The Old Santa Fe Trail

by Henry Inman

A soldier-author's view of the American frontier
The history of the expansion of the frontier of America is particularly marked by the famous-perhaps legendary-trails upon which pioneers in their 'prairie schooners' or cattlemen driving their great herds crossed the vast continental interior. All roads tell their own stories, not by virtue of being routes of passage, but because of the personalities of those who travelled them and the events that took place on or about them. So it is that these highways have encapsulated their own place in the making of a nation. This wonderful book chronicles one of the most famous trails from its earliest days when the Spaniard Coronado trod its dusty path to the Indian Wars of the later nineteenth century. Many of the most famous Westerners make their appearance with in its pages-explorers, scouts, trappers, Indian fighters, lawmen, outlaws, ranchers and military men-together with renowned tribes of native American Indians led in their struggles by equally famous leaders. This book is a treasure trove of American Western history filled with anecdotes, evocative illustrations and substantial first hand account passages by those who made history.

Genres: History

Leather Bound

First published January 1, 1897

Reviews

[Clay Peck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of amazing, tragic, and heroic tales come from the journey from Kansas City to Santa Fe on the historic trail which followed the Arkansa River through Comanche and other hostile Indian territory. There was big money to be made by taking wagon trails full of goods from the east to sell to the Mexicans (before the Mexican-American war). Also big risks to be faced! Thus, the development of many forts for protection of travelers, most notably Bents Fort in Colorado.

[Wayne Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an account of traveling on the Santa Fe Trail but, rather, a compendium of selected adventures that occurred in the vicinity of the Trail over a period of about half a century. By the time this book was published in 1897 all these stories had already been told in other publications so this is more of a digest rather than a diary.

[Bet Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book to read


A great book that gives the reader a glimpse of life on the Santa Fe Trail. The author was generous in his accounts of the blood shed and difficulty of life on the trail

[Paul McCarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last chapter gave me an awesome visual!

[Ebook Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, the e-book version can be found at:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/stor...

[Jason Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good description of the trail itself, its history, and the economics behind the opening of the West.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because I recognized the author, Henry Inman, Stories of the Old Santa Fe Trail, and because I find the stories of the Santa Fe Trail interesting. A short read, but helps fill in the times and characters of the ante bellum far west.

[Sidney Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series of anecdotes

This book consists of a series of interesting anecdotes loosely related to the Old Santa Fe Trail and a large area nearby. The overall effect is an enjoyable book, but one that falls somewhat short of providing a distinct image of the Trail itself.

[Ralph Estes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good; reminiscences by participant in much of history of old West; Becknell, Chisholm Custer, Buffalo Bill, Kit Carson, Dick Wooten, Bents, more