Today we drove around Santa Fe and found more of the El
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail. We were on the El Camino
Real for a while, when we headed into Santa Fe. Late in 2000, El Camino Real de
Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior) National Historic Trail, was added to
the National Trails System. It recognizes the primary route between the
colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals at
San Juan de Los Caballeros; San Gabriel; and Santa Fe. The national historic
trail extends 404 miles from El Paso, Texas, to San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is recognized
throughout the US and Mexico as a timeless route of trade and cultural exchange
and interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American Indians, Mexicans,
and Americans. Trade and travel on this trail shaped individual lives and
communities and affected settlement and development in the greater Southwest.
Recognition of this route as an international historic trail commemorates a
shared cultural heritage and contributes in a meaningful way to eliminating
cultural barriers and enriching the lives of people along El Camino Real de
Tierra Adentro.
During the colonial years, New Mexico was tied to the
outside world by a single thoroughfare that descended the Rio Grande valley
from north of Santa Fe, dropped through the natural gate at El Paso, and wended
its way via the provinces of the old Viceroyalty of New Spain to Mexico City, some
twelve hundred miles to the south. This artery of commerce and travel was known
as El Camino Real, which meant Royal Road or King’s Highway. Of the great
highways leading north, this was the oldest, having been extended by segments
throughout the 16th century. For a time, it also enjoyed the distinction of
being the longest road in North America.
Some of El Camino Real had its earliest beginnings as
Indian trails. Later, sections of the route were traversed by Spanish
conquistadors and colonizers. Finally, with the coming of Juan de Onate's
expedition in 1598, the full length of the trail was defined. The northern end
of that trail, and the primary Spanish settlement, was initially located at San
Juan Pueblo, but in 1600 it moved to nearby San Gabriel del Yungue, and ten
years later the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico was moved to
Santa Fe. Once these settlements were established, the trail became a lifeline
back to central Mexico; it served as a principal avenue of communication,
commerce, and religious conversion by which goods flowed back and forth.
Occasional caravans along the route typically consisted of 32 wagons, each of
which was hauled by eight mules and carried about 4,000 pounds of freight. In
addition, the typical caravan had other stock as well: cattle, sheep, goats,
burros, and chickens. Royal decrees, mail, mission supplies, and private
merchandise was included among the freight. People headed north included
settlers and newly-appointed officials, while those headed south included
retiring officials, friars, traders, convicts, and prisoners of war.
Traffic over the trail came to abrupt halt in 1680 when an
Indian revolt, led by the San Juan Pueblo leader, Popé, forced all Spanish
residents to leave New Mexico and retreat south to the Rio Grande valley. Three
missions were built during their stay in that area: Isleta, Socorro, and San
Elizario, all of which still stand. In 1692, however, the Spanish army reconquered
New Mexico and recolonized formerly-abandoned pueblos and missions. Over the
next 200 years, the trail witnessed increasingly varied traffic as quantities
of trade goods and representatives of different cultures traveled it, bringing
with them currents of change that would forever alter the face of this land.
The trail remained active until 1821. After that date, New Mexico was supplied
by both this trail and the Santa Fe Trail until 1846, and for the first several
decades of American rule. Long distance traffic over the trail ceased when the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad was completed from eastern Kansas to
Santa Fe in February 1880 and on to El Paso in June 1881.
We stopped in front of La Puerta Originals. La Puerta
Originals is an architectural salvage company. It is family owned and operated
company, doing business throughout the US. We wondered if the big buys on
display in front of their business are made out of salvage. The business
evolved out of founder Scott Coleman’s combined love of art, architecture and
world travel. Scott was particularly interested in old world architecture. He
began collecting discarded doors, columns and corbels, beautifully carved wood,
iron work and other building materials bound for the landfill.
Collecting these materials became his passion and his
inventory grew out of his garage and onto 4+ acres of doors, surrounds,
reclaimed wood, timbers, metal work and other building materials. As word
spread about the unique architectural elements of the La Puerta’s products, a
new business was born – the production and manufacturing of custom doors and
products made from his collection of antique materials. Now, 25+ years later,
La Puerta Originals has the nation’s largest collection of architectural
antique materials salvaged from around the world.
We will be exploring Santa Fe more, in the next few days.
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