Shopping the old fashioned way.....

Our next visit from Gallup was to Hubbell Trading Post National Monument.

A great piece of history met us after our ride from New Mexico to Arizona. Remember, Arizona is a state that doesn't have daylight savings time. But daylight savings time is in use on the Navajo reservation. Apparently, time confusion happens frequently. Here's what greets you when you get to the front door.

 And right next to that is a sign that says, "Daylight Savings Time".  At one time there were hundreds of trading posts throughout the Navajo nation.  Trading was the optimum word when Lorenzo Hubble began in 1876. Two years later he bought out a settler and then opened the trading post in 1883. Hubbell became the most important trader in the Navajo nation.  Hubbell supplied merchandise to the Navajos while at the same time promoting Navajo arts and crafts.  Hubbell is primarily responsible to improving the quality of Indian goods, especially rugs.  The post still runs everyday but now the Navajo get payment in cash not goods. While we were there, we saw an artist selling jewelry to the trader.  Hundreds of rugs were on sale, but all out of our price range.  Somehow, I think the price has gone up since Hubbell was around.

The store still looks the same however.

Hubbell built a hogan (guest house) for visiting Navajo who had traveled long distances. Now it is used for an annual artist in residence program.

We stopped for lunch for a Dena (what the Navajo call each other) meal and then drove over to Window Rock. Headquarters and home of the Navajo reservation that is thousands of square miles.

 The first thing that greets you is a monument to the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II fame.  Pretty impressive but not as impressive as the natural wonder of window rock.

 
 Then a short ride back to Gallup and preparations for leaving the next morning.