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202347 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.202347 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ All Rights Reserved 2025 234 pages Doctoral Dissertation Academic theses en Harlow, Abbie Jones, Christopher Broglio, Ron Lim, Julian Nance, Susan Arizona State University Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2025 Field of study: History Burros and mules were vital draft animals throughout the American West. This dissertation traces the history of burros and mules, focusing on their movement, labor, and legacy. Beginning with their evolutionary origins and early domestication, it explores the traits that made these equines especially well-adapted to the arid deserts and rugged mountain terrains of the western United States. It follows their introduction to North America and their use in overland travel on the Santa Fe Trail and in Northern Mexico. It also looks at their critical roles in both large-scale industrial mines and as pack animals accompanying prosectors. Burros and mules hauled goods to growing populations. Mules served as draft to build dams and canals that provided water to arid cities. While the animals helped city populations soar, they also provided an escape into nature as trail mounts for tourists. The feral burros that still roam the American West continue to draw people to tourist spots ranging from abandoned mining towns to National Parks. Feral descendants of these burros still live on public land and are constantly debated. Despite being involved in so many aspects of the region, the equines are rarely remembered or relegated to jokes or afterthoughts. By placing burros and mules at the center of a historical narrative, this dissertation seeks to present a new perspective on identity, labor, and mythmaking in the American West. History American History American West burro Donkey Equine Mule Southwest The Burro’s West: The History of Burros and Mules in the American West