William Becknell

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Becknell (* 1790 ; † 1832 ) was an American ranger .

Santa Fe Trail around 1845

Becknell found a passage from the plains in Kansas to Santa Fe in New Mexico , the Raton Pass . He first used it in September 1821 with some pack animals to bring trade goods into this city. At that time Mexico had just freed itself from Spanish rule and was looking for new trade connections, so Backnell did good business. In May of the next year he set off again, but this time with a trek of three ox wagons. Despite numerous difficulties (clashes with Indians , mud from the heavy rain, lack of water in the desert areas) his train arrived safely in Santa Fé.

It soon became known as the Santa Fe Trail and was the most important link to the west until 1880.