Pecos National Historical Park/ Fort Union and Santa Fe Trail
Day 8

We went to Pecos National Historical Park. Jacob and I got our new National Park pass. We watched a movie about Pecos and history of Pecos. The name of Pecos is from the native word payokons, which mean “the place where there is water”. In 1540s, the pueblo was entered by Spanish travelers. The wall was around Pecos pueblo work as the “city limits”. This park is where Native Americans lived and their home at least 500 years ago. The park has walls of their building for family. We saw kiva, the pueblo’s church, which is underground. There was a fireplace near the ladder. The kiva was cool, small and comfortable.

We stopped to Las Vegas, New Mexico. We were supposed to go to the Rough Riders museum, but it was closed. Instead we went to Santa Fe Trail and Fort Union. We went to Dairy Queen to buy the ice cream. We got different kinds of the ice cream and different kind of candy inside of ice cream cone and small bowl. The Dairy Queen sign’s color is red and white. The shape is oval.  We went to old plaza and saw their Fiesta. We picked a partner and walked around. The old plaza was almost similar to Santa Fe plaza. Jacob and I were partners and we went see art galleries, shop, music and bull rider machine.

We went to Fort Union near to Santa Fe Trail. We watched a movie about Sloan Russell, Civil War Fort Union, railroads and claming land of New Mexico. We went out of the visitor center in the prairie. We saw old fashion house, transportation corral, Santa Fe trails, hospital, post commander’s home, mechanics corral, Post officer’s quarters, wagon, tent and boxes in wagon. We went hiking all around of Fort Union and I saw some animals there; grass hoppers, dragonfly, rattle snake, ants, stink bugs and beetles.

I like learning about history of Pecos. I entered to first church look like old building. The first church color is brown. I saw many pueblos’ fireplaces and some underground. The kiva was cool, small and comfortable. It is my about 2nd or 3rd time to go Dairy Queen. I like eat mint ice cream. I can’t imagine how people suffered a long time ago living in Fort Union and the Santa Fe Trail. I love to see the rattle snake but it’s too dangerous for me.