Fort Union National Monument

Fort Union National Monument is a very isolated but beautiful national park on the plains of northeast New Mexico. I was able to follow a full cycle of the moon’s phases as it shone on the remnants of a 19th century military fort. Several cultures including Native American, Latino and Anglo-American met on these plains on the Santa Fe Trail. For forty years, from 1851-1891, Fort Union functioned as an agent of political and cultural change, whether desired or not, in New Mexico and throughout the Southwest.