Hubbell Trading Post NHS Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, National Park Service

Froeschauer-Nelson, Peggy

The Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site (NHS) Landscape is a 160-acre site near Ganado, in northeastern Arizona. The property is entirely surrounded by the Navajo Nation. The boundary of the cultural landscape, identical to that of the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, encompasses evidence of the site’s use as a trading post, remnants of a prehistoric vernacular landscape representing habitation during the Pueblo III period, and features of the contemporary National Park Service (NPS) designed landscape. The Hubbell Trading Post period of significance, 1874 to 1967, identifies the years that the property was actively operated as a trading post by the Hubbell Family. The landscape is one of the most complete assemblages of resources associated with an early Native American trading post, exemplifying the design and development of a trading operation in this particular region. The site was first developed as a trading post by William Leonard around 1874. From 1878 until the time of his death in 1930, J.L. Hubbell managed the business of the trading post, at which point his heirs adopted the operation. The NPS acquired the property in 1967. The features and arrangement of the landscape help to define various land use practices that have occurred over the past century, representing a continuum of use and relations as the southwestern United States and the Navajo Nation were settled, developed, and altered. The significance of the landscape is associated with historic trends in exploration, settlement, farming, and ranching. It is also important for the contributions of J.L. Hubbell, and for the particular design characteristics used in construction. Finally, the Hubbell Trading Post is also significant as an archeological resource, having the potential to yield further information relevant to an understanding of prehistory or history. The landscape continues to be managed as a trading post and interpretive site, and the NPS works cooperatively with the Navajo Nation to manage utilities, conservation, interpretation, preservation, project compliance, and other issues. Navajo blankets, art, and baskets are displayed for sale, and demonstrations occur regularly at the Visitor Center. Although aspects of the landscape and its use have evolved, it still serves as a local community institution for communication, groceries, and social involvement. The landscape design initiated by the NPS is particularly evident in the employee housing area and the Pueblo Colorado Wash, where extensive restoration work and gabion construction have been conducted to revive a more self-sustaining, intermittent southwestern wash system and to manage flood events that could affect the site's cultural and archeological resources. As of 2003, the condition of the cultural landscape at the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site is “good.” This cultural landscape inventory finds the Hubbell Trading Post NHS cultural landscape features (including archeological sites, trading post structures, farm fields, irrigation features, cultural traditions, etc.) eligible for listing on the National Register.

Hubbell Trading Post NHS Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, National Park Service

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