The day after Thanksgiving is designated as Native American Heritage Day, paying homage to the rich culture and many contributions of North America s Indigenous inhabitants.
True West Magazine
Two Kansas City boys hiked the famous road west in 1874 to make their mark in the cattle trade.
The Arkansas River flowed by the original Fort Lyon complex, American Indian teepees and livestock. The river flooded the first fort in 1866, causing the second fort to be built near Las Animas in 1867.
– Courtesy of The Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, X-19367 –
The Santa Fe Trail, a vital commercial route, developed international trade between the United States and Mexico, fostered commerce on the Plains, served as a military road and contributed to westward expansion in the United States. William Becknell and five men, desiring a profitable outcome, began a momentous journey September 1, 1821, from Franklin, Missouri, and in November reached Santa Fe in what was then northern Mexico. Becknell’s venture was lucrative, and commerce significantly increased along the Santa Fe Trail, which evolved and divided into the Cimarron and Mountain Route