Hubbell Trading Post Cultural Landscape Report

ANALYSIS OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS (continued)

Land Use

With the early establishment of the site as a trading post operation land use activities were likely limited to the immediate area surrounding the Leonard post. Following J.L. Hubbell's acquisition of the trading post the land use area was expanded to cover a much larger area until it eventually included the 160 acres homestead and numerous acres well beyond the legal homestead boundary.

After only a few years on site Hubbell began construction of a new and larger trading post building to the south as well as several support buildings and structures. As early as 1902 he began experimenting with ways of getting water from the Pueblo Colorado Wash to irrigate crops and by 1904 had constructed a five acre reservoir south of the trading post. He then set to work to construct a small dam at the present site of the Ganado reservoir and dam and install a complex irrigation canal 2.5 miles over reservation lands to bring water to his reservoir and fields. Once he managed to get water to his fields the operation became fairly self-sufficient. Crops could be grown for both stock and family and surplus traded or sold.

The agricultural fields were established and used for crop production, the residential compound was defined and used for daily chores and associated land use activities as was the barn lot and corral area. Sites surrounding the trading post and family residence were made available for overnight lodging by customers who had come to trade and guests traveling through the area.

While some stock was grazed in the field areas following a cutting or harvest it seems most grazing took place beyond the homestead acreage. In fact, the family constructed and maintained corrals for cattle in an area north of the Pueblo Colorado Wash and west of Hubbell Hill. They also held several sections of land beyond the Navajo Reservation boundaries and likely used this for their stock. Cattle, sheep, and goats were butchered on site at the trading post using matanzas slaughtering rack. located in the barn lot (figures 94 and 95). Historic photographs have revealed that there were numerous matanza locations on the property with one sited just east of the south porch of the residence "but grandfather did not like it and moved (the operation) to west of the wagon shed just south of the garage." [156] Later the matanza (slaughtering rack) was moved to the north side of the wagon shed halfway between garage and barn. [157]

Figure 94. Matanza (slaughtering rack) at west end of south shed being used to slaughter a cow. (RP 236).

Figure 95. Freighter's garage and Matanza (slaughtering rack) in barn lot being used to slaughter a goat, around 1931. Note large wood pile in foreground. (RP 252).

In addition to freight stock, the family kept several horses and mules, chickens, turkeys, and pea fowl, a few dairy cows, goats, and sheep. Some of the stock was kept in the barn and the nearby sheds and corrals and the chickens, turkeys, and peafowl roamed the property. They had pigs for only a short time but found them difficult to keep.

According to family members there were several wells dug in the vicinity of the trading post and residential compound and eventually even in the area of the barn lot. At least two separate wells have been placed directly north of the trading post building, one is reported to be located under the shade ramada, there is possibly a well in the vicinity of the interior courtyard of the main residence, and one south of the barn and corrals. It seems several of these wells were abandoned as the water became slaty.

Historic photographs have documented that the family's privies were located west of the residential compound with the earliest ones shown just along the edge of the Pueblo Colorado Wash and then over time slowly moving to the south away from the wash. The wash and any conveniently deep arroyos were often used for trash and miscellaneous waste disposal (figure 96). Several accounts have noted that spoiled or damaged produce was often dumped into the main wash and even the daily ashes from the bread baking operation were dumped there. "They would dump the wheelbarrow load of ashes over the wash." [158]

As for the family burial plot, the family chose the nearby landmark known as Hubbell Hill. Along the top ridge of the hill many of the Hubbell family members have been buried including Lena Rubi, J.L. Hubbell, his friend Many Horses, Roman, Lorenzo, Adele, LaCharles Eckel, and Dorothy Hubbell.

Although at the present time the agricultural land use activities are minimal at best within the Hubbell landscape, the park staff do annually cultivate a small vegetable garden and this report proposes the future rehabilitation of the agricultural fields. The residential character of the site is retained to some degree as the manager's residence continues to be used as such by park staff and they even maintain chickens in the chicken house and a resident horse in the barn lot and corrals.

Response to Natural Features

Although no primary source documentation has been located that describes William Leonard's reasoning behind his site selection for the Leonard trading post, it is hypothesized that the post operator's response to the natural features that surrounded him played a significant role. The prominent hillock now referred to as "Hubbell Hill" might have served as an easily identifiable landmark in the landscape for site recognition. The placement of the trading post on the upper terrace of the Pueblo Colorado Wash allowed for easy access to water yet protection from high water during flash floods. The agricultural potential for the land surrounding Leonard's early trading post should have been recognized, however it does not appear that Mr. Leonard made any attempt to improve or develop this land.

On the other hand, John Lorenzo Hubbell surely recognized the potential of the land as well as the excellent location of the trading post operation. While Hubbell may have recognized the potential for agricultural development of this property at the time of his original purchase, it was approximately twenty years before he actively began to develop his farm operation. The availability of water for irrigation was essential to the development of agricultural fields and although Hubbell originally intended to use a steam operated ram-type pump to draw water from the Pueblo Colorado Wash, he later chose to select a dam site further upstream and transport the needed water resources to his farm lands via an extensive canal system.

Figure 96. Ford truck chassis discarded in drainage, 1993.

In response to the lay of the land chosen for agricultural development and its relationship to the Pueblo Colorado Wash, Hubbell decided upon using check irrigation methods. Peterson notes that Hubbell may have brought the idea with him from New Mexico or else learned of it from the irrigation books and government publications found in his library collections. [159] It should also be noted that local Navajo and Hopi farmers used variations of check irrigation as far back as Anasazi Pueblo periods and Hubbell may have borrowed the idea from them. [160] Peterson goes on to state that although furrow irrigation likely predominated in northern Arizona Hubbell "may also have deemed it prudent to go with checks because of his dependence on hired labor for irrigating." [161] The bordered terraces used for check irrigation also provided Hubbell with a way to control the degree of fall between the fields and the Pueblo Colorado Wash and avoid major erosion problems caused by water discharge.

Stone for buildings and flagstone paving was obtained locally although as the supplies diminished the workers had to travel further from the property to locate new sources. Some have hypothesized that Hubbell had his crews remove some of the stones from the prehistoric pueblo ruins on the property such as Wide Reed Ruins but Dorothy Hubbell insisted that this was not done due to Hubbell's respect for the sites and the cultural taboos associated with disturbing abandoned ruins.

In contrast to this, LaCheenie Blacksheep reveals that maybe it was not Hubbell's sensitivity to the Navajo people's beliefs but his desire to maintain a thriving business that resulted in stone from sources other than the ruins being used for building construction on site. When asked in an interview "where did the stone come from?" LaCheenie Blacksheep answered "from the hills nearby. Towards behind the trading post there are hills with lots of these rocks. We got the rocks from there." [162] The interviewer then asks, "You didn't take any stones from the Wide Reed Ruins?" And LaCheenie answered, "No, not those. It's from these hills that we got them. Anasazi ruins were forbidden by the older people. Nakai Sani (J.L. Hubbell) didn't believe in it and said we should go ahead and use these rocks from the ruins since they were already prepared. The older people wanted us to get rocks from other areas because we'd be eating from them." [163]

The flagstone used on the property was from the arroyo called "Where the Mexicans Weep" and it was hauled in by the Indians in the wagons. [164] Most of the building timbers, especially that used for vigas and larger structural features was brought in from the Defiance Plateau area.

Dorothy Hubbell noted that "we got our adobe right here. .I think they were doing it back of the old chapter house" while specimens of petrified wood and other minerals were collected from throughout the site and surrounding landscape and subsequently used for ornamentation and the creation of planting beds for the flower garden. [165] Locally available woods were used for firewood around the post and home. The majority of this wood was obtained from many of the Navajo who traded with the Hubbells. According to Hubbell Parker, the pinyon was used "to burn in the fireplace because it burned without crackling" and the cedar which makes sparks was used in the stoves. [166]

Cultural Traditions

The historic landscape associated with the Hubbell Trading Post reveals a mix of Hispanic, Navajo, and Anglo-American cultural traditions. Many of the buildings and structures including the trading post, barn, and Hubbell residence reflect both Hispanic building traditions that were introduced to the site by Juan Lorenzo Hubbell and his relatives, many of whom assisted in the design and construction. The use of thick double adobe walls, lattias, simple rectangular buildings, and exposed vigas are all characteristic of the Hispanic building tradition. Other features that reflect Hispanic building traditions include the lack of a mantel over the large fireplace and a corner fireplace that was formerly located in Room II West of the main residence. Brugge reveals that some of the Anglo-American influences are noted by contrasts with the Hispanic traditions. [167] For example the yard area is not enclosed as a patio, instead there is a large yard area in front of the residence and a barnyard to the rear of the house. There is no zaguan nor a portico and within the thick interior walls there are no niches. The windows and doors of the buildings reflect typical late nineteenth century Anglo-American styles.

The Hubbell family was also very knowledgeable of the numerous cultural traditions of the Navajo people and worked to accommodate them when and where possible. No family burial plots were located in close proximity to either the residence or the trading post as this would deter potential customers. Traditional hogans were constructed in the immediate vicinity of the trading post to provide overnight shelter for customers who had traveled long distances to trade at the post. Stone and other readily available building materials were not taken from the pueblo ruin sites on the property for use in the Hubbell's construction efforts because J.L. Hubbell acknowledged that the Navajo's discomfort associated with ruin sites would preclude their use of the trading post or their visitation to the site in general.

The Hubbell's allowed Navajo medicine men and community members alike to gather a variety of plant materials from the site to be used for different purposes ranging including nutritional, medicinal, and ceremonial. Some of the plants included the nuts, mulberries and other fruits, as well as pink roses, cattails, willows, and other native plants.

The family also provided a field or use area for a variety of ceremonies, traditional games and community activities such as the chicken pull and sheep dipping, etc. and accommodated numerous overnight guests during these times. Of course the congregations of people meant increased business for the trading post as well. According to Dorothy Hubbell:

We held our own rodeos. They were usually on the 4th of July. Mr. Hubbell would offer prizes for the horse races, foot races, sack races, and such. Every summer in August we would have a big chicken pull here with horse races and other events. Before one of these Roman had the arroyo dragged so that it could be used as a landing strip and gave airplane rides to all the Indians who wanted to go up. [168]

Having been raised on the reservation, Hubbell's younger son Roman adopted many of the Navajo's traditions including the use of a sweat lodge. Dorothy Hubbell noted that Friday Kinlichinee built traditional sweat lodges for Roman's use and located them west of the stone bunkhouse beyond the cornfields. No evidence of these temporary structures was located during field investigations.

Anglo-American cultural traditions did not seem to become evident within the landscape until the late teens and early 1920's. Around this time the "Eastern" aesthetic with regard to the residential landscape became more pronounced as the family added shade trees (which were largely unsuccessful) and assorted flower beds in and around the yard area. It should be noted that this was also the period that Hubbell's daughters returned to Ganado to take up residence and Dorothy Smith (later to become Dorothy Hubbell) arrived from the East to serve as the Hubbell grandchildren's schoolteacher. Dorothy made reference to the fact that following visits by friends and family from the East they would receive a variety of flowers, slips, and bulbs for gardening purposes.

As for the overall orientation and layout of the fields, irrigation canals, and placement of fruit, nut, and shade trees it has been hypothesized that this might have originated from J.L. Hubbell's associations with persons from New Mexico like his long time partner C.N. Cotton as well as his associations with the Navajo and military agents at Ft. Defiance and Ft. Wingate. There are also several early farming and irrigation related books and primers in J.L. Hubbell's private library that he most likely used to gather ideas from for his farming operation.

Historically, the Hubbell landscape has represented the cultural traditions associated with three distinct cultural groups. Many of these features or characteristics are still evident today and park management continues to be aware of and sensitive to cultural differences and preferences. For this reason, cultural traditions and the features that represent them contribute to the overall integrity of the landscape with regard to its design, materials, workmanship, and associations.

Structures

Over the years numerous buildings and structures have been part of the landscape that is now associated with the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site. Prehistorically there were likely a variety of less than permanent structures including ramadas and lean-to shelters followed by pithouses and later multi-roomed pueblo villages or settlements. The locations of several early Navajo hogans have also been identified through archeological investigations and references have been made in some of the park's oral histories providing the local folklore regarding early inhabitants of these sites. [169]

Around 1874 or 1875 trader William Leonard constructed the first trading post on the property. It is believed that the building was a simple two-room jacal structure with a stone chimney against the exterior north wall of each room. [170] By 1878 J.L. Hubbell had acquired the property and it is hypothesized that he immediately added to Leonard's original building complex by adding a multi-roomed jacal and masonry structure to the south of the first building. This new building served as the living quarters for the Hubbell family until they moved to their large adobe residence in 1902. The addition to the Leonard complex is described as having interior chimneys and one small room of stone masonry in addition to the pine post jacal walls that enclosed most of the rooms. [171] Following the family's departure from these buildings they saw a variety of uses. The original site structure to the north served as J.L. Hubbell's office, an art studio for E.A. Burbank, and overnight lodging facilities for a variety of guests. The remainder of the complex was used as quarters for various Hubbell employees, guests, and customers until its condition was determined hazardous and it the entire building complex was demolished in 1923.

In addition to the small two room jacal that developed into the first trading post complex on site it has been suggested that the original portion of the manager's residence was constructed sometime between 1874 and 1897. Several modifications and additions were subsequently made to this building until it reached its present footprint around 1931.

By 1883 Hubbell had begun construction on a new and larger masonry trading post building beginning with the office and rug room sections of the existing building. In 1889 the store and wareroom were added and the post attained its present floor plan. Construction on the masonry barn was initiated in 1893 and by 1895 the single story structure was completed. Additions and modifications in the footprint of the barn were made sometime prior to 1906 and by 1909 the second story was added to the northwest corner.

As noted earlier in this report, the year 1897 saw numerous changes with regard to Hubbell's development of the property. The corrals and sheep pens were added as was the first of the family's bread ovens. The first rooms that were later to become part of the Hubbell residence might also have been constructed at this time along with a variety of sheds, a well house, and additional fencing in the immediate vicinity of the new trading post.

Around 1900 Hubbell began construction on his large adobe residence which included a wide main hall and five flanking rooms. By 1902 construction was completed and the family was moving in to their new home. The next major phase for building activities did not occur until the period from 1906 till about 1913. In 1906 the utility building which now serves as the chicken house was built to house the family's generator and provide quarters for staff. A second bread oven was constructed and additions to the barn were added. Substantial changes were made to the family residence in 1910 as the kitchen, school room and an additional bedroom were connected to the main residence and the small courtyard was created by the joining of these two structures. A wooden vestibule was also added to the north entry of the trading post although it was removed after a few years.

In 1913 the stone bunkhouse was added and it originally included a large garage which was later demolished by the family in the mid to late 1930's. This structure served as quarters for the freight wagon and truck rivers and other trading post employees. Another building episode occurred around 1920 at which time the family constructed an addition to the trading post wareroom and built a small stone and adobe structure to the northeast of the trading post. This small building was used to house their Delco batteries. They also constructed two traditional Navajo hogans in this same general area to provide overnight lodging for customers who had traveled long distances and needed accommodation. A stone school building was also constructed during this time and was sited immediately north of the small Delco structure. By 1924 Hubbell was leasing this property to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for use as a school.

Sometime during the early 1920's the family added a shed structure immediately south of the main residence to house coal and later wood for use in the house. Dorothy Hubbell noted that the use of coal was too messy and they quickly switched back to wood for fuel and the shed was used as a carport for her automobile until it was demolished a few years later. By 1926 the bread oven was rebuilt, this time to its present appearance. Although it should be noted that the bread ovens historically included an open shed-like structure over them and these sheds are no longer evident except through archeological investigations (figures 97 and 98).

There are discrepancies in the accounts regarding the construction date for the "hogan in the lane". The National Register nomination form and a few other accounts mention that this structure was constructed as early as 1930 however other references note that the hogan was built by Friday Kinlichinee and it was not constructed until 1950 or thereabouts. According to Friday Kinlichinee's family, the hogan was originally constructed by Richard Dentman (Friday's wife's brother) although it's original location was approximately two miles from the Hubbell property. Sometime during late 1940 or early 1941 Friday and Richard dismantled the hogan and moved it to its present location in the lane on the Hubbell property. It was then reassembled and utilized by Friday while he worked for the Hubbell family.

Construction began on the stone guest hogan in 1934 yet the building was not completed until the early 1940's. Also during the 1940's a frame house was constructed on the school house tract that was being leased to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). By the 1960's another frame house was added to this site and both buildings were determined non-historic and removed by the National Park Service in 1979.

The majority of the historic buildings and structures associated with the development and evolution of the Hubbell landscape are still existing on site and are in fair to very good condition. There are 13 historic buildings and literally hundreds of historic structures available for today's visitor to see, touch, and experience first-hand all in their original locations and reflecting the building materials selected by the Hubbell family and the many hands that helped them develop the site. All of these historic buildings and structures are highly significant and through their design, layout, materials, workmanship, and associations contribute to the integrity of this incredible landscape and help convey its special "sense of place" with regard to the Navajo trader, early settlement in the Southwest, and the Hubbell family.

Figure 97. Bread oven and shed west of Hubbell home, post 1910. (HUTR 8655)

Figure 98. Bread oven and shed west of Hubbell home, post 1910. (HUTR 4446).