Colorado Experience: Women of the Santa Fe Trail

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The Santa Fe Trail was a major international trade route in the 1800s. Spanning about 800 miles from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, it was a convergence of Native American, settler and Mexican cultures - pivotal in US history. See how this early commercial “highway” changed the lives of the astonishing women who set foot on it. And how these foremothers helped shape the West.
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[@katnip198]

Thank you for honoring these courageous women. This was so very interesting and well done.

[@DramaMustRemainOnTheStage]

My dad was born in Trinidad Colorado. I was born in Durango. Dad was teaching on the Ute reservation at the time. I'm very proud.

[@lauraloolovelight]

Trinidad is a cute town and has been growing the last few years. If you ever make it back there, go to the Trinidad Lounge - my friends bought it during COVID. Durango is such a great town too (I live in Lakewood, CO). Cool to hear that your dad was teaching on a reservation, sounds like a rad dad

[@ginajones2328]

Lovely Colorado I lived in tiny Manassas south of Alamosa long ago !!!! I live in Alaska now. Great history I also loved in Santa Fe

[@revawesson7050]

Awesome!

[@cathycrandall5264]

I just finished a book recently about Cathay Williams and her experiences, and it was a very interesting book-I absolutely love all this kind of history😊

[@midwestern925]

Absolutely love that you shared different nationalities if women!! I love all history!

[@williambent9636]

This is such an important topic and so well done. There are some mistakes though, as there will always be as new historical documents and information comes to light which change what we thought we knew. For instance on just Cathay Williams, she was part of 4 regiments of infantry soldiers and 2 of cavalry, not one regiment of Buffalo soldiers. Also she did not die in 1892. The doctor sent to Trinidad to examine her came in 1893. Further, she was in the Woodcroft Hospital in 1896, the court systems of Leadville and Trinidad in 1897, and in the state mental hospital from 1897-1911, when she died and was buried as William Cather in a pauper's grave in Rosemont Cemetery in Pueblo. Finally, the photo thought to possibly be her is certainly not her. Several people who actually met her described her as "black as night," and very masculine-looking. The photo is obviously of a light-complected African American woman. All these corrections are supported by primary source documents found by Rebecca Atkinson, one of the researchers in this documentary, who was actually misquoted in this episode as to William's death.. See her other presentations on KZbin to see her research and documentation. Still I applaud RMPBS and everyone involved in bringing this topic to light. About time, I say, and thank you.

[@Guitar11player]

Yea. It seems like these blacks were all in the White Mans lives which they were seldom in. Its a plot to brainwash importance of blacks and the betterment of blacks in the average White persons eyes here in the last 40 years. Blacks were 99% slaves in this time period and were not allowed to even travel much less be pathfinders. Blacks actually became free people in the 1940s to 1960s and were then allowed to travel and mingle in White society of which they quickly took advantage of and overstepped their welcome and boundaries.

[@vaska1999]

Thank you for pointing us to the (more reliable) work of Rebecca Atkinson.

[@williambent9636]

@@Guitar11player Your ignorance is only surpassed by your bigotry. Do you have one historical fact to support what you are saying? No you do not.

[@shawnaweesner3759]

This topic has long been known about some women cutting their hair and donning breaches, etc., to look more masculine, so they could join/fight with the army. Just because someone hears a particular part of history for the first time in a video, does not mean the topic has been neglected before the video was made.

[@carywest9256]

So are you a descendant of William or Charles Bent?

[@junebrilly5302]

Excellent, and truly moving in honouring these women. Their stories need to be brought forward into the light. Equal, extraordinary and courageous women!

[@itsnoteasy5339]

The reason women are never mentioned is because they aren't worth mentioning because women are just mens helper it's what women were created for is to serve men. Most women today don't do this because of the break away civilization that's happening all in the media and tv shows and movies to empower women and break men down which is why divorce is the highest its ever been in history and why child birth is so low now because men have had enough of the way they act, but also the sad part is theres guys who have fell for it and have been brain washed and have became a bunch of simps and have ruined it for the real men, women have become grossly masculine with very bad poor attitudes which is why men have named them Karens.This feminist bs has got to stop.

[@shadow_hillsgrandma8224]

Glad to hear about pioneer women.

[@mariehillard1742]

I regard the American Indians a National Treasure.

[@brettjones4733]

I love these doccos , Colorado is on my bucket list of places to see

[@mariahernandez3709]

Thanks. Interesting to know and the acknowledge of women in history.

[@deanbarcelona1427]

My grandmother was born in Trinidad Colorado. her mother and father came from Italy.

[@christianfrommuslim]

Fantastic documentary! Each of the women highlighted are so fascinating. We would love to meet more of them! Also, you touched on Rev Beecher as inspirational for Julia. He also inspired his relative Harriet Beecher Stowe. It is interesting how frequently Christian women supported both emancipation and women's suffrage. One of the best such stories is of Annie Kennedy Bidwell- the Washington D.C. socialite who moved to Northern California (Chico). She not only supported these causes but reached out to Native Americans and taught them. Because they trusted her, they asked her to lead a church just for them. And so, she became the first woman ordained Presbyterian minister. She deserves her own docudrama!

[@WolfRoss]

This is interesting, but it seems that the French have been left out. My understanding is that the French from New Orleans were trading with Santa Fe along the Santa Fe Trail before the British Americans. The French in Indiana where I am 5th generation when Indiana was New France the European male traders married Native women benefiting both cultures. It would be nice to have this French connection also included in the Santa Fe Trail History recognized.

[@jillconnelly8206]

Very interesting, thank you for this contribution to discussion regarding this video

[@shawnaweesner3759]

A lot of history has been left out of this documentary!

[@andeannafarnes4719]

They were mentioned in 1 sentence... in passing "English & French fur traders" then not again. I assumed they decided not to specify ALL the different European tribes using the Santa Fe trail. French, Germans, Sweds, Irish, Welsh, Austrians, etc... Back then the majority of the migrating caucasian (white) Americans were 1st or 2nd generation European immigrants. Still using their native tongue. Must of been like visiting the Grand Canyon in summer all the various languages swirling about.

[@gigiis526]

@@aprilmay1700 Yes.

[@lauradennis6985]

Were there specific French women who should’ve been included? I totally see your point but to me the video just touches on the history and focuses more on specific women from that period.

[@Cobbmtngirl]

Adobe was used by ancestral Puebloan people. Great stories, thanks much!

[@Thialeana]

I loved this little documentary. You should do one on Doc. Susie! She was my hero growing up!

[@soniatriana9091]

What an amazing documentary!! These women’s stories need to be taught in all schools!!

[@TJTHEFOOTBALLPROPHET]

Tough as nails! As a student of history this was an Amazing documentary!

[@AlannahRyane]

Fantastic!!!! Thank you for an inspirational Christmas morning gift in front of the woodstove

[@susanoltmans7567]

There’s actually quite a few books that are collections of the experiences of women pioneers taken from their own diaries. Amazon is most useful in finding these.

[@mariantreber8055]

Amazon charges double and triple for books.

[@marilyn6556]

I have read many of the books based on women’s experiences crossing the country in covered wagons. I really appreciate the sacrifices and strength of these women. My former husband’s grandmother was born in a covered wagon on the way to California.

[@sabrerogers5216]

Very informative. Sorry we didn't always have this knowledge! Great job!

[@alanaadams7440]

All the traveling people from East to West very tough Those that survived and had children passed that toughness to the next generation

[@philipcallicoat3147]

The woman who has her fist on her hips and arms akimbo has a look of no nonsense on her powerful face...."That Rose had thorns!"

[@choke666]

Very interesting! Thankyou.🙂

[@johnmark1582]

Great history share, thank you 👍

[@revawesson7050]

Excellent!

[@nannynan5893]

Fantastic documentary, thank you!

[@kerrysupporter]

The history of America never ceases to amaze me

[@gracewhitefeather1474]

Fascinating. I loved this ❤

[@tomasr64]

I live on the original santa fe trail 11 miles from the end in SF. Its interesting walking this area each day in and around the forest. Imagine this was the last day of travel for the travelers going to Santa Fe, ready for an in and out burger.

[@joseywales6769]

In and out SUCK'S !!!!!! BLAKE'S rules. It's a New Mexico clasic!!!!!🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔

[@mariantreber8055]

RIDICULOUS.

[@kathrynmolesa1641]

Pioneer women wrote diaries that are very important parts of history.

[@c1ifactation]

Thank you to these woman that civilized the state and made it the wonderful place it is today

[@xmaseveeve5259]

No birds + outdoors = CGI studio. The most beautiful birds I ever saw, were at The Alamo. And they were everywhere.

[@larisajeffrey2312]

Excellent 👏🏼👏🏼

[@hendersonfamily8567]

Thank you for all the women

[@eljardindesofi6288]

Que belleza de lugar

[@marilynpomponio8335]

Colorado has a rich history. I am proud to be a Coloradan and the values here.

[@1ACL]

This was very interesting and well done. Thank you. I live in SO CO, and really appreciate knowing more about the history.

[@huskigirl123]

Susan mcguffin was the first white woman to travel from St Louis to sante Fe on the sante Fe trail.

[@richard2720]

Thank u I miss Colorado so much.

[@Onelightoftheworld]

She is beautiful and strong!

[@brendaniell1765]

Right on

[@tinklvsme]

My mother was from New Mexico and Colorado. Till WW11 when her father got a job here in Fresno CA as a guard at the Japanese encampment center Where the Fresno fair grounds sit now.

[@carywest9256]

I hadn't heard, but who won WWII through WWX? I am completely clueless!

[@PNWCagey-Dub]

Julia looks similar to Julia Roberts. I can’t imagine how beautiful garden of the gods and pikes peak was back then.

[@weemaggiejiggs8832]

I was thinking she looks exactly like Julia Roberts...she should play her.

[@PNWCagey-Dub]

@@weemaggiejiggs8832 I agree. With the right hairdo, clothes, ect, she'd look just like her. I meant to look how many years apart they were born. It's said we all have a doppelgänger alive at the same time as us and another one that's right around 80 years difference but not alive at the same time, if that makes sense? I'm so tired I can't think 🤦🏼‍♀️lol

[@deelankford1180]

Beautiful

[@gingerjarvis5400]

Brave women

[@cgad1255]

I would like to learn about the history of mexican/hispanic men and women in the mining boom and in particular Summit County Colorado. Can you point me to documents, movies, books etc. that could assist me. Thanks for what you do!

[@marlakittle9597]

Read the "Diary of Sara Agnes Prine"

[@flagbabygirl]

This would great without the woke spin on it. I have been reading books about women in history since I was a child. There is no lack of stories. And no pioneer women didn’t sit around and think about gender or roles ha ha

[@claybair4904]

There are many GREAT women that's contribution has bettered peoples lives and some times their own . Lets keep RACE out of it . We have one world , one life , one race , the human race . A race of many colors , many sizes , many shapes , many feelings , much love , much caring TOO much greed , TOO much anger , TOO much hate . As I said ONLY ONE WORLD I go for LOVE .

[@johnallen6945]

Native Americans should be a priority in our national planning. They have been treated terribly since the white man came and they deserve a better life. Young Natives are committing suicide because of their feeling of despair. At one time the Natives in my area of northern California claimed 1.6 million acres which included their hunting and fishing grounds. Today they control about 600 acres. Many of the tribes were killed to extinction. We have to save the ones who remain. They are proud people. I mean I applaud the bravery of these women and settlers but they were displacing the inhabitants. We need to think about them sometimes.

[@billhosko7723]

Spare us Karen. You r only, looking for online Likes. Move back to Africa then, the cradle of mankind, hypocrite. No people are indigenous, and (everyone) arrived here within seconds of each other in earth-time. We will NEVER know who the very first 'American

[@carywest9256]

You can go gamble your money in their casinos, just don't start drinking alcohol with them though!

[@N0N4M30]

0:41 the girl on the right looks badass 💯

[@dragon90815]

Any Cherokee stories in Colorado?

[@meredithisme3752]

What I find marvelous is look at their clothing that would all be hand sewn

[@soniatriana9091]

It’s incredible & frustrating that this valuable historical information was never revealed & taught sometime during the last 100+ years!!

[@shawnaweesner3759]

Where have you been? FYI: I learned about women dressing up as men to fight for the army in school, and by reading books!

[@billhosko7723]

@@shawnaweesner3759 Bingo. That was just another Karen looking for attention. All she needs to do is speak with her local school board.

[@kasondaleigh]

👍

[@creaturecaldwell9858]

👍. Love you gals

[@RR-ms1nv]

what happen to the "Mujeres de santa Fe" way before the English arrived? Johnny come lately.

[@jjdjj5392]

Julia holmes looks just like julia roberts!

[@brendaniell1765]

Women power

[@johncordova8304]

6:11 OH my ROTFLMAO!

[@40603011]

10:00

[@Bill-cv1xu]

🤔🤔Big Al.

[@sourclam904]

Al is really Sally. 😆

[@wingrider687]

Since it's PBS they have to find a transgender person to include in the mix...

[@PhoenixFires9]

At first I didn’t know what the heck I was staring at. A female with a gigantic moustache? I was totally caught off guard.

[@1ACL]

Are you children?

[@susangarland6869]

@@1ACL The wokesters are just asking for it at this point.

[@illusionary5951]

Oh brother you ppl ever heard of the book Pioneer women? Think that pretty much lays out just how things were at the time.......

[@illusionary5951]

@@1973ThunderBirds Yes, but the fact is there are countless records & letters written by females during these times. All of which pbs has highlighted throughout the yrs. This short piece makes it seem as tho this is a "new" revelation lol. Propaganda at its finest

[@christinac9558]

Okay Julia Archibald Holmes is giving me Julia Roberts vibes! I wonder if there is any relation.

[@susangarland6869]

The irony of making a documentary about women and including "Al" Melton as a commentator. As an actual woman, I find that simultaneously hilarious and offensive.

[@corsomagenta]

In a nutshell: Annie Wokeley

[@RubenGMadrigalJr--]

M a d r i g a l é or madrigal with Junior at an angle of a capital j lowercase r

[@Vid7872]

Women supporting their husbands, having lots of children, taking care of the home, teaching their children, working as a team with their husbands to create a wonderful life each doing what they do best. No rivalry at all. This beautiful lifestyle is all gone

[@AlannahRyane]

I'ts time to bring it back although there are still a lot of pioneer farmer women, descendants of the farms in rural areas and hippy women living in the country as they did in the '70s holding the space.😊

[@shawnaweesner3759]

In regards to your comment that this “beautiful lifestyle is all gone.” I don’t think so. There are pockets of that lifestyle left in America. Also, it wasn’t all beautiful! It certainly wasn’t all bad, either; there were trade-offs to be had, as there are always trade offs to be had. I definitely think you have romanticized that type of lifestyle. All you have to do is see how Cathay William’s husband took everything from her to see how terrible a person can be treated by another person in a relationship that you describe as “working as a team with their husband to create a wonderful life each doing what they do best.” Somehow, Cathay William’s husband didn’t get the memo.

[@TS-rd7oy]

How do you know there was no rivalry? You seem to be idealizing. Women had very few choices back then to be anything other than a mother. I suspect you are male or a woman who prefers being coupled.

[@utej.k.bemsel4777]

"Beautiful livestyle"? Dieing in childbirth, dieing by smallpox or cholera... Sounds like lots of fun....

[@werlecar]

Oh please 😒

[@TS-rd7oy]

I find stories about men boring. Women have to tolerate and overcome so much more than men do. I traveled visited the state capitol of Montana, and was impressed how many of the exhibits recognized the contributions women made to the building of the state.

[@shawnaweesner3759]

To @User-ye4mi1uh4c: You are uneducated, and instead indoctrinated if you believe that “stories about men are boring, [and that] women have to tolerate and overcome so much more than men do.” The fact that the average American man not only fought for his land (many times by war, but also in other ways), and built his own house, and dug his own well, and farmed his own land with the horses he bought and took care of, and the farm animals he took care of, and the forest animals he hunted, all while loving his wife and children is AMAZING! Women also worked hard, but in a different sphere. They had the children, raised the children (but not all alone), raised the garden, and the chickens; they made the clothes, and washed/ironed the clothes, made the candles, cooked and cleaned, and milked the cows; they helped make the sausages, and other pork meats after the pig was slaughtered; they educated their children, but not alone. Women and men worked together, and not against each other.

[@gin1740]

the arrogance of patriarchy = man's knowledge and experiences is all there is!

[@13kika131]

Little bit more than 1/2

[@cyankirkpatrick5194]

If they did why can't we can, yes I'm female and they weren't called a beach. If they were called that the person wouldn't be in the pig troft.

[@almeggs3247]

I wonder if anyone even knows what Sant Fe means?

[@carmencordova6243]

Santa means Holy and fe mean faith

[@brendaortega2443]

Holy Faith

[@riverraisin1]

I wonder if anyone else even knows how to spell it? 😉

[@carywest9256]

I paused this video at the 15:42 minute mark, to bring attention to the female masquerading as a male through hormone therapy ( shots). To me, this is known as living a lie!

[@tonyhanson1710]

Interesting. The opening sounded like whining though. Stop with the victimization and tell the story.

[@luckyc3926]

This would be a great video minus the “woke” bs.

[@janedoe3648]

It's completely off-putting to see a woman with a beard..to most people

[@helenhunter4540]

It was not a convergence of cultures! It was multiple invasions of Native lands.

[@shanebrown2009]

Reeeee!😂

[@geraldmorain3166]

Let's not forget the trespassing onto others lands ,history , genocide,

[@xploration1437]

Not genocide. 🤦‍♂️ You know Indians killed each other and the people here before them right? Your ignorance is showing.

[@markgordon8146]

That was Spain...held Santa Fe captive made indigenous people slaves. Until they revolted burned ran Spanish out..read your history book...i have..been there many times...goveners square important place in the Midwest...trading helped locals..brought meds..food..still lot sorrows too I admit...sante Fe is beautiful...as Tao's..isleta..chimayo. Belen n.m. the enchanted road circle..espanola..never forget Gallup n.m.

[@markgordon8146]

They waited for them to starve..my 4× grandmother Cherokee..im still.mad ..her blood is mad.

[@markgordon8146]

Last thing....casino. Is "Cherokee" for...wat comes around goes around....see you at the slots.

[@jfs7327]

Yeah I saw that on the Simpsons

[@brendaniell1765]

Race does play apart but white women did not always have recognized over another race they still don't give quality Luke Hedy Lamarr the government it's self did recognized her invention of wi fi till years later and she never made money and she and or her family tree maternal should be making that money for all rhe wifi representation is need ofi guess a women 😉

[@kristibrz2798]

Not sure about all the. History facts in this documentary 🤔

[@carolharris2357]

Some men, as children in the old days, thought women were solid from the waist down because of the long dresses.

[@melodyclark4347]

To be a fly on the wall for that surprise 😄

[@vaska1999]

They can't have seen any girl babies and girl children then.

[@TS-rd7oy]

Just reading the comments from males on this thread, some with laughing emojis about the people's appearance, show many are still just tall children.

[@futurefolk9919]

The history is interesting but the woke ideology interspersed is quite frankly insufferable.

[@shawnaweesner3759]

Obviously, the color of one’s skin didn’t always make life different. Both the white woman and the black woman were given an honorable discharge from the army when it was discovered they were females, and by an all male army leadership, too! Also, there was no support given for the claim that William’s was denied her pension based on her skin color, only.

[@tonyhanson1710]

Black white red brown....... keeping racism alive? Are you telling a story or complaining? Tell what the women did 🙄

[@VANRICKELEN]

Very biased show...

[@joywebster2678]

The women's story is important, but the whine at the introduction is what shuts open ears always. We know that the historians of the long past centuries were men, and their books were published. Women were seen as chattel. That was factual history. So we want to know their real lived experiences without the lens of the 2010 plus warped fem lens. The actual PBS documentary is balanced.

[@xmaseveeve5259]

Open your eyes. Find out how to tell males from females.

[@neinundnein6358]

boring. It says nothing to me as a woman

[@mauertal]

min 5.00......Nice mustache.......Does....IT....speak for women rights?????

[@stanochocki8984]

😂😂😂😂...and WHAT, is the resulting lineage? From TRUE GRIT, metamorphosed into TRUE WOKE......

[@keitoth9697]

sigh...I overlooked that this was by PBS. I'll take a hard pass.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Artsy and boring.

[@TS-rd7oy]

Yet here you are.

[@anamariecameron7874]

back then in different days women were fighter

[@tyrone-tydavis5858]

Everyone knows what women contributed to the movement westward.

[@1ACL]

I had not heard their names until now. While mountains all around me are named after the men.

[@TS-rd7oy]

You know what everyone knows? Yeah, right.