NW New Mexico News

From April 1, 2023 post.

We have officially made our way into spring and since it's the first day of April, it's time for another historic postcard. This postcard probably looks a bit familiar to some. There are many aerial photos of Aztec Ruins National Monument, but this one is missing something pretty big...The Old Spanish Trail! Although this walking trail is a relatively new addition to the park, the history of the Old Spanish Trail dates back to the 1800s.

On the evening of November 17, 1829, Antonio Armijo and his caravan of about 60 men and 100 mules crossed Las Animas River at a shallow point near Aztec Ruins and made camp. Armijo and his men were just beginning their journey on what would later be called the Old Spanish Trail. Pack mule caravans and travelers used the Old Spanish Trail as a trade route between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California, which were part of Northern Mexico at the time. 

The Old Spanish Trail was only used during a couple of decades in the 19th century, it evolved as a combination of the indigenous footpaths that were used for centuries prior, early trade and exploration routes, and horse and mule trails across the region. The overland route was necessary to build the trade between New Mexico and California; to build the strong trade network of woolen goods of New Mexico exchanged for the horses and mules from California. This was happening at the same time as the trade of contraband goods and enslaved Native Americans. After the end of the Mexican American War in 1848, the United States took control of most of the Southwest. New overland routes were established, and a wagon route was opened to southern California, and use of the Old Spanish Trail sharply declined. 

However, the Old Spanish Trail was designated as a national historic trail because of its rich history and national significance. The trail, which is more than 2,700 miles in length and crosses New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California, is jointly administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS). Visitors today to Aztec Ruins National Monument can follow a one-and-a-half-mile long trail starting in the picnic area (yet to be developed in the postcard!) to downtown Aztec and read about Antionio Armijo's journey along the way. 

Check out more information about the Old Spanish National Historic Trail at https://www.nps.gov/olsp/index.htm 

#HistoricPostcards #AZRU #OldSpanishTrail 

Image description: An aerial photo of Aztec Ruins National Monument. NPS Photo.

Original source can be found here.