The Santa Fe Trail - Santa Fe (Stop 6)

Second Oldest Settlement in America

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. It was founded in 1598 as the capital of the province of Nuevo Mexico, an area claimed for Spain by Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. It is the second oldest settlement in America. Santa Fe was the western terminus of the Santa Fe Trail, which was used from 1821-1880. The city was the site of a large international trading market, where American merchants took manufactured goods and traded them for furs and other valuable items. Santa Fe was captured by the U.S. Army in 1846 in the Mexican War. American soldiers used the Santa Fe Trail to invade New Mexico. In 1912, Santa Fe was officially made capital of New Mexico upon its statehood.

You've made it to Santa Fe!