Colorado’s Cherokee Trail to be Focus of National Convention
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A week-long event will explore the history and potential National Historic Trail designation of the 19th-century route.
The upcoming national convention, “Colorado’s Historic Trails: A Journey Through Time,” will center on the historic Cherokee Trail, a 19th-century path stretching 400 miles through Colorado. the convention is scheduled to begin on Sunday,sept. 7.
The Oregon-California Trails Association is actively involved in mapping the route, with hopes that it will eventually receive the designation of a National Historic Trail, overseen by the National Park Service.
The Cherokee Trail, a 1,300-mile route, was initially forged in 1849 by Cherokees and white travelers seeking a path from the end of the Trail of Tears in Oklahoma to Wyoming. it intersects with the santa Fe Trail between Kansas and Bent’s Old Fort in Southern Colorado before continuing north towards the California Trail.
This former wagon route served gold prospectors, emigrants, and cattle drivers for many years before fading into relative obscurity.
According to Ethan Gannett,the vice president of the volunteer nonprofit,there are currently two field mapping teams in Colorado dedicated to “documenting and mapping the remaining evidence of Cherokee Trail (wagon wheel) ruts in Colorado to support National Historic Trail designation.”
Courtesy of Rae Todd.
Convention Highlights
The convention promises a diverse array of topics.
“documenting and mapping the remaining evidence of Cherokee Trail (wagon wheel) ruts in Colorado to support National Historic Trail designation.”
Discussions will include tribal and Spanish history pertinent to the region, such as the 1779 battle near greenhorn Mountain involving the Spanish governor of New Mexico, Juan Bautista de Anza, and Comanche Chief Cuerno Verde. The stories of women from that era, including Cherokee Barbara hildebrand Longknife, will also be featured.
Attendees can participate in workshops covering both traditional and contemporary skills, such as gold panning, sourdough bread making, metal detecting, and surveying. A panel discussion with Cheyenne and Southern Arapahoe tribal representatives will address the Sand Creek Massacre. Moreover, lectures on other historical figures and opportunities to explore critically important sites through tours around southern Colorado will be available.
Event Details
The convention will be held from Sunday, Sept. 7, through Friday, Sept. 12, at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, located at 210 N. Santa Fe. Ave., Pueblo.
