The Old Spanish Trail | A show-and-tell featuring artifacts from one of the region’s most important pack mule trading trails.

Called “the longest, crookedest, most arduous pack mule train in the history of America,” the Old Spanish Trail was a vital trade route that crossed the modern states of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California. Along its winding paths, traders from New Mexico exchanged woolen goods including blankets, serapes and rugs for California-bred mules and horses. Cherished for their craftsmanship and cultural significance, many of these textiles have stood the test of time.

Take a journey on the Old Spanish Trail with Mark Winter, scholar and collector, as he reveals the stories behind the trade textiles and material culture that linked New Mexico and California. At this show-and-tell presentation, you’ll explore a collection of 19th-century artifacts — including Hispanic, Mexican, Pueblo and Navajo textiles — and gain insight into the diverse cultural interactions that defined the Old Spanish Trail.

Please note, that seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Refreshments and good conversation will be included. 

About Mark Winter

Mark Winter has been a collector for more than 50 years and has owned the Historic Toadlena Trading Post in Newcomb, New Mexico for 30 years, where he works with contemporary Navajo weavers. As a renowned authority on Navajo weavings and Saltillo Serapes, Mark has authored several publications, including The Master Weavers – Featuring the Family of Clara Sherman, The Master Weavers, Celebrating One Hundred Years of Navajo Textile Artists from the Toadlena/Two Grey Hills Weaving Region and Saltillo Sarapes: A Survey 1850–1920.