Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) facts for kids
Guadalupe Pass is a special path through the Guadalupe Mountains. It is located in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. This mountain pass sits high up, at about 5,075 feet (1,547 meters) above sea level.
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A Path Through History
Guadalupe Pass has been an important route for many years. It helped people travel through the mountains.
Early Travelers and Trade
Long ago, the Spanish and then the Mexicans used Guadalupe Pass. They used it as part of a road connecting towns like Janos in Chihuahua and Fronteras in Sonora. This was happening from the late 1600s.
The Mormon Battalion's Journey
In 1846, a group of American soldiers called the Mormon Battalion traveled through the pass. They were led by Philip St. George Cooke. They used the old road through Guadalupe Pass to create a new route. This new route was called Cooke's Wagon Road. It stretched from the pass all the way to the San Pedro River.
Gold Rush and New Routes
Cooke's Wagon Road became very popular. Many people, known as "49ers," used it during the California Gold Rush. They were traveling to California hoping to find gold. However, a new, more direct route was soon made. This new path, called the Tucson Cutoff, went further north. It eventually replaced Cooke's Wagon Road.
