Santa Fe Trail Through Missouri The
Santa Fe Trail was important in the early history of the State of Missouri.
Missouri had been a United States territory since 1812 and attained statehood in 1821; therefore, unlike the other four states along the trail, Missouri was already a state when the trail opened. The trail and the trade with Mexico provided a much needed boost to, and continuing support of, the economy of the young state. New settlements were formed and developed as outfitting points for the trail, and existing settlements such as
St. Louis expanded and grew wealthy on the profits made from the trade.
