Fort Union, New Mexico
From 1851 to 1891 Fort Union stood at the intersection of the Mountain and Cimarron branches of the Santa Fe Trail. It served as an anchor point as the population of our country moved west providing protection, a place for trade, and a supply station for wagon trains. Santa Fe is about 100 miles away and there is nothing but prairie in every direction for as far as you can see...and out here you can see a long way.
The folks who served at Fort Windy, as they called it, faced a lot of hardships. Enlisted men pulled a five year hitch and were paid $13 per month. Married couples with or without children were allotted a 20 x 18 room.
Fort Union is a great place to visit if you like to see the history of our country’s western development up close. As you walk around the ruins, I encourage you to pay attention to the signs warning you to watch for rattlesnakes. The one I almost stepped on blended in perfectly with the rocks on the trail.
