Thursday, September 19, 2013

A road trip to the past

Hubbell Trading Post is a National Historic Site on the way to Canyon de Chelly. It's been selling all the necessities of life to the community of Ganado, Arizona since 1878. I've been there twice now, the second time just a couple of weeks ago with my friend Summer from Tucson, who I stayed with for a few days when I first came to Arizona. 

Although it was sold to the National Park Service in 1967, Hubbell is still a working trading post and has managed to hold on to the charm of the past.

I couldn't find reference to it, but the profile over the door must be in honor of the Navajo people on whose reservation the trading post sits.

The front room of the store has utilitarian items, mostly, but includes these tiny soft-as-butter baby shoes and boots.


The two back rooms are my favorite, though. One has cases full of silver and turquoise jewelry (I must have been busy drooling because oddly enough I don't have any photos of that) and a ceiling full of baskets like stars in the sky. 
 
The remaining room has a wall lined with old books and is stacked with Navajo rugs. Oh, my.

Don't see any you like? Just start digging through the piles.

Imagine the work involved in this. No automation here; it's all done by hand.

And here is my favorite. This beauty nearly leaped into my arms. The colors and pattern pulse with life and it would have been perfect thrown over the foot of the bed.

But not for me. It was the month to render unto Caesar and my coffers were dry. Maybe next time.

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Thought of the day:

A living spark of tension exists between object and [observer].   (Traditional Japanese philosophy, Sojourns magazine, winter/spring, 2010)