Old Spanish Trail

Old Spanish Trail. The Old Spanish Trail was an historic pack trail connecting Santa Fe to the pueblo of Los Angeles. Travelers from Santa Fe aimed for the San Gabriel Mission as a welcome destination and gathering place. Traders brought woolen goods from New Mexico and returned with highly prized California mules and horses. The trail originated as a trade route from Santa Fe into central Utah during the Spanish Colonial days but was also used as an emigrant trail to California during the Mexican period., Inset on right: San Gabriel Mission. On September 8, 1771 founding Fathers Pedro Cambon and Angel Somera named the new mission for the Archangel Gabriel. It was the fourth in a chain of 21 missions built in California. In 1774, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived and established a formal overland route from Mexico City to California., As trade between the United States and the new Republic of Mexico expanded, Santa Fe traders saw the potential for profits in dealing directly with California ranchers and church missions. In the fall of 1829, well after Mexican Independence from Spain, Antonio Armijo led a caravan westward from Sante Fe. He arrived at the San Gabriel Mission in January, 1830 with 60 men and pack mules loaded with woolen goods. Armijo returned to Santa Fe that spring with an additional 100 horses and mules. For the first time, a trade and communication route was established between the Mexican provinces of New Mexico and California. Thus the Old Spanish Trail was born., Following the success of Armijo’s expedition, San Gabriel Mission became a focal point for the lucrative trade. Traders, trappers and travelers coming west gathered here to conduct their business with the Californios. The Mission was one of the most prosperous in California, and the padres graciously provided food, rest and shelter to the travelers, weary from the long and difficult trail. Some of the visitors were no doubt rough and unruly, but all were treated with courtesy by the padres., Governor Pio Pico secularized San Gabriel Mission in 1834 and much of the land became private property. In 1874, the Catholic Church was granted control of only 13 acres including the church.