From Indigenous Trail to International Highway

From Indigenous Trail to International Highway. Santa Fe National Historic Trail. On the indigenous pathway that became the Santa Fe Trail, Native Americans long traveled and traded. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, the Santa Fe trail developed as an international commercial highway connecting Mexico with the United States. It stretched 900 miles from its eastern terminus at Franklin, Missouri, to its western terminus at Santa Fe. Both American and Mexican traders traveled the trail to create new markets and commercial opportunities. When the U.S.-Mexican War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, freighting along the trail increased, largely due to the need to supply a new system of U.S. military southwestern forts., By 1880, the iron rails of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad replaced the use of the well-worn ruts of the Santa Fe Trail., Today, wagon-wheel ruts, historic buildings, sites, and landmarks that capture both the trail and an era, mark the length of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. Federal, state, and local agencies, private citizens, and non-profit organizations together protect the remains of the Santa Fe Trail., Preserving the Past for the Future , The designation of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail in 1987 has led to increased awareness and protection. It has also created opportunities for visitors to experience its route and related sites. Museums, visitor centers, and tour routes along the trail provide maps, brochures, and other information to assist with your travel plans., This project is a partnership with the National Park Service's Connect Trails to Parks Program, New Mexico Department of Transportation, and Cornerstones Community Partnerships., . National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior , . New Mexico Department of Transportation , . Cornerstones Community Partnerships