Bent’s Fort Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association September 2016 Newsletter Page 1 ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— along the Trail to women and Chapter Events their journals and other writ- 2016 Rendezvous Featured Excellent ings. We also learned how Programs on Pioneer Women women today are working to Wow! What a weekend event! The Santa Fe Trail As- preserve the Trail either sociation did an excellent job providing speakers and through protection of the San- entertainment for Rendezvous 2016. ta Fe Trail on their properties With the focus on Pioneer Women, we learned about to being docents at historic the hardships as well as the high points of life on the locations. Trail and the prairie. The event started Thursday even- Friday night was awards ing on the prairie where Leo Oliva dedicated a marker to night. Five Bent's Fort Chap- Susan Shelby Magoffin at the site of the accident that ter members were honored led to her miscarriage while staying at Bent's Fort. Leo with awards: Award of Merit, noted that Rod Podszus and Dotti Rus- the sign sell; Paul F. Bentrup Ambas- posts and sador Award, John Carson marker and Pat Palmer; and Marc were of Simmons Writing Award to Dr. Ann Birney as Julia stone Joanne VanCoevern. Other Archibald Holmes found near awards were Award of Merit to the area. the Derby Boy Scout Troop After 683; Louis Barry Writing Award to Phyllis S. Morgan and dinner Fri- Joy Poole; Ralph Hathaway Memorial Heritage Preser- day even- vation Award to Don and Connie Essington; Marc Sim- ing, we mons Writing Award to Deborah Lawrence; and the Leo OIiva dedicating Marker Gregory M. Franzwa Memorial Award for Lifetime to Susan Shelby Magoffin learned about the Achievement to Hal Jackson. Thanks to all the award- first white woman, Julia Archibald ees for their hard work in their Chapters and the SFTA. Holmes to climb Pike's Peak. Julia, (Note: It is an honor to receive the SFTA Award of Mer- portrayed by Dr. Ann Birney, was an independent think- it; it is a pleasure and a privilege to be a member of the ing woman who also was among the first women in the Bent's Fort Chapter and the SFTA and to assist in the U.S. to wear bloomers. work of promoting and preserving the Trail. Dotti) Friday and Saturday were filled with excellent speak- ers from talking about family history to black women Continued on Page 3 — Rendezvous BFC News In This Issue Chapter Events . 1 The Tragedy of Clara Blinn . 4 Book Review . 8 Santa Fe Trail to be Paved . 4 Upcoming Chapter Events . 9 The Tragedy of Sand Creek . 5 Membership Report . 9 A Brief Sketch of the Caddo Indian BFC Officers & Committee Chair . 10 Agency in Colorado Territory . 7 Upcoming 2016 Events . 10 Membership Form . 11 “The Santa Fe Trail Lives On” Taos Trappers Trail Tour—Group 2 September 2016 Newsletter Bent’s Fort Chapter Page 2 Western Historian, Jim Dunham, tioned not to try this at home.) Most of these rules were Highlights July Meeting violated by the average movie star with his gun hanging low and tied to his thigh which would actually slow down Over 75 members and guests gathered at the Grand the draw. Jim then demonstrated various ways to do a Theatre in Rocky Ford, CO on Saturday, July 16th, for fast draw, doing so with amazing speed. the Chapter meeting and to hear Jim Dunham. During Many thanks go out to Jim for making the trip from the meeting upcoming events were highlighted along Atlanta, GA, to La Junta to give his presentation. As a with discussion of the 2021 Symposium to be led by our western buff growing up, I know I was fascinated with Chapter. John Carson told those present about the his western history, dispelling of movie lore and his fast- commitment that Bent's Old draw abilities. Thanks go out to Ed Stafford for his invi- Fort and the Chapter had tation to Jim and his pre-publicity and to the folks at the made to host the 2021 Santa Grand Theatre for, again, letting us host our July speak- Fe Trail Association Symposi- er at the Theatre. ☼ um. He encouraged mem- ——————————————————— bers to sign up to volunteer to help with the event. Taos Trappers Trail Tour and History Then it was time for Jim Article and pictures by Ron Dulle Dunham’s presentation and John Carson The Trail he did not disappoint. Telling The Taos/Trappers Trail Tour, August 13, was off the many facts about the early days he explained how some beaten path of tours more connected with the Santa Fe Indian tribes were given the names we know them by Trail. This tour was in a different kind of country, espe- today, noting that many of the names were given by ear- cially Sangre de Cristo Pass, parallel yet somewhat con- ly French trappers and traders. Jim gave several exam- nected to the Santa Fe Trail. ples such as of the Tisistsistas tribe which means “the The Taos/Trappers Trail is generally considered a human beings” who the French called “Cheyenne.” The historic pathway from Taos, New Mexico north to Fort French called the Dakota (which means “allies” or “those Garland, Colorado, east along Sangre de Cristo Creek the same”) by the name the Ojibwa called them, “Na du (Highway 160) to the top of La Veta Pass, where it qui Sioux” (or Sioux) which means “the lesser snakes.” turned north along Sangre de Cristo Pass for 5 - 6 miles. Other names given the Indian tribes included the Dineh It meets the Huerfano River following it south of Green- who became the “Navajo”, the Inuit who were named horn Mountain and northward toward today’s Pueblo, the “Eskimo,” and the Nimipu who were called the “Nez Colorado. There it joins other trails northward along Perce (French for pierced noses). Fountain Creek and other passages as far as Wy- Jim then told stories of the Old West noting that the oming’s Fort Laramie. fight at the OK Corral was really in a vacant lot a couple The Tour blocks away and the fight itself lasted about thirty sec- The heart of this tour, led by the Huerfano County His- onds. He also dispelled the legend of gunfight duels torical Society, is about the Huerfano County section of down “main street” as some of the fiction of the western the Trail on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo era created in movies and TV Mountains, which makes it interesting and unique be- shows. cause of the terrain and history of trade and travel over Moving to modern day, Jim centuries. Transport on this part of the trail was by horse showed how a real gunfighter or pack mule. would do a fast draw versus For the 77 tour participants, the majority of them from what we saw in the western. the Arkansas Valley and Bent’s Fort Chapter, and all He noted that Bat Masterson there before 9 AM, the first stop was at Huerfano Butte, said there were three things an impressive sight in the morning sun. About 10 miles important in a gunfight. Least north of Walsenburg, the Butte is recognized by all who important was speed, second travel I-25 and was a marker for centuries to everyone accuracy, and most important who came that way. was deliberation. Movie cow- We then followed west Jim Dunham boys wore their guns too low along the Huerfano River and fanned the shots with tall grasses and cen- (impossible to hit anything). Real gunmen wore their tennial farms dating to guns higher and turned their hands parallel to the early families who settled ground and thumb cocked the shots. (Jim also cau- Continued on Page 3 — Trail Taos Trail Marker at Badito September 2016 Newsletter Bent’s Fort Chapter Page 3 Chapter Events (Cont’d) River from the Pueblo area to Bent’s Fort, thus a con- Continued from Page 2 — Trail nection with the Santa Fe Trail. From the 1840s, traders there --Vallejos and Kimbrel. Other settlements and extended the trail to Fort Laramie. ranches such as St. Mary’s were established, grew and Many thanks go to the staff of the Huerfano County disappeared. Historical Society, especially Carolyn Newman and Kay At about 17 miles northwest of Walsenburg off High- Beth Avery, both expert in the history of the trail, for all way 69 is Badito, with a history and crossroads known the planning and packets of information made available. by few but critical to the Taos/Trappers Trail. It served Smartly, they split the tour into two groups. We are all as the first county seat for Huerfano County, when the wiser for their patience and knowledge. Thanks also go original county, which had covered much of southern to Ruben Archuleta for his excellent talk on the Peni- Colorado was pared down to its current size. tentes. It was an enjoyable day. ☼ Badito today is marked well with a large rock and —————————————————————————- signage among a few buildings in ruins. Continued from Page 1 — Rendezvous Another role of Badito was its position at the eastern The Hall of Fame Inductees were also announced. end of Sangre de Cristo Pass, where traders met the The Historic Inductees were Cathy Williams, Elizabeth Huerfano River on their trip around Greenhorn Mountain Caroline Newcomb and Francisca Lopez Kimball. The and northward. Modern Inductees are David K. Clapsaddle, Gregory M. North of Badito are reminders of the history of the ar- Franzwa and Barbara (Huff) Peirce.