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The route between Cimarron and Santa Fe through Las Vegas (mostly Interstate 25) approximately follows the route of the old Santa Fe Trail used to carry trade goods from the United States to Spanish colonial and territorial New Mexico. This trade route, developed in the 1800s, gradually tied New Mexico's economy closer to the United States than to Mexico and provided much of the reason for New Mexico's eventual annexation by the U.S. This is the route we followed on our return trip from Philmont back to Santa Fe on the way to Albuquerque. There are several interesting places for short stops along the Santa Fe Trail part of the route. Fort Union National MonumentThe ruins of Fort Union can be seen about eight miles off of I-25 at Exit 366. Fort Union served to protect travelers on the Santa Fe Trail from 1851 to 1891. The monument includes a military museum and, in the summer, demonstrations and living history portrayals of frontier garrison life. You can still see wagon ruts of the Santa Fe Trail near the fort. See: Fort Union.Wagon MoundA butte shaped like a covered wagon between Cimarron and Las Vegas. Be sure to note this important landmark of the Santa Fe Trail as you pass.Las VegasLas Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada) is a convenient place for a short stop about half way between Philmont and Albuquerque. In its day, Las Vegas was considered the most violent community in the western frontier, far surpassing Tombstone, Dodge City, and Deadwood in the number of disreputable gamblers, desperados, and outlaws.The fast food places (McDonald's 505-454-1103; Burger King 505-425-9113) make an easy-on/easy-off stop taking Grand Avenue between Exits 347 and 343. We stopped for a bite to eat at McDonald's. Then we stretched our legs with a brief walk around the Plaza with its interesting architecture and peeked into the restored Victorian-era Plaza Hotel. The Plaza is the site of the former "Hanging Windmill" used by the vigilantes to hang outlaws until citizens complained about contamination of the water. There are some signs to point the way, but it's best to bring a map or a knowledgeable driver to find the Plaza easily. Pecos Pueblo RuinsAnother possible stopping place between Cimarron and Albuquerque or Santa Fe is the Pecos National Monument in Cowles New Mexico (4 miles north of I-25 from Exit 299 or 307). Prior to the Spanish arrival, the natives here grew corn, beans, and squash in irrigated fields and traded with the pueblos on the Rio Grande for cotton and with the plains Indians for buffalo meat and robes. The Pecos Pueblo was depopulated and eventually abandoned in 1828 after years of raids by plains Indians. The ruins provide a sense of pueblo life and of the Spanish mission days. See Pecos Park.Santa Fe PlazaThe Santa Fe Trail ends, of course, in Santa Fe at the Plaza. See the page on Northern NM. |
"They were joined that night by a party of Ute Indians who told the Apaches
that they "did not know how to fight Americans" and that they would show them how." Santa Fe Gazette on an 1850 attack on a mail wagon at Wagon Mound To Murderers, Confidence Men, Thieves: The citizens of Las Vegas have tired of robbery, murder, and other crimes that have made this town a byword in every civilized community. They have resolved to put a stop to crime, if in attaining that end they have to forget the law, and resort to a speedier justice than it will afford. All such characters are therefore hereby notified that they must either leave this town or conform themselves to the requirements of the law, or they will be summarily dealt with. Las Vegas Optic, April 8, 1880 "Peace prevailed as long as rainfall was adequate. During periods of drought, however, the Pueblos produced no surplus corn, and game on the plains became so scarce that the hunters faced starvation. Driven by hunger, the Plains Indians finally raided the pueblos for their seed corn. When the drought ended and corn and game were again plentiful, peaceful trade relations were resumed in a surprisingly short time." Charles L. Kenner |