Hubbell Trading Post

The Navajo Long Walk is one of the true tragedies of American history. In 1864, over 8,500 Navajo men, women and children were force to march to Fort Sumner in New Mexico and spent four years there in horrible privation. Allowed to return home in 1868, the survivors found destroyed villages and pillaged livestock. The Navajo Chief Ganado invited 23-year-old John Hubbell to open a trading post on this spot in the early 1870s, and this turned out to be a blessing for the people. Hubbell encouraged the Navajo people to weave blankets and make pottery, which he traded for goods. The area prospered, and the trading post did as well. Hubbell became an integral part of  the community as a liason with the outside world and a settler of disputes. He even opened his home as a hospital during a smallpox epidemic.

The trading post still operates today, selling Navajo art and local goodies to tourists and goods and supplies to the locals. The trading post was designated a National Historical Site in 1967 and today is one of the oldest living examples of a private/public partnership. The Hubbell residence is open for ranger-led tours, and the rest of the grounds can be explored freely. The visitor center has marvelous educational displays and often a local craftsperson working. This is a spot not to be missed when traveling to or from Canyon de Chelly National Monument.