Butterfield Trail
Stagecoaches of the Butterfield Overland Mail Co. began carrying passengers and mail from St. Louis to San Francisco, across southern New Mexico, in 1858. The 2,795-mile journey took 21-22 days. In 1861 the service was re-routed through Salt Lake City. Here the trail followed the Rio Grande northward to La Mesilla.
[other side]
Espejo's Expedition
On the Camino Real
Trying to locate two Franciscan friars, Antonio de Espejo in 1582 led an expedition up the Rio Grande near here. The two friars had remained among the Tiwa Indians near Bernalillo after the Rodriguez-Sanchez Chamuscado expedition returned to Mexico in 1581. When he reached the Tiwas in 1583, Espejo learned that the missionairies were dead.
Marker can be reached from Interstate 10.
Courtesy hmdb.org
