The small town of Franklin, Missouri, played a key role in the westward expansion of the United States in the 19th Century. It became the point of departure for an historic trading expedition to Santa Fe. The first successful trading party to head down what would come to be called the Santa Fe Trail headed out from Franklin in 1821, under the leadership of William Becknell. As we continue our monthly series commemorating the 200th anniversary of the famous trading trail, we hear about Becknell and his first expedition. This segment comes from a documentary, still in production, crafted by Dave Kendall of Prairie Hollow Productions.
The first successful expedition from Franklin, Missouri, to Santa Fe involved six men and their pack horses, led by William Becknell, whose words were given voice by KPR's Darrell Brogdon. Learn more about the documentary project commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail by visiting Prairie Hollow Productions at PrairieHollow.net. Or, visit Prairie Hollow Productions on Facebook.
