THE OLD SPANTSH TRALL 51941414045 me an?) Cultures The Old Spanish Trail is one of the most signicant trade routes link- ing Santa Fe to Los Angeles From I829 t01850 waders and their mule trains carried wool blankets along this route in hopes of atehznging their goods in Los Angelcs. vacl along the north branch through the San Luis Valley provided an abundance of food and water that was sometimes stance along the southern bntnch or the trail. L'ttcr. settlers emigrated along this tail to establish new settlements in the American Southwest. 77 \_ __ The Inndform sculpture before you commemorates the Old Spanish Trail and the many different " people and cultures shaping j the histon of this region I I, SI" lel my Lush Curr-tan It In. only Mlehl uud In New Mexico during the 1700: Ind In] WWI Ia Ioma be 5" Jose First Settlement in the western San Luis Valley In the spn'ng of 1859. fourteen families left the Santa Fe area to escape a severe drought. For thirty days, they traveled north along the Old Spanish Trail. They settled on land about three miles from here. These founding families mfened to meir new home asplaza del alta' orhigh village", and named the hill behind their village in honor of their patmn,SanJosc or Saint )oseph, Within ten years, these families established their own small tillage-s along the Rio Gmnde. The remains of In Lomzt dc San] _ provide us with important insights into how these rst settlers ' To learn mort- about La Lam: the San Jose and the Old Sp Hail the Rio Grundy County Museum and Cultural Center