April 3rd, 2016: Santa Fe Trail

[xoxoxoBruce]

Maestro, a little Aaron Copland please.

The name, Santa Fe Trail, usually stirs the inner cowboy/cowgirl in Americans.
From 1821 through 1866, the Santa Fe Trail connected Franklin, Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Trail had several variations but the shortest route using the Slauson Cimarron cut off, was about 800 miles,
and took 8 weeks with heavy wagons.



Unlike the Oregon trail and California Trail, the Santa Fe carried more freight than pioneers, although some
went on to California. This was partially because of the unstable political climate of New Mexico.
Texas, Mexico and the Indians, all said mine, mine, mine, with accompanying tantrums.
In 1880 the railroad rolled into Santa Fe and said, No, mine.
As the Buffalo, Indians, Ranchers, and Politicians discovered back in the day, you don't fuck with the railroad.

......

More than 100 years later, King Railroad has had it's day, John Wayne is dead, the Wild West is gone
(although nobody told Cliven Bundy), but the wagon ruts of the old Santa Fe Trail are still there.
Happy Trails Everybody.