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On the Santa Fe Trail Paperback – December 18, 1986

by Marc Simmons (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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On the Santa Fe Trail, a collection of first-hand accounts by nineteenth-century overlanders, offers an intensely personal view of that arduous trip. In retrospect, the history of the Santa Fe Trail--crossing forests, prairies, rivers, and deserts--seems overlayed with the gloss of romance and chivalry. It is set off by heroic attitudes and picturesque adventures. And it has left a deep imprint on one region of the American West.

The trail crossed parts of five modern states--Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico. From the perspective of the overland trade, those five are forever bound in historical communion. The route began in Missouri and ended, after almost a thousand miles, in New Mexico. But it was Kansas that claimed the largest share of the trail: from a beginning point at either Kansas City or Fort Leavenworth it angled across the entire state, exiting over four hundred miles later in the southwestern corner. It would be no exaggeration to say that trade and travel on the Santa Fe Trail derived much of its special flavor from the Kansas experience and that, in turn, the presence of the trail went a long way toward shaping the early history of the state.

Many participants in this story, overlanders of various kinds, wrote down what they saw and learned on the way to Santa Fe. It is with that in mind that Marc Simmons has here collected a dozen narratives and reports from the middle years of the trail's history--from the early 1840s to the late '60s—that is, just after New Mexico had passed into American hands. It was a period of intense Indian-white conflict and before the establishment of rail lines along the route. The authors of these narratives--among them several teenagers, a Spanish aristocrat, an Indian agent, a German immigrant lady, a government scout, and a young New Mexican drover of the peon class--qualify as plain folk who, without quite intending to, got swept up in the westering adventure. Simmons has written an introduction to the collection and to each of the narratives.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University Press of Kansas
  4. Publication date
    December 18, 1986
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0700603166
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0700603169
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The casual reader will find the accounts fascinating and often fun, while historians and writers interested not only in trail histories but in western and frontier history, social history, and ethnic history will find this both enjoyable reading and a ready reference to rare sources dealing with various aspects of the nineteenth-century West."—Journal of the Southwest

"A wonderful contribution to Western American. . . . Vivid impressions. . . . A book that will endure."—Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

"One of the great strengths of this collection is its diversity; included are writings by an army major, Indian agent, German immigrant woman, and a New Mexican drover. . . . These travelers offer a wide and enlightening range of perspectives regarding the demanding conditions of the Santa Fe trail. Simmons has wisely supplemented the narratives with useful lists of trail sites, illustrations, a map, and suggestions for further reading. The volume provides significant insights for anyone interested in understanding the westering experience."—Glenda Riley, author of Women and Indians on the Frontier

"Provides humor and human interest as well as describing the dangers, hardships, and joys of the crossing. The reader will have an excellent understanding of the daily routine of trail life."—C. Robert Haywood, author of Trails South: The Wagon Road Economy in the Dodge City-Panhandle Region

"A significant contribution to the literature of the trail."—David Dary, author of Cowboy Culture and True Tales of Old-Time Kansas

From the Back Cover

'One of the great strengths of this collection is its diversity; included are writings by an army major, Indian agent, German immigrant woman, and a New Mexican drover.... These travelers offer a wide and enlightening range of perspectives regarding the demanding conditions of the Santa Fe trail....' Glenda Riley, author of Women and Indians on the Frontier

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Press of Kansas (December 18, 1986)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0700603166
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0700603169
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

M. B. Scheinbaum
5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing the riders of the Santa Fe Trail to Life
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2001
Verified Purchase
I knew I would be spending part of the summer living in raton, NM exactly on the Santa Fe Trail so I thought I'd try this book. I later found out from my brother in Santa Fe that the author is an extremely respected local journalist and historian.
the book are monographs or case studies of some of the people who lived and often died making the long trek. It was sort of an expressway of its day, the hardship and speed depending on whether or not you had the political clout ot have US Cavalry troops as escorts.
Anyone who travels anywhere near the Trail, or lives there, should donate this to local schools and libraries.
6 people found this helpful
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Mildred Fink
5.0 out of 5 stars On the Santa FeTrail
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
The book provided background material for a grant I am writing about a different trail. Since I had read several others it was somewhat repetitive for me but if a first read it would have been informative and is diverse in its anecdotes.
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Ranger20
4.0 out of 5 stars Impressions of the Santa Fe Trail
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2010
Verified Purchase
The journals collected in "On the Santa Fe Trail," arranged chronologically, detail the breadth of experiences travelers had on the Santa Fe Trail. Some were plainly long and boring, others ended tragically. Simmons introduces each journal helpfully. Some of the writers even had a little bit of humor to add. It's a short book and a good starting point for people who want to get an idea of what traveling on the Santa Fe Trail was like.
One person found this helpful
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c kelly
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2015
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed this very much. Recommended reading.
One person found this helpful
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Josie Reppeto
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Interesting and good read
One person found this helpful
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deskswirl
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2015
This is a collection of firsthand accounts of travel/trade on the Santa Fe trail prior to 1860. It is historical but not the dry boring type. I found it an interesting read.
One person found this helpful
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