Near Las Vegas in San Miguel County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

A Landmark Meeting

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 14, 2023

1. A Landmark Meeting Marker

Inscription.
The chance meeting near this spot on Nov. 13, 1821, of Capt. Pedro Gallego's militia with William Becknell's party from Missouri led to the opening of the Santa Fe Trail.

Erected 1996 by New Mexico State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and the Santa Fe Trail series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is November 13, 1821.

Location. 35° 33.476′ N, 105° 14.22′ W. Marker is near Las Vegas, New Mexico, in San Miguel County. It is on New Mexico 283 ¾ mile west of Romeoville Frontage Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 73 NM-283, Las Vegas NM 87701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern New Mexico.

It is also in the American Southwest,

in the Mountain West,

and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically,

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it finds itself in what was once New Spain.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Puertocito de la Piedra Lumbre (here, next to this marker); Kearny Gap (here, next to this marker); A. Dold & Company / Charles Emil Wesche General Merchandise Store (approx. 2.4 miles away); Veeder Block (approx. 2½ miles away); Dold Block (approx. 2½ miles away); Santa Fe Trail (approx. 2½ miles away); Plaza Hotel (approx. 2½ miles away); First National Bank of Las Vegas (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Las Vegas.

Also see . . .
1. William Becknell and the Santa Fe Trail. In August 1821, [Becknell] placed an advertisement in the local newspaper. “W. BECKNELL” was captaining “[a] Company of 17 men … destined to the westward,” the notice read. The party hoped to increase its ranks to 30. “On the first day of September the company will cross the Missouri at the Arrow Rock,” the notice informed its readers. (W. Kesler Jackson, American Essence magazine) (Submitted on November 25, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Without a Trace: The Becknell Five (PDF).

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 14, 2023

2. A Landmark Meeting Marker

The rich panoramic history of the Santa Fe Trail has produced many thrilling and compelling episodes for historians and writers. Yet there are a few mysteries that remain, gaps in the historical record that demand investigation. Probably the most interesting, and important, of those remaining mysteries involves the very first trip on the Santa Fe Trail by the man who is commonly acknowledged to have forged the original trace in 1821, William Becknell. The mystery is that the five men who made this famous landmark voyage across the prairie with Becknell are unknown to history. (Craig Crease, Wagon Tracks, 2014) (Submitted on November 25, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 240 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 25, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.