Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell: The Napoleon of the Southwest

The allure and opportunities of the American west attracted countless adventurous souls in the 1800s. A host of larger than life characters populate the tall tales of small towns throughout the state of New Mexico. Of the many well-known names, one of the most influential figures was Lucien Maxwell. He was a fur trader from Illinois who became an insanely wealthy entrepreneur and one of the largest land owners in history.