The History of the Camino Real

Take a journey through history in the Southwest

Southwest history and culture surrounds you as you travel along the historic El Camino Real (The Royal Road). It's in the places you see, the food you eat, the sounds you hear and the people you meet. You see it on the street signs and in the names of our towns and cities. You're greeted with history and culture by the designs of our buildings, the décor on our highways and the language accents that offer a warm hello.

El Camino Real was a 1600 mile long trade route between Mexico City, Mexico and Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1598 to 1882. The route, already in use by the Native Peoples of the region, was then established as a means to open trade between Mexico and the Spanish peoples settled in North American. A supply wagon train from Mexico City would arrive every three years to Albuquerque, Santa Fe and the missions in the area bringing items such as clothing, sugar, tobacco, chocolate, animals, and anything that was considered a valuable trade back in those days. It was the only trade permitted by Spain so the arrival of the supply wagons was anxiously anticipated by these early colonists.

As history would have it the demand for such goods became so incredible that the wagons began coming every year and thus the trade between the people began to thrive. When Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, it opened up an opportunity for more trading with the United States. Europeans, Spanish, Mexican, and Natives all contributed with their goods, skills, services, and culture to help shape their lives and the communities they lived in. Many of the people who still live in the Southwest are direct decedents of these early settlers. El Camino Real is now known as I-25 coming from Mexico connecting Las Cruces, Albuquerque and Santa Fe into Northern New Mexico.

Read more about the Historic Camino Real.