Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site — Attraction in Fort Defiance Agency

We arrive in Ganado with the express intent to visit Hubbell Trading Post, a national historic site. It was a quiet morning and we were the only visitors. A park ranger greeted us as I was eying the old homestead, garden and sunflowers 🌻. “You’re welcome to visit the property!” We did. So splendid our visit with Ranger Alvis Burbank. A touch with history would be an understatement. Lyle walked the dogs in the lush grass while I listened to Alvis with an A tell the story, as Navajo’s have a penchant and gift to do.

The House….built in 1890 stands steady and bursts at the seams with the echoing voices over the course of 50 years, those of the family of John Lorenzo Hubbell, neighbors, explorers, artists, scientists, writers, and even Teddy Roosevelt. I’m told that tours of the home have not been conducted for a number of years and are rare, but, he says, “I’m here, and “You’re here”. We enter and I become one of the family as I enter with blue booties!

I’m compelled to start with the story of friend and artist, Eldridge Ayer Burbank who entered the family life in 1897 and ended up enjoying the family hospitality throughout many years. My tour started with my asking Alvis about the sketches on the wall of the cordoned off guest room. Alvis, eyes wide, responded, “no one is allowed to walk into this room, but because you asked, you must see.” In we walk. The sketches, including Bilii Lani, Chief Many Horses; Navajo Chief’s Ganado Mucho and Manuelito. This is the room of the largest known collection of...

The Hubbell Trading Post NHS shouldn’t just be a place to visit if you are nearby, this park deserves to be a destination. This historic place is remarkable as it still continues to be a trading post (mercantile) for the surrounding area around the city of Ganado. With its old worn wooden floors, it has operated since 1878 when it served the local Navajo Nation. It’s like stepping back in time. You can still buy items like sacks of local flour or local artisan jewelry or rugs. The experience of visiting this authentic 100+ year old trading post is incredible.

Also on-site is a great visitor center. If you’re lucky you can catch a fantastic tour of the Hubbell House, the original family homestead. Its contents are original to the homestead (construction began in 1898) and contains the amazing family collection of southwestern native rugs, arts and crafts. This tour is another incredible experience taking the visitor back in time. Although entrance to the trading Post is free, there is a $5.00 fee for the guided tour of the John Hubbell home. Tour sizes are limited to groups of fifteen.

If interested in southwestern American history, the Hubbell Trading Post is definitely worth a visit. Few places are as realistic as this exceptional...

Very beautiful and well preserved trading post. The ceiling decorations are really beautiful.

The staff at the museum was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The information was clear and plentiful on the inside but I wish there was more information located around the property. A few places to include information would be around the house, the root cellar, Hubble Hill and the hogan. On the day we visited the house locked and we couldn’t enter.

The trading post itself is what you’d normally expect from a National Park VC. There were some handmade blankets and things in the back rooms.

One of our favorite souviners was a bag of Arbuckles coffee but we were disappointed that the expiration date was only a few months away so we couldn’t get any bags back to family.

Restrooms on the property were very clean.

There was plenty of parking, even for big rigs. We parked our 25’ skoolie next to another truck and trailer and there was still ample amount of space. The road in is nice...