June 3, 2016

June 3, 2016

This morning we returned to downtown Santa Fe, this time visiting the New Mexico History Museum. The first half of the exhibits are inside the Palace of Governors, the oldest continually occupied public building in the US.  The lengthy history of New Mexico makes every other state look like a newborn.  It was part of Spain and Mexico longer than it has been part of the US.  The museum is well done and Aimee and I are both surprised at our interest in the state’s history.

The Spanish came into the area several times in the 1500s looking for gold.  Not finding any they eventually established La Villa Real de Santa Fe at the end of the century.  This very isolated outpost of Spain was meant to christianize the Pueblos and provide a buffer against hostile Indians and other European powers.  New Mexico was annexed by the US in 1846 and made a state in 1912.  The museum also has a couple of visiting exhibitions we find of little interest, except for a wall art piece with facial silhouettes that Aimee finds very cool.

Shortly after noon, we set out on the Santa Fe trail.  After Mexico won its independence in 1821, an enterprising Missourian made the 10 week, 775 mile journey with lots of trade goods.  He made a fortune and lots of people copied him until the railroad was extended here in 1879.  The route straddles the east side of the mountains until the border with Colorado.  Here the trail crosses the high pass at Raton and enters the flat plains.  Eventually we stop for the night in La Junta (The Junction), CO where the trail crosses the Arkansas River.