Description

The overall objective of this study is to compile the ethnohistory and contemporary perspectives of selected historically connected Hispanic communities that were affected by the OST. The project can be divided into two parts: 1) a brief history of each community under study and its historic relationship to the OST, and 2) a description of contemporary community views of the trail. Of special interest will be any contemporary knowledge related to the role played by the trail (and/or events related to the trail’s history and use) that affected the history and perspective of each community. Also of interest will be any places or resources along the trail that have significant cultural meaning to the subject communities. The selected communities targeted by this project are intended to sample the range of ethnic, geographic, and historically-connected populations along the trail routes. These include Hispanic communities associated with the development of the trail, communities founded by emigrant populations known to have used sections of the trail as migration routes in the 19th century, communities that were established to support trail trade, and communities that were founded along the trail after its period of historic use. The following communities participated in this study: Abiquiú, New Mexico, Gallina, New Mexico, San Luis, Colorado, Agua Mansa, California, and San Gabriel, California.