La Bajada Historic Trails and Roads, Approximately 1 mile East/Northeast of intersection of State Highway 16 and Indian Service Road 841, La Bajada, Santa Fe County, NM

Significance: La Bajada is a prominent geologic and geographic landmark in central New Mexico, and includes trail and road traces that represents major cultural changes resulting from geopolitical activity, technology, and transportation. The four historically significant road alignments built to traverse La Bajada between 1598 and 1932 follow prehistorically and historically established pathways over the mesa. The alignments are: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro dating to the Spanish Colonial era (1598) and used throughout the Mexican period (1821-1848); U.S. territorial wagon roads (ca. 1860); the NM 1/National Old Trails Road highway (1909); and the original U.S. Highway 66 built as a safer alternative to the switchbacks of the earlier auto route (1926). These routes are characterized by a variety of engineering techniques that used the tools and local materials available to create retaining walls, navigable grade changes, and drainage structures.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1154

Survey number: HAER NM-15

Building/structure dates: 1598 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: ca. 1860 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1909 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1926 Subsequent Work

good roads movement road cuts wagon roads dirt roads highways transmission towers stone retaining walls la bajada bajada trails northeast intersection highway state highway service indian service road santa fe county new mexico santa fe transportation wood bridges acequias switchbacks indians of north america hilaria alper kaisa barthuli john g bourke berenika byszewski juan de onate federal light and traction company fred harvey indian detours jessica gardener historic american engineering record dana lockett imran mansuri christopher h marston carlos martinez new mexico state highway department national trails system nps route 66 corridor preservation program basilios papaioannou pueblo de cochiti justin rein lisa roach santa fe water and light company emily stout martin stupich michael romero taylor territorial highway commission arnold valdez sarah wentzel fisher chris wilson la bajada historic trails mile east ultra high resolution high resolution united states history library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

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