Reviews for Santa Fe Trail: Voyage of Discovery

The average rating for Santa Fe Trail: Voyage of Discovery based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-07-01 00:00:00 Anthony Obi This book was recommended to me by Bill when he heard I was going to be traveling up the Klamath. Our camping trip was centered around the Iron Gate and Copco dam sites. We wanted to see them before their deconstruction over the next couple of years, and get a feel for how the terrain will change once the waters are left to flow freely again. There will still be other larger dams up river, but It's exciting to know that at least part of the river will be restored. Although this book is definitely not an anthropological text, it is a wonderful glimpse into the past. As we drove through Hoopa, Weitchpec, and up through Orleans it was neat to be essentially following the footsteps of Mary Elliott Arnold and Mabel Reed. I was able to compare their tales of trying to ford a raging Klamath with the smaller, calmer rivers we drove over on our trip. There is a language to the text that is old and very offensive' though taken within context I can also see the adoration these women had for their neighbors on the Klamath. I also understand their position as "schoolmarms" sent by the federal government to "educate," (and assimilate) the people of the Klamath is very problematic. There are a lot of questionable reflections and interactions that beget a reading-between-the-lines style of comprehension. What I took away from this book was not the mission but relationships built through friendship, hard work and bravery. I also enjoyed Arnold and Reed's journey. The book begins upon their arrival and ends with their departure two years later. It's amazing the growth of the two women in such a short amount of time. They became proficient horseback riders, they made friends with almost every person they met, and they learned how to handle themselves in just about any scary situation they encountered. I am also in love with how they kept a humorous tone even recounting some of their more horrifying experiences. I definitely recommend this to anyone traveling through the Klamath area. It's also a refreshing "Wild West" tale told from the perspective of women. I do not recommend this book as a way of understanding the life of the indigenous people of the Klamath.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-08-02 00:00:00 Steven Muniz I loved this book about two young women who become Indian agents in northern California in 1909. They had no idea what they were exactly expected to do but quickly realized that being identified as "schoolmarms" was not a bad thing. They came to love their Indian neighbors and completely respected their customs and their integrity. Highly recommend.