Page 173 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

THE FOUR C ORNERS  171

Red style of rug arose in the
late 1800s from local weavers’
creative response to J. L.
Hubbell’s suggestion of what
might sell to customers of
the trading post. In another
department a long row
of glass cases displays an
impressive array of silver
and turquoise jewelry.
Visitors can tour Hubbell’s
restored home and view the
significant collection of South-
A range of merchandise in the general store at Hubbell Trading Post western art. At the visitor center,
Navajo women demonstrate
point for the one-hour Walpi Hubbell Trading Post was rug-weaving.
tours. Walpi was built to be established in the 1870s by John
easily defended, and straddles Lorenzo Hubbell and is the oldest
a dramatic knife edge of rock, continually operating trading 6 Window Rock
extending from the tip of First post in the Navajo Nation. Trading Road map D3. * 4,500. @
Mesa. In places Walpi is less posts like this one were once the n Highway 264 (928) 871-6436.
than 100 ft (33 m) wide with economic and social centers of ∑ navajonationparks.org
a drop of several hundred feet the reservations. The Navajo
on both sides. The Walpi tour traded sheep, wool, blankets, Window Rock is the capital of
includes several stops where turquoise, and other items in the Navajo Nation. The town
visitors can purchase kachina exchange for tools, household is named for the natural arch
figurines and distinctive hand- goods, and food. The trading found in the sandstone cliffs
crafted pottery, or sample the posts were also a resource during located about a mile north
Hopi piki bread. times of need. When a smallpox of the main strip on Hwy 12.
Those wishing to shop further epidemic struck in 1886, The Navajo Nation
can continue on to Second John Lorenzo helped Museum located here
Mesa, where several galleries care for the sick, using is one of the largest
and stores offer an array of Hopi his house as a hospital. Native American
arts and crafts. The Hopi Cultural Today, the trading museums in the US.
Center is home to a restaurant post still hums with Navajo bracelet at Hubbell The huge hogan-
(see p256), the only hotel (see traditional trading Trading Post shaped building
p241) for miles around, and a activities. One room is houses displays that
museum that has a collection a working general store, the cover the history of the Ancestral
of photographs depicting rafters hung with frying pans Puebloans and the Navajo.
scenes of Hopi life. and hardware, and shelves
On Third Mesa, Old Oraibi stacked with cloth, medicines, E Navajo Nation Museum
pueblo, thought to have been and food. Another room is filled Hwy 264 & Post Office Loop Rd. (928)
founded in the 12th century, with Navajo baskets, Hopi 871-7941. Open 8am–5pm Mon,
is of note because of claims kachina dolls, and beautiful 8am–6pm Tue–Fri, 9am–6pm Sat.
that it is the oldest continually hand-woven rugs – the Ganado ∑ navajonationmuseum.org
occupied human settlement in
North America.
P Walpi
n (928) 737-2670. Walking tours
available 9am–3pm daily. &
5 Hubbell Trading
Post National
Historic Site
Road map D3. AZ264, near Ganado.
Tel (928) 755-3475. Open Apr–Sep:
8am–6pm; Oct–Mar: 8am–5pm.
∑ nps.gov/hutr
Located at the heart of the
Navajo reservation in the small,
bustling town of Ganado, the Eroded sandstone opening of Window Rock, near Highway 12

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