At the End of the Santa Fe Trail

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“an unusual and intensely interesting contribution to the history and social development of the Southwest.” Journal of American History

The southwestern frontier in the late-nineteenth century was characterized by lawlessness, mob rule and Indian raids.

Gunslingers rubbed shoulders with Mexican outlaws in this rough and rugged country where there were “men with money looking to become millionaires, land-grabbers, experienced and inexperienced miners, quacks, professional deceivers, publicity men lauding gold mines that do not exist.”

In the midst of all these dangerous and scheming men were the black-robed Sisters of Charity, one of whom was Sister Blandina Segale.

Born in northern Italy she had moved with her family to Cincinnati at the age of four. Twelve years later she took her vows and boarded a stagecoach to Trinidad, Colorado, to begin life as a missionary.

As the introduction states, this is an inspiring record of educational and charitable work carried on for many years in Colorado and New Mexico for Indian and Mexican, Catholics and non-Catholics, rich and poor, the criminal and law abiding.

From 1872 through to 1893 she worked with the communities of Trinidad, Santa Fe and Albuquerque to suppress violence, educate and care for those she could, all the while providing religious council and comfort to the people of these wild lands.

Throughout these years she kept a journal and wrote letters that would eventually become the basis for the book At the End of the Santa Fe Trail which provides fascinating insight into one nun’s perspective on life in the far west.

Particularly fascinating is the relationships she builds with some of the notorious figures of the Old West, including Billy the Kid.

“The story is told for the most part by means of extracts from Sister Blandina's journal and her letters to her sister. They reveal a very human figure, with a well-developed sense of humor and a fine measure of moral courage to buttress her religious faith.” Kirkus Reviews

Sister Blandina Segale was an Italian-born American religious sister and missionary. During the course of her life she served as an educator and social worker who worked in Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico, assisting Native Americans, Hispanic settlers and European immigrants. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe has opened a process to canonize Segale, for which it has received the permission of the Holy See. For this, she is honored by the Catholic Church with the title of Servant of God. She is the first individual in New Mexico's 400-year history with the Roman Catholic Church to have a cause opened for their beatification and canonization. Her book At the End of the Santa Fe Trail was first published in 1932 and reprinted in 1948. She passed away in 1941.

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