This glossary includes terms, names, and places.
adobe—sun-dried bricks made from sand, clay and water mixed with sticks, straw or animal manure.
apprentice—to work with someone for a period of time to learn a trade.
arsenal—a place to store weapons.
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway—railroad that was built from the Kansas border to Santa Fe following the Santa Fe Trail.
Aubry, Francis X—Santa Fe Trail freighter well-known for making the fastest ride between Santa Fe and Missouri.
Becknell, William—Father of the Santa Fe Trail; made the first successful trading expedition to Santa Fe, Mexico, in September 1821.
bluff—a steep, small cliff next to a river.
Boone, Daniel—famous frontiersman.
breaks—rough country made of hills and mesas lying in the wide valley of a river.
broke the sod—a term applied to the first time plowing of grass lands.
Buffalo Soldiers—the name given to African American soldiers stationed in the west after the Civil War.
butte—an isolated hill with steep sides smaller than a mesa.
Camp Nichols—a fort built by New Mexico and California volunteer soldiers under the command of Colonel Kit Carson. Because of Indian raids, the location of the fort in Oklahoma Territory was built to protect travelers on the Cimarron Route.
caravan—a group of people traveling together.
carretas—Mexican ox-drawn carts.
Carson, Christopher (Kit)—An important person throughout Trail history, he was a mountain man, Indian scout and agent, guide, and Army officer.
chain mail—protective covering made of small linked circles of iron, worn by the Spanish conquistadors.
Chávez, Don Antonio José—a wealthy Mexican merchant.
Conn, Malcolm—merchant in Council Grove, Kansas.
conquistadors—Spanish soldiers.
Coronado, Francisco Vásquez de—Spanish officer who led an expedition into present-day Kansas in 1542 searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)—an organization consisting of women whose ancestry traces to patriots of the American Revolution.
depot—a storage warehouse
dry route—this route between Pawnee Rock and Dodge City, Kansas was a shortcut southwest of Larned, Kansas to the Caches west of Dodge City. It was ten miles shorter than the Wet Route, and had fewer water problems during the summer months.
encampment—the site of a camp.
excavated—dug up.
fast—to be stuck; not easily moved.
Field, Matt—journalist writing for a New Orleans newspaper whose writings of the Trail appear in Matt Field on the Santa Fe Trail.
Fort Dodge—was built in 1865 along the Santa Fe Trail to protect freighters from raiding Indians. The stone fort was closed in 1882.
Fort Hays—built to provide protection for the railroad. It was a base for supplies and troops who could be sent to protect travelers on various trails in Kansas.
Fort Leavenworth—The first U.S. fort west of Missouri. During the Civil War it became a jumping-off point for the Santa Fe Trail.
Fort Marcy—first U.S. fort in the southwest. It was commissioned by General Stephen Kearny during the Mexican-American War. It was northeast of the plaza in Santa Fe.
Fort Zarah—the first Fort Zarah was built of sod on the banks of the Arkansas River in 1864. A second fort built of sandstone was further west and north. It guarded one of the most dangerous sections of the Trail and ended in 1869. The location is about two miles east of the present-day town of Great Bend, Kansas.
Fort Union—the largest supply fort in the Southwest. Located where the Cimarron and Mountain Route come together.
fragments—pieces.
goods—supplies to be bought, sold, or traded.
Gothic Revival—an architectural style constructed of stone and brick imitating the castles and cathedrals of Europe.
Gregg, Josiah—traveler on the Santa Fe Trail who reported his journey in Commerce of the Prairies.
Hays, Seth—Indian agent and merchant from Council Grove.
hemp—a cultivated plant that has very strong fibers from which rope is made.
Huning, Franz—Santa Fe Trail trader whose family was killed in a fight near Plum Buttes, Kansas.
international—between two countries, i.e., the Santa Fe Trail lay between two countries, the United States and Mexico.
Jornado—Spanish word meaning “Day’s Journey.”
jumping-off point—the place where the traders formed their wagon trains to begin the trip.
Kearny, Stephen W.—The military officer that led the Army of the West during the Mexican-American War.
kiosk—roadside exhibit giving information about a historical site.
Lamy, Jean-Baptiste—French Roman Catholic clergyman and the first Bishop and Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He established the Loretto Chapel and school academy.
landmark—a prominent object on the land that serves as a guide for travelers.
leaders—a pair of mules or oxen that led the team. These were the most intelligent.
legend—story told about the past.
Magoffin, Susan—young bride of a trader, she traveled the Trail to Mexico. Her memoirs were published in Down the Santa Fe Trail and Into Mexico.
Mathewson, “Buffalo Bill”—operated a trading ranch along the Santa Fe Trail.
mesa—an isolated, flat top elevation, larger than a butte, smaller than a plateau.
mule skinner—driver of a team of mules.
notch—the area in the crest of a hill where wagons passed through forming a swale. The name comes from the similar appearance to a sight on a rifle.
Osage Trace—a trail developed by the Osage Indians for hunting and trading.
pack train—a line or train of animals loaded with supplies for a long journey.Padilla, Juan de—Catholic priest who accompanied Coronado. It is believed that he was later killed by one of the American Indian tribes within the region.
pemmican—a mixture of dried meat (primarily buffalo) and berries.
platted—blueprints for the town, showing how the streets would be laid out.
plaza—public square in the center of town.
quarry—to take stone from a rock source for use in a building project.
Quivira—a group of American Indians living in grass huts in what is present-day central Kansas.
reconstructed—to rebuild a building or structure carefully copying the original.
rendezvous—place set for a meeting
reredos—ornamental screen or partitioned wall behind an altar in a church.
revolt—to rise up against the government.
Rock of Arrows—a large stone landmark in the Missouri River. American Indians in the region used the fragments of the rock to make arrow heads.
ruts—tracks left in the earth by wagons and the animals that pulled them. These often appear as wide depressions in the ground which may be heavily grassed over. Ruts usually have steep sides.
scurvy—a disease caused by not eating enough fruits or vegetables that contain Vitamin C. The disease caused infection of the gums, and caused teeth to fall out.
Sibley, George—man who filled multiple roles in Santa Fe Trail history: U.S. government trader at Fort Osage, U.S. government representative of the Council Grove treaty which allowed wagons to cross Indian lands and leader of the commissioners who tried to map the Santa Fe Trail.
Sloan (Russell), Marion—female traveler on the Santa Fe Trail; she first traveled the trail as a youngster. Her memoirs are published in The Land of Enchantment.
swales—similar to ruts except that it has gently sloping sides.
swingers—term referring to the least experienced animal in a team of mules that helped to turn the wagon.
teamsters—persons who drove the animals pulling the freight wagons
terminus—end in the case of the Santa Fe Trail the beginning or end of the trail.
treaty—agreement between two officials of two countries or parties (in case of Santa Fe Trail between the U. S. government and the American Indian tribes).
wagon master—person in charge of the wagon train.
wares—articles of merchandise or goods that one intends to sell.
wet route—this route between Pawnee Rock and Dodge City, Kansas stayed close to the Arkansas River. Present-day U.S. Highway 56 approximates this route.
wheelers—pair of mules or oxen closest to the wagon that did the most pulling. They were the largest and strongest of the pack animals.
wharf—dock for steamboats
wickiup—grass hut of Missoura Indians.