Book excerpt: History extols the bravery and enterprise of the pioneers, trapers, railroaders, miners and cowboys, but little has been written about the romance and legends of the Indian traders of the Southwest. Just when the first Indian trader began dealing with the Southwest Indians is uncertain. This is a book about trading posts. Old trading posts. Trading posts that are still operating and ones that are long gone without a trace, except perhaps a crumbling wall or foundation. The book describes the present condition of each post, examines its history, and provides directions to even the hard-to-find posts. Indian trading posts are rapidly becoming a thing of the past or, as some would say, have become a thing of the past. Although many still occupy the original buildings and some owners resist the complete modernization of their stores, few of today's so-called 'trading posts' bear any similarity to what a real working trading post was like -- Back cover.