National and State Registers of Historic Places
Donahue's Santa Fe Trail Segment
Address restricted
Durham vicinity (Marion County)
Listed in National Register
2016-10-11
Architect: Not applicable
Category: road-related; transportation
Thematic Nomination: Historic Resources of the Santa Fe Trail (Amended 2013)
Donahue’s Ruts are remnants from the Santa Fe Trail, which was active from 1821 until 1880. In Marion County, the trail’s years of use began with William Becknell’s first expedition to Santa Fe in 1821 and ended in 1866 with the arrival of the railroad. This trail segment was part of the primary route of the Santa Fe Trail before it split between the Mountain and Cimarron routes farther west. This land saw the majority of travelers and traders who traveled between Santa Fe and Missouri. Specifically, this segment was part of the route connecting two major campsites: Lost Spring and Cottonwood Creek.
