soldiers left • • • • • and the Winding down of depot activi­ Fort Union after 40 years of service. The Kirkwell Cattle Company. ties signaled the end of large-scale the Las Vegas optic made a final sa­ Pritchett. CO, Is offering tourists five­ army transportation between Fort Un­ lute: MFort Union, may the pale moon day wagon train rides along the Santa ion and the other posts in New Mexico and shining stars shine down upon Fe Trail, (719) 324-9292 or 523:6496. Territory. thee until, thou shalt by unseen power. sink into everlasting oblivion." • • • • • The loss ofthe Fort Union Depot was SFTA members Riley and Betty not a subj~ct for mourningamongSan Parker. who own and operate Parker Miguel County residents, however. Books In Santa Fe. were featured In a Quite the contrary. The quartermaster Santa Fe newspaper article in June. department. in a preliminary move to­ The bulk of the piece was an Interest­ ward the abandonment of the depot. ing interview with Riley. Their book­ relocated the depot lumberyard to Las store on West Palace Avenue. west of Vegas. The move was hailed by a Las the plaza, is a booklover's haven. Vegas newspaper, the Optic, as a wise one, and in a burst of uncontained HOOF PRINTS • • • • • civic pride, the editor declared that the -TRAIL TIDBITS~ SFTA charter members Maryand Leo city would soon have the whole post. Gamble. Springfield, CO. gave the first .' That was, needless to say, jumping Oregon-California Trails Association of three Inaugural lectures at the new the gun, but the handWriting was on President Ross Marshall, also a mem­ UniversityofWestem Kansas in Dodge the wall by 1881. Militarycampaigning ber of SFTA, of Merriam, KS. was re­ City on July 11. Their topic was the in some portions of New Mexico con­ cently appointed executive director of Santa Fe Trail. This university is open­ the Alexander Majors House & Mu­ Ing on the campus of former St. Mary tinued Into 1886, and Fort Union and its dark and empty warehouses lived seum in nearby Indian Village. MO. of the Plains College. on for another decade as a troop.sta- • • • • • • • • • • . tion. Social gaiety, band concerts. tar­ Elaine Pinkerton-Coleman, authorof A steel model of a Brontosaurus get practice, theatricals, retreat pa- The Santa Fe TraU by Bicyice: A Historic which is 65 feet long, stands more than

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35 feet above the ground. and weighs call (316l 564-3212. descendant of William "Buffalo Bill" nearly 18.000 Ibs. was recently placed • • • • • Mathewson who operated a trading at the site of the Cimarron County ranch at Cow Creek Crossing. Historical Society Museum in Boise SFTA members Mel and Mary Cot­ City, OK. A few mUllon years before tom. Manhattan, KS. suggested the POST OFFICE OAK traders traveled the Trail across the following "thought for today" state­ Oklahoma panhandle, such creatures ment In the Kansas City Star. June II, -lETTERS~- roamed the area. 1993, as a bit of irony for WT readers: "The difference between a rut and a Editor: • • • • • grave Is the depth." After attending the Santa Fe Trail An illustrated article. "Along the • • • • • Institute for teachers at New Mexico Santa Fe Trail," appeared in the June SFTA Ambassador Paul Bentrup, Highlands University in June, I be­ issue of Chevy Outdoors. Author Mike came interested in the geology of the Richie and photographer Bruce protesting the desecration of the Trail on the Cimarron National Grassland Trail. One ofthe instructors mentioned Mathews provided an excellent over­ that a geologist from Oklahoma State view for general readers. where a "companion trail" for hikers was established despite much publlc University had written a book about • • • • • opposition, now urges all private own­ the Trail, no longer in print, but I did The July 1993 flood in central Kan­ ers ofTrail sites to "Just Say No" to the not get the name of the author or the sas threatened Fort Larned National National Park Service. title. Perhaps someone knows about this book and can help me. . Historic Site. but the levees protected • • • • • the historic structures. At the worst My wife and I enjoy Wagon Tracks stage water was within a few Inches of A major national museum that will and read all the articles. Keep up the going over the levees. The site was trace the history and contributions of good work. closed to the public because the access women of all cultures in the American Stan Seidel West. called Women of the West Mu­ road was flooded. 360I SE 23rd Terrace seum. Is being developed In Boulder. Topeka KS ~605 • • • • • CO. For more Information, contact The Civil War Sites Advisory Com­ Toni Dewey, Women of the West Mu­ Thanksfor your letter and the report mission recently listed Glorieta Pass seum. 250 Bristlecone. Boulder. CO on the Institute (printed elsewhere in among 20 of the nation's most endan­ 80304 (303) 443-2846. this issue). I'm sure the book you are seeking is Hobarl Stocking. The Road to gered Civil War sites that need further • • • • • protection from residential and com­ Santa Fe (New York: Hastings House, mercial development. A portion of the The Kansas City Area Historic Trails 1971). I would like to see SFi'A bring the scene of a critical engagement on the Association has been formed to locate late Prof. Stocking's bookback intoprint Trail in 1862 has been acquired by the and mark historic routes in the area. ifthat can be arranged. National Park Service. More will be SFTA member Dorothy Kroh is presi­ Editor added when funds are available. dent. For more information, contact Editor: her at 8812 West 66th St., Shawnee • • • • • Mission KS· 66202. I enjoy Wagon Tracks very much and look forward to meeting you. We trav­ SFTA Ambassador David Clapsad­ • • • • • dle, Larned, KS. had an article, "Con­ eled the Santa Fe Trail end to end last flict and Commerce on the Santa Fe The new cover for the latest edition summer and walked part of it. rve Trail: The Fort Riley-Fort Larned Road, of Marian Russell's Land of Enchant­ written a fictional storyabout meas an ment by the University of New Mexico 1860-1867." published In the Summer II-year-old boytravelingthe Trail with Press has a photograph of the Rabbit 1993 issue of Kansas History. Clap­ my parents in a covered wagon. rve saddle resigned his position on the Ears Creek campground site by Trail just finished a 30-minute video about SFTA board ofdirectors because other photographer Joan Myers. the Trail from end to end, mostIyabout commitments prevent his attending • • • • • forts and monuments. I give lectures the meetin~. Marc Simmons wrote the introduc­ and show the video at civic groups. I have a number of Trail items for sale, • • • • • tion for a new edition of George Dou­ g
as Brewerton's Overland with Kit Car­ including the video. books. caps. A nice tribute to the late Jack D. shirts, and mu~. If anyone Is inter­ Rittenhouse, 1912-1991, appeared in son:A NarrativeoftheOld SpanishTraU in '48, published by University of Ne­ ested. they may request a brochure. the April 1993 Issue ofthe New Mexico braska Press. Thank you. Historical Review. Rittenhouse wrote John V. Dick much. Including The Santa Fe Trail: A • • • • • PO Box 103 Historical Bibliography. A Rittenhouse The Santa Fe National Historic Trail Goessel KS 67053 Award has been established for SFTA auto tour route signs have been Editor: by Ray Dewey ofSanta Fe. erected along U.S. Highway 56 in Ci­ Thanks for including the 4th Annual marron County, OK. They feature the • • • • • Santa Fe Trail Bicycle Trek in the Trail official logo of SFNHT. , Larry Buchanan now offers aerial Calendar. We appreciate the support tours of the Santa Fe Trail and other • • • • • of our efforts by SFTA and the help sites In the area around Great Bend, Three newmembers ofSFTAare rela­ from SFTA members along the route, Including the Trail from Ralph's Ruts tives of famous Trail personalities. Al­ Our group will be in La Junta dUring to Fort Larned, in a four-passenger ice Anne Thompson. Creve Coeur. MO. the sympoSium and I hope we will find airplane. SFTA Sec-Treas Ruth Olson Is a relative of Sister Mary Alphonsa some time to visit. We are looking for­ Peters, director of the Santa Fe TraU Thompson who died on the Trail In ward to another great ride along the Center, Alan Hitz of the Trail Center 1867. Myrtle A. Waite. Grand Junc­ historic Trail. . staff, and Steve Linderer. superinten­ tion. CO. Is a great-granddaughter of Williard Chilcott dent of Fort Larned NHS. recentlyen­ Richard and Marion Sloan Russell. 885 Camino Del Este joyed the flight. For more information. Mary Emma Allen. Plymouth, NH, Is a Santa Fe NM 8750 I

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clarlng their journey acorss the Mis­ Now you have given us additional souri River an experience to remem­ information about ElizaSt. Clair Sloan ber. Mahoney, Marlon Sloan Russell's Folks here at Franklin would like to mother. What a gem you uncovered, thank all the volunteers and organiza­ Bonita. Bravo! tions who make these events pOSSible, I offer these comments regarding the Including SFTA, Boonslick Historical misspelling of Marion's name. Most Society, Franklin or Bust, South persons are proud of their names and Howard Historical Society,· and the like to have them spelled and pro­ lexington Bit and Bridle Club. We look nounced correctly. Just because the .forward to doing more In the future. If original printingof"Memoirs ofMarian you wander our way, stop and say Sloan RussellAlongthe SantaFe Trail" howdy. and the reprint entitled "Land of En­ . Randall Robb chantment" both misspelled her name 3579 State Rt J does not seem to me a valid reason to Franklin MO 65250 continue the error. It is unfortunate that the University of New Mexico Thanksfor the iriforma.tlon. We want to include newsfrom allportions ofTraU Press reprint did not rectify that mis­ take. country, and we need goodfolks like you to serve as reporters. Keep up the Best wishes to you and Bonita.. good work at Franklin. We are espe­ S.A.Bennett cially concerned about the.flood dam­ 1421 Monterey Dr age in your area. Santa Fe NM 87501 Editor You are right and we plan to change Editor: our editorial policy regarding the spell­ ing. Except when used in connection As I compieted my readingofthe May with the publication, Land of Enchant­ Issue and saw your last words, "we ment, we will try to use Marion rather intend to do better with the next is­ than Marianfrom now on and will en­ sue," my thoughts were, no need to courage all others to do thesame.Thank . worry this issue is outstanding. Late? you for a persuasive and considerate I didn't notice. Just glad to see a wel­ letter. Bonita and I also remember our come friend In the mall. congenial visit at San Miguel. I particularly enjoyed H. Denny Editor Davis's article on Franklin. I fondly .recall the time I was greeted by mem­ COUNCIL TROVE bers of New Franklin's Chamber of Commerce as I took a snapshot of the -DOCUMENTS~- Trail monument In front ofthelr store­ front. Trail News, 1842 ISFTA members Mel and Mary Gebeyehu Wube . The onlysad part ofthe issue was the realization that I would again have to Cottom, Manhattan, KS, found the PO Box 50689 following Trail items in the New Addis Ababa, Ethiopia miss a fine sympOsium due to the va­ cation scheduling of my job. Will their Orleans Dally Picayune and have Editor: ever be a summer meeting? If not, I generously provided them for WT. As a fellow member of SFTA, I feel a guess fll have to walt until I retire In Manuel Armijo was the governor of need to keep folks informed about another 15 years. New Mexico at the time.] what goes on at Franklin, MO, and to Thank you, again, for producing remind everyone that we are just as such a wonderful quarterly. May 28, 1842 dedicated and enthusiastic about the Laura Sisson-Thompson. Mexican Traders.-Six Mexican traders Santa Fe Trailas others. The rains this 4720 N Hwy 31· spring and summer certainly settled from Santa Fe are now in Pittsburg for the. Racine WI 53.405 the dust here, butIt hasn't stopped us purpose of making contracts for waggons, from making tracks. [Ed. note: this . lifter praise like that, I am ready to hamess, and purchasing other articles in­ was written In earlyJuly before the big come and work in yourplace so you can tended to cross the desert for the Mexican floods.] attend a symposium. Your obseroation market. They have brought with them sev- about "late" Is much apprec:iated and, . enteen boxes of specie, containing Historical society volunteers in comparison to this edition. the last $350,000, for the purpose of making pur­ manned an Infonnatlon booth at the Issue was not late. chases in the United States. A few weeks Historic Franklin Site during the Na­ Editor since anotherrich caravan started uponthe tional Trails Day Celebration. We also retum travel to Santa Fe. . • participated in the third annual Santa Editor: Fe Trail Memorial Wagon Train reen­ My sincere compliments to you for actment ride. When the wagon train the fine job you have done as editor of June 14, 1842 arrived at the river a symbolic river Wagon Tracks for almost seven years. From Santa Fe and Taos.-News has crossing was completed by eight en­ I have not forgotten the pleasant visit been received at S1. Louis to the effect that thusiasts manning a homemade Ken AnglemIre and I had with you and Charles Bent, and in fact all the American wooden raft powered by oars and rud­ Bonita at San Miguel as we waited for merchants in Taos, had been arrested and der. The wagonmaster and others were the gUided tour of that old village to taken prisoners to Santa Fe, although the delivered safely to the other side, de- start. cause for this movement on the part ofthe

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Govemor has not been mentioned. The Men across the state of Missouri of a [?] and letter from Gov. Armijo, in the latter had also given orders that all the eagerly responded to the call forvolun­ letter the Gov informed Gen!. K. "that he Mexicans in the employ ofthe Bents should teers. Franklin County. just west ofSt. had advanced as far into the Mexican terri­ be immediately called in. Louis with the Missouri River as its tory as he could with safety, and that he One of the St. Louis papers thinks that northern border. was no exception. called upon him to retire immediately, but if raising a company of mounted men. he did not that he would meet him at the this movement against the American trad­ 6 ers has emanated from Santa Anna; but Once the reqUisite number had been Vegas a stream about 20 miles off and this we do not believe. The' success of the reached, officers were elected. the give him battle." to this Genl. K made a inhabitants ofNew Mexico lastfall , intaking company drilled. and. with a parade characteristic reply that he would meet the Texan prisoners, has induced them to and last farewells. marched to Fort Gov. A. at the Vegas? You can well imag­ Leavenworth to assemble with the oth­ ine the excitement created in camp by the believe they are invincible, and has also 2 revived the old feelings ofdislike toward the ers to form the invasion force. The interchange of civilities, every one ex­ American traders. men ofFranklin County became Com­ pected a fight certain. And sure enough the panyE. First Missouri Mounted Vol­ next day the enemy advanced to within While in San Miguel in October last, we unteers. commonly known as three mile [of) our encampment determined heard it reported that Armijo contemplated MDoniphan's Regiment" from the name to oppose our passage through a narrow making an attack upon Bent's Fort, al­ of the regimental commander. Alexan­ gap in the mountains. On the next morning though his reasons were not assigned. In a der W. Doniphan. They arrived at Fort after the disposition of the enemies forces, few days we shall probably hear further Leavenworth on June 26 and left on Gen!. K marched all of his camp, In battle news, as a letter from one of the brothers the march to Santa Fe with several order, both himself and every man in the of Charles Bent is expected, giving full par­ other companies on June 29.3 army, from the nature of the ground and ticulars. After a largely uneventful march reported strength of the enemy (about 2000 IfArmijo imaginesthat he can take Bent's along the Santa Fe Trail, Kearny's strong) anticipating a "bloody battle. My Fort he is much mistaken. On the contrary, Army rested a few days at Bent's Fort company being armed with the Hall Rifle, we have not the lest doubt that the traders and then continued their march into and bayonet was unmounted to act as In­ and trappers can easily muster a force New Mexico. After crossing Raton fantry and assuch attached to the battallion sufficient to knock the mud walls of Santa Pass. the army was in New Mexico and of Infantry. About ten 0 clock we moved out Fe about his ears, and drive Armijo to his had ari easy march into Santa Fe. of camp in the following order the Genl. hacienda at Albuquerque, and keep him which they reached on August 18.4 with SOO dragoons in front, the battalion of there. Infantry with my company attached about On August 22. an officer ofCompany 200. next, the artillery next and (p. 2) two E. most likely Captain John D. Steven- . batteries of five pieces each. These fol­ June 16. 1842 son. wrote home to his wife and told of lowed the Regt. of Missouri Volunteers un­ Santa Fe Reports.-We find by the St. the events of the march after passing der Col. Doniphan, 800 strong, and in the Louis Republican, that the late report about over the Raton Mountains and enter­ rear the baggage train with a strong rear ing New Mexico. This account is one of the confinement of Charles Bent and other guard. This was the order of march. As to Americans at Santa Fe, is all a hoax. Mr. the most detailed of the anticipated the constituents ofthe army I must say that St.' Vrain at S1. Louis, has received letters clash with Governor Manuel Armijo never have seen men engaged in anything from his partner. Mr. Charles Bent, giving and his troops south ofLaS Vegas at a with finer spirits or more alacrity than this the gratifying information that there is no point now known as Kearny Gap and army marched offwith on this morning. And It truth in the reports given in the letter re­ at Apache Canon. was written with as to My own company the officers (with all th~ ceived from Independence, in which it was insight and humor and revealed modesty) and men were in asfine spirits as stated that Mr. Bent and all the Americans determination of the army to succeed. I have ever seen them, every fellow at his at Taos had been arrested and sent to The original spelling and format of post, determined that Franklin County Santa Fe. We cannot devise an object for the document have been retained as should not be unknown to fame, we each the perpetration of this small and unmean­ much as possible. Page breaks in the of us striped off our coats, shouldered our ing deception. The accounts from Mr. Bent· letter are indicated in parentheses. Rifles and marched offat double qUick time represent all as well and in the enjoyment Words Which were unclear in the letter to enter before our career as soldiers. As I of their usual prospects. are represented by a question mark in said beforethe enemy were posted at a gap brackets. The original is in the Getty in the mountains about three milesfrom our Invasion of New Mexico, 1846 Collection. New Mexico State Records camp on the direct Road to Santa Fee. This Center and Archives. Santa Fe. New gap is formed by two mountains of the [This item was transcribed and Mexico. same range approaching to within 150 feet prepared by Harry C. Myers.} ofeach other suddenly terminating in steep On May 13. 1846. President James Rio [Vigila?] 30 miles south of Santa Fe precipice, leaving a gorge through which the. road passes to within half mile of this K.. Polk declared the existence of a August 22d 1846 state ofwar between the United States gapthe army was marched, when the Genl. and Mexico. Immediate steps were My Dearest Wife determined that the infantry should scale taken by the wardepartment to organ­ You will see by the date of this letter that the mountain on the right, pass in rear of Ize what became known as the MAnny we have at length arrived at the long sought the enemy, and cut off their retreat, so as of the West" which would march from for place. Santa Fe, on the 18th Genl Kear­ the order was given we commenced the Fort Leavenworth to protect the prop­ ney took formal possession ofthe capital of ascent of an allmost perpendicular moun­ erty of Santa Fe traders and occupy the prOVince without having fired a single tain side, covered with rocks about 400 feet Santa Fe. the New Mexican capital. gun. On the next morning I with half of my high, and after hard puffing and [1] gained Colonel ofthe First Dragoons and sea­ company was sent to this place on de­ the summit, we immediately commenced soned frontier commander. Stephen tached service.5 Our march after the date our descent on the other side and in a few Watts Kearny. received orders on May of my last letter to you was the same unvar­ minutes were inthe valley belowformed the 26 to form his army from companies of ied marching untill within five days travel of company marched up to the pass-and to the FirstDragoons andvolunteer units Santa Fe. When the whole army was our chagrin and surprise found it occupied from the State of Missouri. 1 thrown into a state of excitement by arrival by the dragoons - the enemy having sud-

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. denly recollected of my epistle we took peaceable pos­ (p. 6) his winter quarters, allthough there is "that he that runs away session ofSanta Fee. The people ofthis a counter rumor that he will remain but a section the country on our first ap­ few days in the valley, merely passing that will live to fight another day· , pearance were the most abject con­ way on his road to California-this however but this was noUhe termination ofthe temptible looking objects (ever seen?) is not credited, at least by me. I think wewill fatigues of the day as we were com­ they had been frightened allmost to winter there and in the spring return to the pelled to make a march on foot of 12 death by the stories the priests and states by the Bexar military road. I do not 1/2 mUes in hopes of overtaking the rich (for they are the two classes that think myself that it is practicable for this Spaniards. The result of which was rule the country) had told them of the army or any army ever to pass by this route that every (p. 3) fellow had blistered barbarian that were marchingagainst from the States to the Californias. And I feet and wearied leggs, and when we them, but now after we have mingled believe this is the general impression again mounted our horSes did so with a few days with them theybegin to look among the officers. I think that ifwe should profound gratitude to the providence a little more cheerful and assume not winter in the southern part of this prov­ that provided us such good friends.8 somewhat the appearance of men, ince we will continue our march south and This ended the first great battle of the They supposed our force was much cooperate with Genl Wool in the Chihuahua campaign. We next marched to the larger than it is and saythat iftheyhad district-of one thing at any rate I am per­ town ofSan MagU9 within fifty mUes of known we were so weak they would fectly satisfied that we will be compelled to • Santa Fee, at which place we learned have fought us. Gov. Armijo sent Genl. serve out the full term of our enlistment I that Gov. Armijo with a force of 3000 Kearney a (?) that he intended collect­ believe I have now given you a very full men occupied the narrow Pass be­ ing his forces and continuing for the account of our late operations together with tween that point and Santa Fee and country. That when he dispersed his our present position. I will say one word in the only gap in the mountains through army he supposed that were in over­ regard to the character of this country and, which it was possible for our army to powering numbers, but that since we the habits and manners of the people and pass. The pass being about twenty have come into the country he is sat­ then turn to things that more immediately mUes from SantaFee we continued our isfied that he can trust us. But it is the concern us. You have aIlways heard·that march, each day hearing of the posi­ general impression that he cannot col­ this was an EI dorado of a country abound­ tion and strength of the enemy and on lect a force sufficient to effect anything ing' in beautiful hills and valleys covered the 17th encamped within 4 mUes of ofimportance although it is pretty cer­ with [?) cotages, and teeming with a happy the pass, here again we expected to tain that he will make the effort. Yes­ cheerful population, it is all a humbug. the . have had a battle, but the evening of terdaya Spaniard came into oUf camp country is a sandy barren country covered the 17th there arose a contest in the and informed the Lt. Col Ruff 1 that with a sickly vegitation, and inhabited by a camp of the enemy as to the supreme Armijo had concealed all ofhis cannon race of people but little superior to our command, the result ofwhich was that in a (p. 5) little village about 1 1/2 negroes living in low mud houses, in a word the enemy dispersed without attempt­ mUes from the camp and forthwith he the whole of Mexicothat I have seen as yet ingto oppose ourpassage. On the 18th started with two companies about 70 is not worth the devils Fetching. we struck tents and marched off not men in strength in search of them but Your truly affectionate letter of the 6th of knowing certainly whether we should before he arrived at the town, Capt 12 July was received a few days since, and as have fight or not but yet prepared for Fisher ofSt. Louis with a small party this is the first opportunity that has pre­ every contingency, as we ascended the of men had them in possession, they sented ofwriting to you since my last letter. mountains seemed to be gradually ap­ proved to be very excellent brass I eagerly em brace (p. 7) it as well to acquit· proaching each other untill at length pieces-six pounders; and constitute myself of very many promises to answer they seemed to have placed them­ the whole of the enemies formidable the much prized treasures, your letter to selves in front of us an impassible armament. And depriving Armijo of me. Nothing affords me half the pleasure barrier, hundreds offeet in height and one ofhis great dependents in a stru~ that is derived frorn the perusal of your almost perpendicular, here by turning gle for the supremacy ofthe C()untry. affectionate letters, for to no one else on the point of a mountain you are sud­ Sunday August 23d 1/2 mile East of earth am I bound by ties of love and affec­ denly thrown into a pass through tion half so strong. You are the subject of which the road was just wide enough Yesterdays encampment. my thoughts all the time, every moment of for a waggon to pass or four men a I wrote yesterday untill evening parade was the day is devoted to devising scenes of breast and about 1/4 of a mUe length blown. After which before I could resume further happiness for us. And the separa­ each side of the pass having walls of my writing night had set in and as a candle tion is to be, I firmly believe the means of rock, pe~pendicular hundreds of feet would be somewhat of a curiosity in the securing to us permanentfuture happiness, high and, utterly impossible for us to camp I was compelled to deferfinishing my in your letter you say "do not stay over the ascend, i,t was at this pass the enemy letter untill to day. Last night we received year· I can truly say that, I can never give had made, preparations to. resist our news from the Capital which has. [cer­ my own consent to a longer absence, as passage, land it seems,to me iftheyhad tainly?) changed the aspect ofaffairs so far soon as I am discharged from this expedi­ availed themselves of.the natural ad­ as we are concerned = it is now certain that tion, I shall hasten with every dispatch to •·, vantages of this place, thrown up a the people ofthis portion of the provincewill join you my dear wife, never to be again barricade, and upon it planted a bat­ quietly submit, the [Grand?) Hierarchy, who separated for any length oftime. I am fully tery with one (p. 4) sixth of their force is the high Priest of the province having satiated with a roving life and I can now fully they could have effectually resisted taken the oath of allegiance, his example realize the pleasures and delight ofour little • everyeffort ofours to pass, but instead will be followed by all of the people. Gov. cottage home, and sigh once more to enjoy of doing so, although they doubled us Armijo has fled with a small force to the EI. them. once more to be seated in our pleas­ in number and were possessed of two Passo del Norte district where he expects ant little log house, enjoying the society of excellent pieces of artillery under the to collect an army-but it is exceedingly my dearest one, and the care and comforts effects offear and discord, after throw­ doubtful whether he will succeed or not, it that would surround me. I am glad to see ingup a few brushes in a breast work, isthree hundred miles from this place to the that you are anxious still to remain at home, deferred without even firing a solitary EI Passe del Norte valley to which place it is my most earnest wish for you to do so gun in defence oftheir houses. 10 That Genl Kearney has determined to march and if possible induce James to come and evening as I have said in the first part immediately where it is rumored he will take

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live with you, he must certainly be blind to of the march haw been published, including Wdliam Service. Theyalso published the late T. his own interests if he refuses the proposi­ E ConneUey, War with Mexico, 1846-47: Doniphan's Fort Union. Photo History Expedition and the Conquest of New Me»co and J. Sperry's A tion I have made in a former letter. You can California (Topeka: published by the author, 1907); (1991). All museums, gift shops, and at the expiration of the year hire Billy again Frank S. Edwards, A Campaign in New Mexico with bookstores along the Trail ought to he and get the kind offices of some of your Colonel Doniphan (Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, sellingboth these titles. A publications friends in getting you a negro girl, and as to 1847); Flalph P. Bieber, ed., Marching with the Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Glendale: Arthur H. Clark catalog ean he obtained from SPMA at the means of living you will have ample for Co., 1936); and Richard S. Btioll, Notes Ta/cen in 211 N Court Ave, Tucson AZ 85701. the ensuing year. Two of the members of Sixty Years (SI. Louis: R. P. Studley & Co., 1883). Author Gardnerwtllbe autographing our company were discharged at Bents 5. Marcellus Ball Edwards wrote that on August 19, copies of his book during the sympo­ Fort and sent home. by one ofthem I wrote 'One half of each company, under command of sium at La Junta and Bent's Old Fort. to you and enclosed you a check for $150. Ueutenant-oolonel Ruff, was detailed to take them to Galisteo for grazing." Bieber, Marching with theArmy Every dedicated SFTA member should in a few days Maj. Walker will be here and ofthe West, 160. have one. payoff the Regt. and then I shall send you 6. Las Vegas, "the meadows,· present-day Las Vegas, -Marc Simmons another check for the same amount which New Mexico. will put you in ample funds for the year. and 7. On August 14, between present Watrous and Las • •• •• beg of you not deprive yourself of any (p. Vegas, a lieutenant and three Mexican soldiers Elaine Pinkerton. The Santa Fe TraU by 8) luxury that money will purchase. I was brought Kearny an expreS6 from General Armijo. Bicycle:A HlstorlcAdventure. Santa Fe: Dwight L Clark, ed., The Original Journals ofHenry truly glad to hear that my esteemed friend Smith Turner, with Stephen wans Kearny to New Red Crane Books, 1993. pp. xx + 156. Mr. Ransom was still living and have fer­ Mexico and California, 1846-1847(Norman: Univer­ illustrations. maps, appendix, blbliog., vently wished that he might recover to sity of Oklahoma Press. 1966),71. Index. Paper. $12.95 plus $2.00 ship­ spend many happy days in the bosom of 8. George Gibson slated, 'Captain Stewnsoo's com­ ping. Order from Red' Crane Books, his family, he has rendered me many kind­ pany of mounted IIOlunteers were dismounted by 826 Camino de Monte Rey. Santa Fe General Keamy, and crossed with us, but not being nesses that I never can forget and shall accustomed to the infantryservice, could notgetowr NM 87501 (800) 922-3392. allways strive to repay. Tell him that none such a place so well as we did." A Soldier under The author was a member ofWillard of his friends could be more rejoiced than I Kearny and Doniphan, 196. Chilcott's first Santa Fe Trail Bicycle . would be to hear that his health was perma­ 9. San Miguel. Trek. and this volume provides a de­ nently restored. That if during my absence 10. Armijo's force was at Canonato at the mouth of Apache Canon. tailed gUide to that annual 21-day ven­ my name can be of any service to him in ture. Marc Simmons contributed the any way to use it, that I truly regret that I 11. Charles F. Ruff had served as a second lieutenant in the First Dragoons from 1838 until he resigned in foreword, and the volume Is enhanced cannot in person render some service. I 1843. He was second in command of Doniphan's with 28 photographs and 20 maps. have made every enquiry for John but can Regiment of Missouri Mounted Volunteers. Pinkerton considers equipment, [hear?] nothing from hi m exceptthat he has 12. Woldemar Fischer wasa captain Clark's Battalion of preparation. and safety as well as the gone down with a trading party to central Missouri Volunteer Artillery. route of travel, things to see and do, Mexico, tell the girlsthat I think ofthem very 13. See Gibson, A SoldierunderKearnyand Doniphan, 217 fn. 356, for a discussion of the cannon retriewd. and references to Trail history. It was often, that they must make my house as a a positive experience for her and Is home, and stay with you all the time. Tell especially· recommended to anyone Uncle Louis Maupin and Aunt Mary that I contemplating participation In all or a think of them often as dear friends, that I portion of the annual bike trek. shall allways gratefully recollect their kind­ ness to us esteemthem amongst mywarm­ The book Is somewhat limited In est friends. I shall write to Uncle Louis by scope. since It follows only the Itiner­ ary ofChilcott's trip. A wider audience the next opportunity. Remember me to [?] CONVERSE OF THE + family, to David Edwards and wife Boy would have heen served with Informa­ Halligan and all of my friends. Tell that they tion about biking other sections of the PRAIRIES Trail routes and side trips along the are not forgotten. There will be a trading party leaving here for the States in about -BOOK NOTICESs-- way for the benefit of those bicyclists ten days, and by them I intend to write to who may want to visit othersites. Also, Mark L. Gardner. Santa Fe. TraH, Na­ suggestions for day trips or weekend each of these persons. Tell Letch that I tional Historic TraH. Tucson: South­ treks along the Trail would be worth­ have expected to have heard from him by west Parks and Monuments Associa­ each mail but have allways been disap­ while. tion, 1993. Pp. 16. Illustrations, map. A few errors of fact detract from this pointed. I shall not treat him so shamefully blbliog. Paper, $2.95. I shall write to him in the course often days, gUidebook. The Mconv~rgence" of the give my respects to [ink blot] + Aunt Polly. This handsome little book, whose Cimarron and Mountain routes was If ever you write to Charles Bill + Mary modest price makes It the bargain of not at MLa Junta. Colorado." but near remember metothem. I shall write to Char­ the year, sold more than 2,000 copies La Junta (now Watrous). New Mexico les. I have resolved towrite to Father. lowe within a few weeks of publication. It (p. 43). The barracks at Fort Dodge him a very long letter and shall pay him off should easily emerge as a Trail best­ were not constructed of adobe but of seller. with full interest. As to our Company they native stone (p. 81). The photograph of I are all well and becoming more and more The author Is SFTA's own vice-presi­ the tracks leadingto the Trail ruts west reconciled to their life. To day I furnished dent. historian Mark L. Gardner. He of Dodge City (p. 84) are mistakenly [The rest of the letter is missing]. has done a superb Job of pulling to­ Identified as the ruts (a common error gether a handy and highly readable made by a numher of other pubHca­ NOTES overview of the Trail story. His selec­ tlons). The Santa Fe Trail CenterIs not 1. Louise Barry, The Beginning of the West (Topeka: tion of color plates. engravings. his­ operated by Fort Larned but the Fort Kansas Stale Historical Society, 1972), 586. torical photographs, and documents Larned Historical Society (p. 90). . '- 2. George R. Gibson, Journal ofa SoldierunderKearny to illustrate the text Is also outstand­ The ioeatlon of Pawnee Rock, which and Doniphan, 1846-1847, ed. by Ralph P. Bieber Ing. (Glendale: Arthur H. Clark Co., 1935), 33-34. Is not on the itinerary of the bicycle 3. Barry, Beginning ofthe West, 595. The publisher. SPMA, produces trek, Is not eight mUes Mnortheast of 4. In addition to cited references, sewral otherjournals gUides and histories for sites and areas Lyons" but Is northeast of Larned (p. administered by the National Park 94). Although Council Grove once

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touted Itself as the Mbirthplace of the follow these routes from Glen Rio (1-40, Trail markers in Stevens County on Santa Fe Trail," that is no longer true old Route 66) on the New Mexico bor­ the Dermott Road near her home. (p. 106). That historic town, after der to Amarillo, Borger, and the city of Ron and Karla French missed the much criticism about the birthplace Canadian to the east. Markers are lo­ program- because they were re­ , claim, now correctly calls Itself the cated in or near each of the cities. A searching in the Kansas City area for Mrelldezvous" site ofthe TroJI. The pho­ list of the Dlarkers and their locations his Mcousin," -William R. Bernard, a tograph on p. 128 is apparently misi- ­ is available. wagon-train outfitter, who was in part· dentified. The Mtown" ofArrow Rock (p. President Pitts wrote an article about nership with A. G. Boone and James 132) did not exist at the time of the Josiah Greggs route from Fort Smith G. HamUton. They hope to share their Lewis and Clark expedition. Interstate and Van Buren, Arkansas, to Santa research withJhe chapter members at Highway 70 is not MI-40· ( p. 137). Fe, opened in 1840, for the AmarUlo the fall meetingat Hugoton on Oct. 14. Fortunately, the information on biking Globe-News, April 13, 1993. It com­ Heart of the Flint Hilla is more reliable than that on Trail his­ memorated the 153rd anniversary of tory. President Donald B Cress • Gregg's trip and the April blizzard RR 1 Box 66 • • ••• which killed almost 300 sheep and Council Grove; KS 66846 goats belonging to the caravan. Dave Webb. Adventures with the Santa No report. Fe TraU,revised edition. Dodge City: • Kansas Heritage Center, 1993. Pp. 76. Wagonbed Spring End of the Trail Illustrations, maps, bibliog. Paper, President Edward Dowell President Carlton R. Damonte $7.95 plus $2.00 shipping. Orderfrom 521 W. Janice 7221 Vivian Dr. NE Kansas Heritage Center, PO Box 1275, Ulysses, KS 67880 Albuquerque, NM 87109 Dodge City KS 6780I. Chapter members joined in an out­ Participating chapter members had Webb, now assistant director of the ing at the Wagonbed Spring site on a great experience on Sunday, June Kansas Heritage Center, has a talent May 19 when the tIickok Elementary 20. The day started at noon with a for making the best even better. This fifth grade classes made their annual Mbrown bag" lunch at the Pecos Na­ revised edition of the finest book avail­ trek to the spring and the Cimarron tional Monument picnicgrounds. After able about the Trail for children of all National Grassland under the leader­ lunch and a short business meeting, ages contains 16 additional pages of ship ofKarla French. At the Grassland the group caravaned to Kearny Gap information, learning activities, and Nancy Brewer of the forest service at south of Las Vegas, where they were project suggestions. Several new biog­ Elkhart met the busses at the begin­ guests of the Corazon de los Caminos raphies of Trail personalities are in­ ning of the auto tour on the highway Chapter. Members from the Mountain cluded. The National Park Service even north ofElkhart. The group made their _ Branch Chapter were also in atten­ granted permission for the reproduc­ way to the top of Point of Rocks and dance. tion of the Santa Fe National Historic Walked to the Middle Spring for lunch. At Kearny Gap, Harry Myers, Super­ Trail official logo (which was denied for Tracey Caffey presented a living-his­ intendent of Fort Union National the first edition). This handsome pub­ tory demonstration at Middle Spring, Monument, presented an overview of lication, Ulustrated by Phil Buntin, is assisted by Ron French. The students historical events that happened there. highly recommended to teachers as viewed Trail ruts and the children's According to Harry, this area is the well as young (and not so young) read­ graves on the north bank of the river likely location where Captain Gallegos, ers, and all at a bargain price. 'east of the highway during the after­ with 400 men under his command, noon and arrived back at Wagonbed met WUliam Becknell in 1821. CAMP TALES Spring about 3:00 p.m. There Ed Dow­ Morris Eiland, of the Corazon de los ell talked about the artifacts found at Caminos Chapter, then led a caravan -CHAPTER REPORTS the spring site area. of vehicles through the Ojitos Frios SFTA Ambassador Paul Bentrup pre­ Cimarron Cutoff - Ranches and the Puertocita Pedregosa sented the program at -the chapter where a profusion of Santa Fe Trail President David Hutchison meeting in Ulysses, July 8, 1993. Ed ruts still scar the landscape. Continu-­ West Star Route Box 35 Lewis, vice president, presided at the Boise City, OK 73933- ing south toward Tecolote, the group business meeting in the absence of stopped at La Manga to visit the piC­ No report. Edward Dowell, who was harvesting. turesque chapel belongtng to the Or­ Texas Panhandle Going back 168 years and using in- tega family. Erected in 1931, the President Charles H. Pitts -- formation from Joseph C. Brown's chapel is dedicated to the present 3316 Palmer Dr. 1825 survey of the Wagonbed Spring owner's grandfather. Amarillo, TX 79106 area,- Bentrup compared the location The day's excursion concluded at Te­ A membership drive is planned to given by Brown with present-day colote. This was home to Marian and rejuvenate the chapter. President maps. Brown gave a description ofthe Richard Russell for five years where area in his field notes: MLower Semaron they operated a trading post after , Charles Pitts requests that Panhandle residents and SFTA members contact Spring [Wagon Bed Spring, Grant Richard left the army at Fort Union. him at (806) 359-1166 or Kathy Revett County) is at the west edge ofa marsh Here, members viewed the site where at (806) 358-7320. A business meeting green with bullrushes. The marsh is the Santa Fe Trail crossed Tecolote • was held on August 8 and a field trip north of the creek and near it. _The Creek and a DAR marker located on to Adobe Walls and Canadian is being spring is constant, but the creek is the plaza. The day's events proved to planned for the fall. sometimes dry....". _be a rewarding experience, thanks to The Texas Historical Commission Lewis distributed the newly-printed our gracious hosts from the Corazon has authorized markers across the­ brochure for Wagonbed Spring. He de los Caminos Chapter. Texas Panhyandle citing the early said that Dowell had preserved an old On Saturday evening, June 26, Spanish Canadian River road to Santa black walnut tree at the spring site. members of the chapter's executive Fe and the later Gregg-Marcy routes. Christie Leonard volunteered to clean committee met at the home of Larry Anyon who Is interested can roughly up the area around the DAR Santa Fe and Doris Lyon in Santa Fe. After a

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delightful dinner, the group viewed latest book, The Santa Fe TmH by Bicy­ Trail chapter at Kearny's Gap. The 56 400 35mm colored slides ofsites along cle: a Historic Adventure, has been people heard Harry Myers, Superfu­ the Santa Fe Trail from Franklin, MO, published. The book is unique In that tendent at Fort Union, present a1\ in­ to the Santa Fe Plaza that Larry has it follows the TraIl from the Santa Fe formative talk at this historic gap documented over the years. Larry Plaza to Franklin, MO. The book con­ about the events leading up to the plans to' show his collection at a future tains a foreword by Marc Simmons. A meeting between Capt. Gallego and chapter meeting. review is included in this issue of WT. William Becknell in 1821. . Burt Schmitz, leading authority on Corazon de los Camin08 The group, led byMorris Eiland, then the route of the Trail through Glorieta proceeded via the Ojitos Frios Pass, came to Santa Fe in late June. President LeRoy LeDoux Ranches, inspecting sundry trail Because of short notice, it was not PO Box 94 markings, past Romeroville to the possible to organize a field trip for Wagon Mound, NM 87752 Chapel at La Mangaand refreshments. chapter members. However, Chapter The May activity took 32 members The chapel, built by the Ortega family, President Carl Damonte was able to and 7 guests to Springer and then is an adobe structure and kept In meetwith Mr. Schmitz andwas treated down Mills Canyon for a potluck pic­ beautiful condition and open, accord­ to a four-hour venture along parts of nic. Rachel WIlliams ofSpringerorgan­ ing to Sr. Ortega, to comply with his the Trail from Canoncito (site ofJohn­ ized the event that started at the father's Wishes that anYone who wants son's Ranch) to Pigeon's Ranch and Brown Hotel In Springer with donuts to meditate In its peaceful surround­ then to Apache Canyon and the "stra­ and coffee. By noon the group arrived ings may do so. From there the group tegic bridge" that was a prominent fea­ at the head of Mills Canyon, named went to the village to Tecolote on the ture In the Civil War battle on March after Hon. Melvin W. Mills ofSpringer, Santa Fe Trail, saw the crossing of 26, 1862. Using detailed maps he has ready for a 2-mile descent to the bot­ Tecolote Creek, and saw the beginning prepared from extensive research con­ tom over a rocky road one would not of the relatively steep Tecolote Hill. ducted since 1957, Schmitz pointed want to negotiate in inclement On August 15, 24 members visited weather. out segments of the Trail, alternate La Cueva Roller Mill at the Salman routes, and the general battlefield sce­ From the top to the bottom the drop Ranch in Mora County. Vincente nario. The day's excursion was truly a is about 1,000 feet. Within the narrow Romero settled there about 1835, step back In history. Schmitz's maps confines of the canon walls the Cana­ herd·lng a few sheep while living in a . are contained In the latest edition of dian snakes its way south. Nancy nearby cave. He later built a roller mill William C. Whitford's book, The Battle Robertson pointed out that a bird's­ and by the 1850s had acquired 33,000 oj Glorieta Pass, The Colorado Volun­ eye-view of northeastern New Mexico acres. La Cueva became the site of a teers in the CivU War, March 26, 27, 28,. makes it clear why the Santa Fe Trail prosperous mercantile center supply­ 1862, published by The Rio Grande avoided traveling the shorter, hypote­ ing flour, vegetables, and cattle to the Press, Inc., Glorieta, NM 87535. The nuse route from the Oklahoma Pan­ area. Among the customers were Fort book also contains a preface by Marc handle via Las Vegas to Santa Fe. The Union and other army forts in the ter­ Simmons. Canadian River, from east of Springer ritory. After the death of Vincente Chapter member Dave Masterman to past Mosquero, presents with its Romero (1881) his heirs began to sell served as wagonmaster for 33 mem­ steep caftons an almost impassable off portions of the family holdings. In bers and guests on Sunday, July II, barrier for wagon trains. That. a~d the 1942 Col. Salman chanced upon the for a hike alongthe last pull into Santa understandably inhospitable Indians, . property; by 1950 he had acqUired all Fe between Apache Ridge and Canon­ forced the Trail crossing to east ~f the land belonging originally to the cito. Dave explained.the history ofthis Springer and hence south to Las Romero family and began, besides Trail segment, pointed out Trail ruts, Vegas. ranching. cultivating plants, flowers, and showed a portion that had been The cafton was home ofthe Utes and . vegetables, and fruits. The area is fa­ improved by the U.S. Army In 1858. In Jicarilla Apaches, who appreciated its mous for its raspberries. evidence, was a rock retaining wall relatively mild climate, an abundance Wet/Dry Routes offish and game, and caves for shelter. that was built by the army to support President Lon R. Palmer the Trail from drainage. At the half­ Daniel Mills and his son, Judge Mills, 358 West 8 way point. members had "noon" on the nevertheless met no opposition there Hoisington, KS 67544 Trail (lunch). Mem ber Mike McDonald, in the late I800s and settled In this The chapter met in conjunction with dressed in mountain-man garb, added pristine wilderness to plant an or­ the Dodge CityI Fort Dodge Chapter on color and flavor to the day's events. chard, containing about 7,000 fruit June 26, I ~3, at the Dodge City Pub­ Armed with a .45 callber Kentucky trees, and a vegtable farm, harvesting tomatoes, cantaloupes, and cabbages, lic Library. Reports were given regard- Long Rifle, he gave a detailed demon­ . ing the events conducted In relation to stration of how to load and fire the on a twelve-mile stretch at the river bottom. The bounty of the canon was the Santa Fe Trail Days in Larned May black-powder weapon. After several 29-30. Amongthe eventssponsored by misfires, it finally went offIn a cloud of carted to the Santa Fe Railroad and its chain of Fred Harvey houses. the Chapterwas the 2nd Annual Picnic smoke. Mike also showed an 1851 and Historic Interpretation which net­ Navy Colt Revolver of the type used by Today only the ruins of a stone and ted in excess of $1,300 for the chap­ Union officers during the Civil War. several adobe structures remain. Con­ ter's marking fund. The 2nd Annual From a vantage point along the Trail, secutive floods raging within the nar­ Wet/DryRoute Tour scheduled forOc­ Chapter Life Member Marc Simmons row cafton walls, fed by the tributaries tober 9 and the proposed changes in spoke to the group about the Battle of of the Canadian and the slightly slop­ the SFTA bylaws were also discussed. Glorieta that occurred a short distance ing mesas to the east and west, swept The chapter, by unanimous vote, di­ awayand pointed out significant land- . the orchards and fields, uprooting the rected that a letter be sent to SFTA marks that related to the battIe. The trees, and destroyed the structures In President Bill Pitts stating objection to outing ended with refreshments back the early 1900s. the provision which requires all mem­ at the starting point. On June 20 our members hosted a bers of local chapters to be members Chapter memher Elaine Pinkerton's sizeable contingent from the End ofthe ofSFTA.

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.. Mountain Branch at organization were delayed by bad 67839 President Roberta Cordova weather. The January, February, and INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS~ March meetings were canceled be­ 202 East Sixth St. Mary Emma Allen, RR 2 Box 225A, Ply­ Trinidad, CO 81082 cause of ice, snow, and a blizzard. In mouth NH 03264 No report. April and May the meetings were Tom Baker, 6105 McKinney NE, Albuquer- rained- ,-.out. On June- ... 6, however._. 26- que NM 87109 - Dodge City/Fort Dodge membel'S gathered at the Cottonwood Kathleen A. Berger, 325 Gateway Dr, Jef­ President ~etty Braddock Grove Cemetery to hear a short pre­ ferson City MO 65109 106 Plaza Terrace sentation about local historical events Anna Beth Birky, RR 2 Box 73A, Newton Dodge City, KS 67801 hy Berniece Bengston. The group then KS 67114 On April 23. 1993. the members con­ hoarded a haywagon provided by Mr. Warner Blackburn, 915 Neosho St, Empo­ vened for the first meetingunder Presi­ and Mrs. Wilmer Ekholm for a tour of ria KS 66801 dent Braddock's leadership. Bettyalso Trail ruts northeast of the Stone Cor­ James F. Bowers, 450 S Otis, Lakewood· presented the program on the letters ral~ and passed the marker cotton­ CO 80226 • written by Isadore Douglass, wife of wood on the Little Arkansas and two Bob Cochran, PO Box 7, Sentinel OK Major Henry Douglass, commander of DAR markers on the return to the 73644 Fort Dodge in 1866-67. . Cottonwood Cemetary area for a pic­ Tom Dauphinee, 11808 Golden Gate NE, • The chapter hosted the Wet/Dry nic. Albuquerque NM 87111 Blaine Davis, PO Box E, Garden City KS Chapter on June 26. 1993, at the This area has been maintained for 67846 Dodge City Public Library. After busi­ years by Wilmer Ekholm with the help Robert Dimegar, 899 E Zia Rd, Santa Fe ness meetings, refreshments and fel­ oflocal Boy and Girl Scout Troops and NM 87505 lowship, a special program was pre­ others. He has been diligent in telling Jack Donohue, 125N Spring St, Bloomfield sented by SFTA Ambassador David the history of this particular spot to NJ 07003 Clapsaddle. David presented a histori­ interested parties. Betty Duran, 1420 Tari Dr, Colorado Sp- cal monodrama as George Bent, which President Smith and Bengston rings CO 80921 . enlightened and entertained the more pointed out the need for renovation of Sterling Evans, 319 Northwood Ln, Law- than 60 members of the combined signs along the Trail in this and other . renee KS 66044 chapters in attendance. areas selVed by the chapter, as well as Nelda M. Forry, 205 S 6th St, Arrow Rock The chapter hopes to take a one-day additional signage for presently un­ MO 65320 Earl Goodrich, PO_ Box 35, Pritchett CO /- trip this fall. Other chapters or SFTA marked points of interest along the 81064 . membel'S that would welcome us for a Trail. . visit are encouraged to contact Presi­ Michael Grandcolas, 247 Ocean Park Blvd, The next meeting of the chapter will Santa Monica CA 90405 dent Braddock. be Oct. 17. 1993. They will meet at the Greg Hamess, PO Box E, Garden City KS Missouri River Outfitters Fort Zarah Roadside Parkat 2:00 p.m.• 67846 .. President Robert Dorian visit the sites of Fort Zarah and Pea­ Elizabeth G.lnge, 1322 Park Ave, La Junta 13211 E 45th Terr cock Ranche. and proceed to the Bar­ CO 81050 ton County Historical Villllge for a Gail H. Ismart, 13525 Youngwood Turn, Independence, MO 64055 ~ On August 1 chapter members met meeting and a tour oUhe-facilities. Bowie MD 20715 . at Buckner. MO. for a tour ofthe Trail Joyce Klein, RR 1 Box 13B, Rozel KS I NEW SFTA MEMBERS I 67574 and localenvirons from there eastward Joy B. Jones, 3202 Red Onion Cir, Colo­ to Dover. including two museums in This list includes new memberships rado ~prings CO 80918 Lexington. It was necessary to detour received since the last issue. Those M. Dale Larsen, 11725 W Alderny Ct #48, periodically to avoid floodwaters. received, after this printing will appear Wichita KS 67212 Roger Slusher led the group and pro­ in the next issue. Ifthere is an error in Shirley McFadden, 1233 Ogden St#409, vided historical information, this information. please send correc­ Denver CO 80218 After the tour participants were tions to the editor. We thank you for Mario R. Medina, 8757 Lane 22.5, Sugar guests at the Slusher home in lexing­ your support. City CO 81076 ton for dinner and conversation. Michael J. Menard, Koshare Indian Mu­ Thanks Roger and Sandy for a grand . seum, PO Box 580, LaJunta CO 81050 tour and the hospitality. Dr. Wm. J. Reals, 706 Stratford Rd, Wichita Dorothy S. Moore, 5600 Perry Ln, Merriam KS 67206 KS 66203 The October meeting will be at the Barbara Oringderff, PO Box E, Garden City Santa Fe Trail site donated by LOu FAMILY MEMBERSHIPS KS 67846 . Schumacher in Kansas City (post­ Bill & Darlene Aspedon, 145 Aspen Dr, Paul F. Peppard, PO Box 429, Angel Fire poned from an earlier date). Schu­ Woodland Park CO 80863 NM87710 . macher will share with us the steps John &.Janet Buck,2737 Flintridge Dr, Valdine Prentice, 5803 Spurwood Ct, Colo­ 'and procedures needed to research Colorado Springs CO 80918 rado Springs CO 80918 and certify a historic site. For further Warren & Helen Burns, 2539 Patriot Felix Revello, RR 3, Lamed KS 67550 information. contact President Bob Heights, Colorado Springs CO 80904 Alice Al)ne Thompson, 12836 Portulaca Dorian. Beulah & Wallace Carley, 304 Walnut St, Apt J, Creve Coeur MO 63146 . Wamego KS 66547 Robert J. Torrez, 404 Montezuma, Santa Quivira Sally & Robert Conrad, 6405 Wyandotte, FeNM 87503 Presid~nt Wayne Smith Kansas City MO 64113 Myrtle A. Waite, 583 - 20 Rd, (3rand Junc- RR 1 Box 44 . . Michael Macklin & Pat Brantley, 12231 tion CO 81503 . Raymond, KS 67573 Level Run, Stafford TX 77477 Marjorie Allen White, 909San Juan Ave, La The Quivera Chapter. the newest Tom '& Vivian McWhorter, 4105 Bent Dr, Junta CO 81050 chapter along the Trail. draWing mem­ Colorado Springs CO 80909 Stephen C. Whitemore, 120 Gabaldon At, bers from McPherson. Rice. and Bar­ Clarence & DonnaStiver, RR 10 Box 1068­ Las Vegas NM 87701 ton counties in Kansas. adopted by­ 10, Springfield MO 65803 Barbara E. Withee, 748 Elling Dr, Manhat· laws in October 1992. Further efforts Robert A. Strong, PO Box 683, Dighton KS tan KS 66502

August 1993 23

- Published by UNM Digital Repository, 1993 23 Wagon Tracks, Vol. 7 [1993], Iss. 4, Art. 1

I__T_R.....A_IL_C....A_L;,,;;,E~N D;;",;.A..;.;,R I BICYCLE TREK 1993 FROM THE EDITOR Everyone Is invited to send notices for THE 4th Annual Santa Fe Trail Bicy­ The 1993 business meeting of SFTA this section; provide location, daters). cle Trek will travel as follows. SFTA Is ofcritical 1m portance because ofthe time(s). and activity. Remember this Is members along the route are encour­ proposed changes in the bylaws. The a quarterly. The next Issue should ap­ aged to meet and visit with partici­ original bylaws, for example. made no pear In November, so send Information pants In their respective areas. provisions for SFTA chapters. and now for December and later to arrive by Sept. 19 Santa Fe to Las Vegas there are ten of them. Many chapters October 20. Thank you. Sept. 20 Las Vegas to Wagon Mound have members who are not members of SFTA. Other organizations with Sept. 12, 1993: End of the Trail Chapter Sept. 21 Wagon Mound to Cimarron field trip to San Miguel. Meet at 10:30 which I am fam iUar. includingthe Ore­ a.m. in church parking lot. Contact Mar­ Sept. 22 Cimarron to Trinidad gon-California Trails Association.'. garet Sears (505) 473-3124. Sept. 23 Day off In Trinidad Daughters ofthe American Revolution, Sept.1S, 1993: 19thAnnual Santa FeTrail Sept. 24 Trinidad to La Junta and the Boy and Girl Scouts of Amer­ Days at New Franklin, MO. Contact Joe Sept. 25 La Junta to Lamar ica. do not permit people to be mem­ Chitwood (816) 882-7000 or 848-2936. bers of their chapters without belong­ Sept. 19, 1993: Corazon de los Camines Sept. 26 Lamar to Lakin Ing to the parent organization. Ifa local Chapter meeting at Rock Crossing of Sept. 27 lakin to Dodge City or regional organization wishes to be a the Canadian. Contact LeRoy LeDoux Sept. 28 Day off In Dodge City chapter of SFTA, the members of that (505) 666-2262. Sept. 29 Dodge City to Larned organization must also be members of Sept. 19-0ct.8,1993: Santa FeTrail Bicy­ SFTA (our status as a certified. tax-ex· cle Trek. Contact Willard Chilcott, 885 Sept. 30 Larned to Sterling empt 50 llc)(3), not-for-profit organiza­ Camino Del Este, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Oct. 1 Sterling to Hillsboro (505) 982-1282. tion would be In jeopardy ifwe permit­ Oct. 2 Hillsboro to Council Grove Sept. 23-26,1993: Santa Fe Trail Sympo­ ted non-members to be SFTA chapter sium. La Junta, Bent's Old Fort, and Oct. 3 Day off in Council Grove members). This does not prevent any Boggsville, CO. Contact Don Hill, Bent's Oct. 4 Council Grove to Baldwin local or regional organization from Old Fort NHS, 35110 Hwy 194E, La City . forming separately from SFTA. It Is Junta CO 81050 (719) 384·2596. Oct. 5 Baldwin City to Independence essential for the future of SFTA that Sept. 24-25,1993: Council Grove Festival. this bylaw revision and many others Contact CGCVB. 1-800-732-9211. DeL 6 Independence to Lexington that are proposed be adopted in 1993. Sept. 25, 1993: 1840s Indian Encamp­ Oct. 7 leXington to Arrow Rock See you at the symposium. Happy ment, Bent's Old Fort NHS. Oct. 8 Arrow Rock to New Franklin' Trails! Sept. 25, 1993: Back to Boggsville Days, -Leo E. Oliva Historic Boggsville. Oct. 2,1993: 4th Annual Trail Tour, Cimar- ron County, OK, Historical Society, be- SANTA FE TRAIL All inquiries regarding membership ~ns at 8:00 a. m., reservations required. PHOTOPRINT NOTECARDS should be directed to the secretary· ontact Joan Wells (405) 544-3077, treasurer: Joanne Wells (405) 544-2716, or Norma Scenic and Historic Sites in Uving Gene Young (405) 544-3136. Color J:I Many selections available Ruth Olson Peters, Santa Fe Trail . , Oct. 14, 1993: Wagonbed Spring Chapter featuring Mountain and Cimarron Center, RR 3, Larned KS 67550 meeting at Hugoton. Routes J:I Enlargements available, (316) 285-2054. framed or matted J:I Visit our booth at ·Oct. 17, 1993: Corazon de los Camines . Chapter meeting at Hermit's Peak near the 1993 Symposium in September. All matters relating to Wagon Tracks Las Vegas. Contact LeRoy LeDoux Dale & Teresa Kesterson (505) 666-2262 or Bernt Winkel (505) should be addressed to the editor: Santa Fe Trail Detours . 425-1529. 358 Carson Ave Leo E. Oliva, PO Box 31, Woodston Noy. 13, 1993: End of the Trail Chapter Las Animas CO 81054 KS 67675 (913) 994-6253, FAX metting, Mary Moorehead, speaker, 1:30 p.m., Santa Fe Public Library. Con- (719) 456-0504 (913) 994-6255. tact Margaret Sears (505) 473-3124.

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