I was in western Missouri and thought I would follow the route of the Santa Fe Trail from its beginning in New Franklin, Mo., to the Kansas state border.
When the Santa Fe Trail was first laid out in 1821 by William Becknell, New Franklin was the farthest west city in Missouri.
Over the following years, as new cities emerged, the beginning of the trail moved west. These include the cities of Boonville, Arrow Rock, and eventually Independence, Missouri.
The trail followed the easiest overland route through what was then prairie, forests, and hills, while crossing rivers and streams.
The route that is marked now follows highways and even city streets being as close as possible to the original route.
