Santa Fe Trail Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Fe Trail Historical Park |
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Downtown El Monte, with sign: "El Monte the End of the Santa Fe Trail"
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| Location | 3675 Santa Anita Ave, El Monte, CA 91731 |
| Area | one acre |
| Built | 1822 |
| Designated | Aug. 13, 1987 |
| Reference no. | 975 |
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The Santa Fe Trail Historical Park, also known as Pioneer Park, is a special historical spot in El Monte, California. It sits right by the Rio Hondo River. This place is important because it was once a stopping point for travelers on the historic Old Spanish Trail.
This park was officially named a California Historic Landmark (number 975) on August 13, 1987. It marks where pioneers from states like Texas and Arkansas settled in the 1800s. This was the first permanent settlement in Southern California started by people from the United States.
The End of the Santa Fe Trail
The Old Spanish Trail was a long path that stretched from Missouri all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico. El Monte became a key stopping point on this trail. Another path, the Gila River trail, also ended here.
By the 1850s, people in El Monte started calling their town "The End of the Santa Fe Trail." This idea suggests that El Monte was the final destination for many travelers coming from the east. However, some people, especially those in Santa Fe, New Mexico, disagree with this claim. They believe Santa Fe was the true end of the trail.
Park History and Location
The City of El Monte officially opened the Santa Fe Trail Historical Park on June 2, 1989. The park is about one acre in size. It used to have two old buildings and a covered wagon, showing what life was like for pioneers.
The park is located on the west side of Santa Anita Avenue. It's just a few blocks north of the Interstate 10 freeway. While the park is now closed, the El Monte Historical Museum still shares the story of the Santa Fe Trail. You can visit the museum at 3150 Tyler Avenue to learn more about El Monte's important history.
Historical Marker
A special marker at the park tells its story. It says:
- El Monte, on the bank of the San Gabriel River, played a significant part in California's early pioneer history. It was first an encampment on the Old Spanish Trail, and extension of the trail from Missouri to Sante Fe. By the 1850s some began to call El Monte the "End of the Santa Fe Trail." Early in that decade a permanent settlement was esablished here by immigrants from Texas. The first settlement in Southern California founded by citizens of the United States.
