Santa Fe Trail, 1821: First Trail Into the West

RE-UPLOADED and edited because of YouTube's copyright policies.

This video is the first installment on a seven part mini-series about the trails leading into the American West. The Santa Fe trail was the first overland route into the west that utilized the iconic conestoga covered wagons. It was principly a commerce route traversed by merchants, mountain men, vaqueros, and homesteaders eager to make a profit in the Mexican markets at trail's end.

According to the wagon boss, Josiah Gregg, the year 2021 marks the 200th anniversary of the trail's inaugural passage west.

[doorusthewalrus]

Sorry for all the lost comments! YouTube decided to flag my video for "unoriginal content." A few images and notes of music were changed.

[carlosm]

My Lord! How brave were these men? Phenomenally so

[herbschlubach]

I have fallen in love with your storytelling and sadly have already watched most of your videos. I hope to see more soon! Thank you for the interesting stories! ❤

[beverlyks]

Just rewatched your video ... still love it!!! First watched it in the spring of 2022, just before my husband an I followed the whole route, taking the Cimmaron to Santa Fe and Raton Pass on our return journey. It was an amazing experience to walk in those historic spaces and actually see the wagon ruts! We were just talking about that road trip, and had to watch your video again! ... we're Canadians (living on Lake Superior just north of Minnesota) and really enjoyed our journey into history, helped (and reminded) by your video.

[IAMSatisfied]

Thank you for creating & sharing this... it's well done & interesting.

The Cimarron Route was not called a "cut-off" until sometime in the 1900s... it was known as "the Cimarron Route" by those who used the trail in the 1800s. The term "cut-off" makes it sound like it's an afterthought to the mountain route, but the opposite is true.... the Cimarron Route was the first established route and by far the most heavily traveled. William Becknell's first trek lead him through present day La Junta, Colorado, and from there he headed South through Emery Gap, next to present day Branson, Colorado, and from there he connected with the Cimarron River ~6 miles to the South (known locally as the Dry Cimarron). I've worked on several ranches in the area & know several of the pioneer families here.

Raton is pronounced ra-TONE... Spanish for "rat", after the hoards of pack-rats that infested the pass. The rats were mentioned in diaries of the trail.

An ancestor of mine is buried on one of the Juan Fernández islands, off the coast of Chile'... she had died on a voyage from the East coast of the U.S. to the West coast, a long journey around Cape Horn, a alternative to the rigors of the Oregon & California trails that the elderly or otherwise infirm had available to them. We, in this generation, have little idea of how cushy our lives are... privation, sacrifice & a reliance on God were the staple of many of our ancestors.

[wes]

Hello from Omaha. They moved the soldiers from Fort Atkinson, north of Omaha, to Fort Leavenworth because of the increased traffic on the Santa Fe Trail. Thanks, I learned a lot.

[Raylene]

Captain William Becknell was my great x 10 grandfather. I am directly related to him. My father has told me the tales passed down by his father before him of Captain William Becknell and the founding of the Santa Fe Trail. This video is mostly accurate :)

[racketyjack]

Excellent commentary. Thoroughly enjoyed your narrative. Amazing piece of long forgotten history.

[BenSHammonds]

good program, William Becknell is buried not far from me on west side of Clarksville TX here in northeast TX, Davy Crockett was at his place and visited him for a time on his way into Texas on Dec 1835

[Trav_Can]

I live near the Shawnee Mission. And it blows my mind the beginnings of the Santa Fe and Oregon trail are less than 100 feet from my house. I party in Westport sometimes. Wild history there. Kansas City is the real gateway to the west. Not St. Louis.

[tpe]

I followed a large portion of the Santa Fe Trail [RT #50] on a bicycle tour from Buffalo New York to Santa Fe NM. It made me reflect on the perils they went thru. In Kearney County KN they have a stop off where you can see part of the wagon wheel ruts.

[TheMewiya]

Raton is pronounced "Ra.tone". Bents Fort area is about a hundred miles from the nearest mountain, altho Pikes Peak can be seen to the west depending on viewing point.

[warhawk]

Amazing job! You deserve way more subscribers

[swhip]

Glad you covered this. I always hear about the Oregon.✌

[californiadreamin]

From across the pond, really enjoyed this video. Now where did I put my fiddle so I can play Arkansas Traveller !!

[Garydigsit]

thats awesome I subbed ya, good job my friend

[TheresaLawrence-wxmq]

Good video ! The pronunciation of Raton Pass is Rah - tone with a long O .

[GeographyCzar]

It always boggles my mind that there's no Kansas City (neither of them, actually) on these old maps. So, Kansas City didn't exist 200 years ago, but there was all this activity and many small towns scattered about the region! A history of where Kansas City came from would be interesting...

[gstlb]

If there are any plant enthusiasts here who have seen small flowering plants named greggii in your local nursery, those are named for this Josiah Gregg, who made notes about the plants he came across in his wanderings. There are maybe a couple dozen such plants.

[robertgiles]

In the very first drawing; the Ox Horns were sharp as spikes. Would they not have cut those down some or filed them just for safety? Seems working close to these animals might lead to dangerous opportunities.