1822: William Becknell arrives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over a route that became known as the Santa Fe Trail

Map courtesy of the National Park Service

(Wikipedia) The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Independence, Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880. Continued