Days Inn Las Vegas

Fort Union National Monument

by Toughluck

Protecting the Santa Fe Trail was Fort Union. It was located on the edge of the Prairies where the mountain route and the plains route rejoined after leaving the Arkansas River near modern Dodge City, Kansas.

Here the soldiers could patrol the most dangerous passages along the trail.

Glorietta Pass: was the last obstacle before Santa Fe. Although not a difficult crossing, it was potentially a place where a wagon train could be easily stopped. It was the entry way to the Rio Grande Valley for marauders, both white and red.

The Plains route: was a direct line from the southern bend of the Arkansas River towards Glorietta Pass. It was a very dangerous way to go. It's near level pathway made for easy wagon travel. It's lack of water would kill those who did not come prepared. This was Comanche country. The Comanche were known for their ferocity in protecting their homelands from intruders.

The Mountain route: over Raton pass was well watered and free of significant predators

Las Vegas

by Fewf

It's not quite Las Vegas, Nevada, but it does have a Harvey House--a tribute to the fact that it was once livelier than it is today--of which I managed to snap a few very poor photos.

These houses were once pretty fancy restaurants run by Fred Harvey. "Fred Harvey's company would bring good food at reasonable prices in clean, elegant restaurants, to the travelling public throughout the Southwest" (source).

A lot of Northeastern women came out west to work at the Harvey Houses, where rules about fraternizing with patrons were extremely strict. Nevertheless, some of those women managed to find themselves Wild Western husbands. There were 84 Harvey Houses at their peak.

Montana Man - Who Loves New Mexico

by arliecon

~ I have been to Las Vegas many times and can make the trip from Billings, Montana in
1 day of hard driving. Love hiking the Highlands and the beautiful trees found there.

I found a little campground near villanueva and stuck my feet in the Pecos River
there.

The culture truly is enchanting. Ron