Well, I guess I will take a little break from blogging about travels on Indian Reservations. I was getting a little burned out on it. I will return to it another time.
Right now, I want to write about one of Arizona's most well known tourist attractions. The town of Tombstone is one of the most famous towns of Wild West lore in the world, if not the most famous.
Everyone knows about the Earp Brothers; Wyatt, Virgil, Warren and Morgan and Doc Holliday, who followed Wyatt Earp around everywhere he went. The Clanton and McLawry Brothers, who fought the Earps and Doc Holliday in the famous Gunfight at the OK Corral, are also well known names that are associated with the legend and lore of Tombstone. Today, Tombstone's economic mainstay is tourism and its rich Wild West history. It is one of the most famous towns in the world.
In the late 1870s, Ed Schieffelin, who once worked as an Army Scout, was prospecting in the area that later became western Cochise County. He spent quite a bit of time in this area, even though the Chiricahua Apaches had posed a big danger to anyone who dared venture into this area. After taking a short break from his prospecting work, he spent some time at Fort Huachuca to rest. He told several friends what he had been doing and one of the friends, after hearing about Schieffelin's plans, said to him "Better take your coffin with you, you will find your tombstone there and nothing else." One of the soldiers said "The only rock you will find will be your
tombstone!" Schieffelin ignored everbody's warning and headed back out into the high desert of southeastern Arizona Territory to continue looking for mineral riches. His first discovery came in the late summer of 1877 and he quickly filed a claim on his discovery and named the mine the Lucky Cuss. Shortly thereafter, a hastily built canvas and matchstick town called Watervale developed near the Lucky Cuss Mine, but it was really more of a mining camp than a town and was in a poor location . Almost immediately, plans were made to build a permanent town on a flat area nearby called Goose Flats. After a townsite company was formed, lots were sold for $5 each and they were immediately snatched up by people who wanted to partake in the mining wealth.While the permanent town was taking shape, two more silver veins were discovered and the subsequent mines that evolved were named the Tombstone and the Tough Nut. The first mine's name was a direct reference to what the two friends at Fort Huachuca had told Ed Schieffelin two years earlier and the second mine's name was in reference to the fact that someone had told Schieffelin "You are a tough nut to crack!" The permanent town of Tombstone was born in March of 1879 and this is the town that is now famous the world over.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Ganado
Ganado is a town on the Navajo Indian Reservation that has about 1,500 people. It is one of the most historic towns on the reservation. It got started in 1871 as a trading post that was established by Charles Crary. Within a year, a competing trading post opened for business and the tiny settlement took the name Pueblo Colorado, after Pueblo Colorado Wash, which is a dry river
that runs just outside of town. Not surprisingly, mail hardly ever got to this town because it was constantly being sent to Pueblo, Colorado.
This situation existed for five years until the name was changed to Ganado, in honor of Ganado Mucho, the western leader of the Navajo Tribe and one of the signers of the Navajo Peace Treaty of 1868. "Ganado Mucho" is Spanish for "Many Cattle." His Navajo name was Totsohonii Hastiin, which means "Man of the Big Water Clan." This name change alleviated the mail delivery problem to the tiny community. The name change was brought about by Lorenzo Hubbell, who purchased Charles Crary's trading post in 1876 and this enterprise soon became the focal point of the fledgling community. Today it is still in operation and is part of
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.
The park includes the still active trading post and Lorenzo Hubbell's home, which is open for guided tours. Hubbell opened quite a few trading posts, many of them on the Navajo Reservation, and became an important political figure in Arizona history. He ran for United States Senate in 1914, but lost.
In 1880, when an act of Congress enlarged the Navajo Indian Reservation, Hubbell successfully lobbied to have his land around the Ganado Trading Post excluded from the reservation, based on his previous status as a settler on the land. To this day, the 160 acres of land that make up the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, is a small "island" of land that is not part of the
reservation, but I am sure this "island" was larger at one time, back in Lorenzo Hubbell's day.
He wound up receiving official title to the land.
that runs just outside of town. Not surprisingly, mail hardly ever got to this town because it was constantly being sent to Pueblo, Colorado.
This situation existed for five years until the name was changed to Ganado, in honor of Ganado Mucho, the western leader of the Navajo Tribe and one of the signers of the Navajo Peace Treaty of 1868. "Ganado Mucho" is Spanish for "Many Cattle." His Navajo name was Totsohonii Hastiin, which means "Man of the Big Water Clan." This name change alleviated the mail delivery problem to the tiny community. The name change was brought about by Lorenzo Hubbell, who purchased Charles Crary's trading post in 1876 and this enterprise soon became the focal point of the fledgling community. Today it is still in operation and is part of
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.
The park includes the still active trading post and Lorenzo Hubbell's home, which is open for guided tours. Hubbell opened quite a few trading posts, many of them on the Navajo Reservation, and became an important political figure in Arizona history. He ran for United States Senate in 1914, but lost.
In 1880, when an act of Congress enlarged the Navajo Indian Reservation, Hubbell successfully lobbied to have his land around the Ganado Trading Post excluded from the reservation, based on his previous status as a settler on the land. To this day, the 160 acres of land that make up the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, is a small "island" of land that is not part of the
reservation, but I am sure this "island" was larger at one time, back in Lorenzo Hubbell's day.
He wound up receiving official title to the land.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
An Unexpected Sight
Continuing west from St. Michaels, State Highway 264 begins a slow, steady ascent to the summit of the Defiance Plateau. Since Window Rock sits at an elevation of 6,862 feet above sea level, I would guess that St. Michaels is slightly higher than that.
Most of the Navajo Indian Reservation is barren desert with a distinctly red hue to the landscape, from red sand dunes to red rock formations. Other parts of the reservation are a high desert grassland studded with pinon and juniper trees, most notably Utah Juniper with its distinctive blue berries. But these areas still have the red accents to the landscape. However, the first time I ever drove the stretch of Highway 264 west of Window Rock and St. Michaels, I was stunned by what I saw! As the highway climbs up and over the Defiance Plateau, it enters a very thick forest of ponderosa pine with some aspen and spruce trees thrown in for good measure! It reminded me of the forest around Flagstaff and Flagstaff is a very thickly forested city. I am not sure what the elevation is at the highest point on Highway 264, but it is roughly about 8,500 feet above sea level. On both edges of the heavily forested area, there is a wooden sign that is next to the highway that looks identical to Forest Service signs that announce the boundary of a national forest. But these are not Forest Service signs, these signs were erected by the Navajo Division of Forestry. These signs say "DEFIANCE PLATEAU, NAVAJO NATION FOREST." This is a lush area with bountiful game and a few, small lakes, but it is still a dry forest like the one around Flagstaff is with no permanent streams, just streams that flow for short distances and then disappear underground and also plenty of dry streambeds. This forest has roughly 150 to 200 pine trees per acre, but there are probably some places with an even higher density of trees.
In subsequent trips through the Navajo Reservation, I would find other areas of the reservation that are just as heavily forested as the Defiance Plateau is, especially in the Chuska Mountains, which is why that now defunct sawmill was set up and the nearby town of Navajo, New Mexico was built to house the sawmill employees.
About 16 miles beyond the summit of the Defiance Plateau lies the town of Ganado, one of the most historic towns on the Navajo Reservation.
Most of the Navajo Indian Reservation is barren desert with a distinctly red hue to the landscape, from red sand dunes to red rock formations. Other parts of the reservation are a high desert grassland studded with pinon and juniper trees, most notably Utah Juniper with its distinctive blue berries. But these areas still have the red accents to the landscape. However, the first time I ever drove the stretch of Highway 264 west of Window Rock and St. Michaels, I was stunned by what I saw! As the highway climbs up and over the Defiance Plateau, it enters a very thick forest of ponderosa pine with some aspen and spruce trees thrown in for good measure! It reminded me of the forest around Flagstaff and Flagstaff is a very thickly forested city. I am not sure what the elevation is at the highest point on Highway 264, but it is roughly about 8,500 feet above sea level. On both edges of the heavily forested area, there is a wooden sign that is next to the highway that looks identical to Forest Service signs that announce the boundary of a national forest. But these are not Forest Service signs, these signs were erected by the Navajo Division of Forestry. These signs say "DEFIANCE PLATEAU, NAVAJO NATION FOREST." This is a lush area with bountiful game and a few, small lakes, but it is still a dry forest like the one around Flagstaff is with no permanent streams, just streams that flow for short distances and then disappear underground and also plenty of dry streambeds. This forest has roughly 150 to 200 pine trees per acre, but there are probably some places with an even higher density of trees.
In subsequent trips through the Navajo Reservation, I would find other areas of the reservation that are just as heavily forested as the Defiance Plateau is, especially in the Chuska Mountains, which is why that now defunct sawmill was set up and the nearby town of Navajo, New Mexico was built to house the sawmill employees.
About 16 miles beyond the summit of the Defiance Plateau lies the town of Ganado, one of the most historic towns on the Navajo Reservation.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Missionaries in Navajoland
Adjacent to Window Rock on the west is the town of St. Michaels. This town has about 1,300 people and it grew up around a Franciscan Mission called St. Michael (without the "s").
Construction on the mission began in 1897 and was financed by Katherine Drexel of the
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Construction of the mission was overseen by Anselm Weber. He served as a missionary to the Navajos until his death in 1921. Weber and Drexel are both highly respected in Navajo society to the this day. Weber was a member of the Ohio Franciscans and the Navajos turned to this group shortly after they returned to their traditional homeland after spending five horrific and tumultuous years at Bosque Redondo near
Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
This was the destination of "The Long Walk" of 1863 that was forced on the Navajos and other tribes, particularly the Mescalero and Chiricahua Apaches, by the federal government. Upon their return to "Navajo Land," the surviving members of the tribe turned to the Ohio Franciscans for help with re-establishing their lives and for help dealing with the United States government. Their previous dealings with Spanish missionaries didn't work out because the Spanish showed a blatant disregard for the Navajo belief system, but Anselm Weber showed alot of respect for Navajo beliefs and customs. Under Weber's direction, Navajo beliefs and customs were interwoven with Catholic teachings to create a "white man's religion"
that the Navajos were willing to accept.
Today, on the grounds of the St. Michael Indian School, there is a circular chapel with a dirt floor, with the door facing east to greet the rising sun, that was designed to represent a traditional Navajo hogan, although a hogan is usually eight-sided and not circular. The original mission school is now the Visitor's Center.
Anselm Weber immersed himself into learning the Navajo language and he wrote the first Navajo dictionary using the English alphabet. Anselm was also instrumental in getting the federal government to establish this area as part of the Navajo Indian Reservation in 1907. The original reservation, which was established in 1868, was farther north and much smaller than it is today. The original reservation was nearly evenly split by the Arizona/New Mexico border. The original part of the reservation is depicted by a brown rectangle on the tribal flag. In the late 1800s, even though this area was not part of the Navajo Reservation, it was heavily populated by Navajos because it was part of their traditional homeland.
The Navajo name for St, Michaels is "ts'ihootso," which means "yellow meadow." When the Spanish arrived, they renamed it "Cienaga Amarilla," which means the same thing.
Katherine Drexel, who financed the school's construction, named it St. Michael. I am not sure how the "s" was added to the town's name when it is not part of the school's name.
Today, St. Michaels functions as a suburb of Window Rock, the tribal capital. There is a Navajoland Inn&Suites on the west side of town(formerly a Days Inn). This is one of only two motels in the Window Rock vicinity. Next door to the motel is a Dennys Restaurant. This is the only Denny's on the Navajo Reservation.
Construction on the mission began in 1897 and was financed by Katherine Drexel of the
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Construction of the mission was overseen by Anselm Weber. He served as a missionary to the Navajos until his death in 1921. Weber and Drexel are both highly respected in Navajo society to the this day. Weber was a member of the Ohio Franciscans and the Navajos turned to this group shortly after they returned to their traditional homeland after spending five horrific and tumultuous years at Bosque Redondo near
Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
This was the destination of "The Long Walk" of 1863 that was forced on the Navajos and other tribes, particularly the Mescalero and Chiricahua Apaches, by the federal government. Upon their return to "Navajo Land," the surviving members of the tribe turned to the Ohio Franciscans for help with re-establishing their lives and for help dealing with the United States government. Their previous dealings with Spanish missionaries didn't work out because the Spanish showed a blatant disregard for the Navajo belief system, but Anselm Weber showed alot of respect for Navajo beliefs and customs. Under Weber's direction, Navajo beliefs and customs were interwoven with Catholic teachings to create a "white man's religion"
that the Navajos were willing to accept.
Today, on the grounds of the St. Michael Indian School, there is a circular chapel with a dirt floor, with the door facing east to greet the rising sun, that was designed to represent a traditional Navajo hogan, although a hogan is usually eight-sided and not circular. The original mission school is now the Visitor's Center.
Anselm Weber immersed himself into learning the Navajo language and he wrote the first Navajo dictionary using the English alphabet. Anselm was also instrumental in getting the federal government to establish this area as part of the Navajo Indian Reservation in 1907. The original reservation, which was established in 1868, was farther north and much smaller than it is today. The original reservation was nearly evenly split by the Arizona/New Mexico border. The original part of the reservation is depicted by a brown rectangle on the tribal flag. In the late 1800s, even though this area was not part of the Navajo Reservation, it was heavily populated by Navajos because it was part of their traditional homeland.
The Navajo name for St, Michaels is "ts'ihootso," which means "yellow meadow." When the Spanish arrived, they renamed it "Cienaga Amarilla," which means the same thing.
Katherine Drexel, who financed the school's construction, named it St. Michael. I am not sure how the "s" was added to the town's name when it is not part of the school's name.
Today, St. Michaels functions as a suburb of Window Rock, the tribal capital. There is a Navajoland Inn&Suites on the west side of town(formerly a Days Inn). This is one of only two motels in the Window Rock vicinity. Next door to the motel is a Dennys Restaurant. This is the only Denny's on the Navajo Reservation.
Monday, October 29, 2012
A Planned Community
Sixteen miles north of Window Rock is the town of Navajo, New Mexico. This town is located on Navajo Highway 12 and sits just inside New Mexico. The town is only about one-third mile from the Arizona border.
Navajo was a planned community that was built by Navajo Forest Products Industries in the 1960s to provide housing for employees of the new sawmill that had been built to harvest the lumber from the nearby Chuska Mountains. The mill went out of business in the 1980s and now sits silent, looking almost spectral, leaving the nearby town to wither away into the dust.
The town of Navajo was drawn up on blueprints and was built from scratch in the
pinon/juniper grassland. Most people do not think of forest land when they think of the Navajo Reservation, but there is, particularly in the Chuska Mountains and on the Defiance Plateau and in other high elevation locales as well. This is why the sawmill and the accompanying town of Navajo were constructed, to provide a source of income and jobs for the tribe.
During its heyday, the town of Navajo had about 3,200 people. Now it has about 1,800, but the population loss has slowed to a trickle. The town perseveres even though its primary reason for existence has disappeared. It survives because of the schools. All grades are represented, kindergarten through 12th grade. All of the schools, as well as the school district itself, are called
Navajo Pine. The town also continues to survive because of the rather large supermarket called
Navajo Pine Supermarket. The school district, the gas station and the supermarket provide the jobs in this impoverished community. Many people commute to other towns to work.
The most vivid memory I have of Navajo is the non-functional traffic lights at the intersection of
Cleveland Boulevard (Navajo Highway 12) and Cedar Avenue. The traffic lights have been sitting there, turned off and non-operational, for close to ten years that I know of, ever since I went through Navajo for the first time. Seems like they could be taken down instead of just sitting there being exposed to the harsh winters and the summer monsoons. Meanwhile, Cedar Avenue, the street that was once busy enough to warrant traffic lights at the intersection with the highway, runs past mostly abandoned houses now and the street is full of giant potholes, some of them one to two feet deep.
I am impressed that Navajo, New Mexico survives when its sole reason for existence went out of business nearly thirty years ago.
Navajo was a planned community that was built by Navajo Forest Products Industries in the 1960s to provide housing for employees of the new sawmill that had been built to harvest the lumber from the nearby Chuska Mountains. The mill went out of business in the 1980s and now sits silent, looking almost spectral, leaving the nearby town to wither away into the dust.
The town of Navajo was drawn up on blueprints and was built from scratch in the
pinon/juniper grassland. Most people do not think of forest land when they think of the Navajo Reservation, but there is, particularly in the Chuska Mountains and on the Defiance Plateau and in other high elevation locales as well. This is why the sawmill and the accompanying town of Navajo were constructed, to provide a source of income and jobs for the tribe.
During its heyday, the town of Navajo had about 3,200 people. Now it has about 1,800, but the population loss has slowed to a trickle. The town perseveres even though its primary reason for existence has disappeared. It survives because of the schools. All grades are represented, kindergarten through 12th grade. All of the schools, as well as the school district itself, are called
Navajo Pine. The town also continues to survive because of the rather large supermarket called
Navajo Pine Supermarket. The school district, the gas station and the supermarket provide the jobs in this impoverished community. Many people commute to other towns to work.
The most vivid memory I have of Navajo is the non-functional traffic lights at the intersection of
Cleveland Boulevard (Navajo Highway 12) and Cedar Avenue. The traffic lights have been sitting there, turned off and non-operational, for close to ten years that I know of, ever since I went through Navajo for the first time. Seems like they could be taken down instead of just sitting there being exposed to the harsh winters and the summer monsoons. Meanwhile, Cedar Avenue, the street that was once busy enough to warrant traffic lights at the intersection with the highway, runs past mostly abandoned houses now and the street is full of giant potholes, some of them one to two feet deep.
I am impressed that Navajo, New Mexico survives when its sole reason for existence went out of business nearly thirty years ago.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Window Rock, part 2
The heart of Window Rock is the intersection of State Highway 264 and Navajo Highway 12. Most of the businesses in town are clustered around, or near, this intersection. This intersection is only half a mile from the New Mexico border. This area is where you will find such businesses as McDonalds, Church's Fried Chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Burger King, etc.
About half a mile north of this intersection, at the next set of traffic lights, is
Window Rock Boulevard. Window Rock Boulevard is lined with Tribal government buildings and ends in a circle where the Navajo Nation Capital Building, Navajo Nation Legislative Council Chambers and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice are located. There are other streets radiating off of the circle that contain other tribal government buildings as well. One of these streets is a dirt street. The street is unpaved, and yet it is lined with tribal government buildings.
The Legislative Council Chambers is shaped like a hogan, the traditional, eight-sided Navajo dwelling, with the main door facing east to greet the rising sun, just as it would in a traditional hogan. This building, however, is constucted of native stone instead of the usual mud and wood.
All of these tribal governent buildings are in Arizona, barely. Window Rock Boulevard runs
roughly north-south, but on a slight angle. The street is about 2/3 of a mile long. The farthest east of the tribal government buildings are only about 50 yards from the New Mexico border. The streets that run past other tribal government buildings, Morgan Drive for example, are paved but in generally poor condition with alot of potholes.
Directly outside the front entrance of the Navajo Nation Capitol Building in the Window Rock formation, which lends its name to the town. This rock with a hole through it is an arch, or
natural bridge in the making, but it is not eroded enough to qualify as either. It is amazing how perfectly round that hole is. There is a small tribal park in front of the rock formation with
picnic tables.
On the eastern edge of Window Rock is the Navajo Nation Museum, which is a fascinating museum depicting tribal history, I highly recommend a visit there. Near the tribal museum is the Navajo Nation Zoo. The zoo has never been popular with the Navajo people because they don't believe in keeping animals captive, but the zoo is still open. It only has about 40 animals and they are all native to the reservation. Animals such as black bear, bobcat, cougar, gila monsters, skunks, golden eagles, deer and elk, among others, are on display at the zoo. The first animal
was a black bear that was left behind after the Navajo Nation Fair in 1963. The other animals are victims of injuries from vehicles or power lines.
Adjacent to the zoo is a botanical garden that is a very interesting place to visit.
Also in Window Rock are KTNN and KWRK radio stations. KTNN is an "AM" station. It went on the air in 1983 and was the firsr radio station to be owned and operated by an Indian tribe, now there are many. It plays country music and also broadcasts some Navajo ceremonial chants. They also broadcast alot of sporting events such as Northern Arizona University football and basketball games, Phoenix Sns games and alot of high school sporting events on the reservation. KTNN has a powerful signal that can be picked up over 500 miles away! KWRK is an "FM" station that also plays country music. Window Rock is also the headquarters for the Navajo Times newspaper. This newspaper was originally owned by the tribal government and it was established by the tribal government , but, in recent years, the newspaper has become an independent, free standing business.
Window Rock sits at an elevation of 6,862 feet above sea level. That means it is only 44 feet lower than Flagstaff, yet it is not heavily forested like Flagstaff is.
When I spent the night in Window Rock in March of 2009, I stayed at the Quality Inn
Navajo Nation. When I looked out my room window on the east side of the motel, I was able to see a convenience store that is in New Mexico. That is how close to the state border I was. The restaurant at the Quality Inn Navajo Nation is a popular meeting place for tribal government officials and any other dignitaries who happen to be visiting Window Rock.
About half a mile north of this intersection, at the next set of traffic lights, is
Window Rock Boulevard. Window Rock Boulevard is lined with Tribal government buildings and ends in a circle where the Navajo Nation Capital Building, Navajo Nation Legislative Council Chambers and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice are located. There are other streets radiating off of the circle that contain other tribal government buildings as well. One of these streets is a dirt street. The street is unpaved, and yet it is lined with tribal government buildings.
The Legislative Council Chambers is shaped like a hogan, the traditional, eight-sided Navajo dwelling, with the main door facing east to greet the rising sun, just as it would in a traditional hogan. This building, however, is constucted of native stone instead of the usual mud and wood.
All of these tribal governent buildings are in Arizona, barely. Window Rock Boulevard runs
roughly north-south, but on a slight angle. The street is about 2/3 of a mile long. The farthest east of the tribal government buildings are only about 50 yards from the New Mexico border. The streets that run past other tribal government buildings, Morgan Drive for example, are paved but in generally poor condition with alot of potholes.
Directly outside the front entrance of the Navajo Nation Capitol Building in the Window Rock formation, which lends its name to the town. This rock with a hole through it is an arch, or
natural bridge in the making, but it is not eroded enough to qualify as either. It is amazing how perfectly round that hole is. There is a small tribal park in front of the rock formation with
picnic tables.
On the eastern edge of Window Rock is the Navajo Nation Museum, which is a fascinating museum depicting tribal history, I highly recommend a visit there. Near the tribal museum is the Navajo Nation Zoo. The zoo has never been popular with the Navajo people because they don't believe in keeping animals captive, but the zoo is still open. It only has about 40 animals and they are all native to the reservation. Animals such as black bear, bobcat, cougar, gila monsters, skunks, golden eagles, deer and elk, among others, are on display at the zoo. The first animal
was a black bear that was left behind after the Navajo Nation Fair in 1963. The other animals are victims of injuries from vehicles or power lines.
Adjacent to the zoo is a botanical garden that is a very interesting place to visit.
Also in Window Rock are KTNN and KWRK radio stations. KTNN is an "AM" station. It went on the air in 1983 and was the firsr radio station to be owned and operated by an Indian tribe, now there are many. It plays country music and also broadcasts some Navajo ceremonial chants. They also broadcast alot of sporting events such as Northern Arizona University football and basketball games, Phoenix Sns games and alot of high school sporting events on the reservation. KTNN has a powerful signal that can be picked up over 500 miles away! KWRK is an "FM" station that also plays country music. Window Rock is also the headquarters for the Navajo Times newspaper. This newspaper was originally owned by the tribal government and it was established by the tribal government , but, in recent years, the newspaper has become an independent, free standing business.
Window Rock sits at an elevation of 6,862 feet above sea level. That means it is only 44 feet lower than Flagstaff, yet it is not heavily forested like Flagstaff is.
When I spent the night in Window Rock in March of 2009, I stayed at the Quality Inn
Navajo Nation. When I looked out my room window on the east side of the motel, I was able to see a convenience store that is in New Mexico. That is how close to the state border I was. The restaurant at the Quality Inn Navajo Nation is a popular meeting place for tribal government officials and any other dignitaries who happen to be visiting Window Rock.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Window Rock
Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Indian Reservation. It is situated on the eastern border of Arizona in the southeastern part of the reservation. Bordering Window Rock on the west is St. Michaels, a town that developed around a Catholic mission school. Bordering
Window Rock on the east is Tse Bonito, New Mexico. Four miles north of Window Rock is
Fort Defiance, which developed around a United States Cavalry fort.
Until a few years ago, the Navajo Reservation boundary ran along the state border on the east edge of Window Rock up to a point just north of Highway 264, then the reservation boundary turned east and went into New Mexico. This meant that Tse Bonito was not on the reservation even though it was almost exclusively populated by Navajos. This area was mostly Navajo land even though it was not formally part of the reservation. It was, in fact, an unofficial part of the reservation. It was commonly referred to as "The Checkerboard" because it consisted of alot of tribally owned land interspersed with non-Navajo land such as state owned land, federal land and privately owned land. The population of this area was still predominantly Navajo and many of the towns had Chapter Houses, which are somewhat similar to county courthouses in the fact that they serve as administrative centers of chapters, which are subdivisions of the Navajo Reservation. I will have more to say about Navajo Chapters in a later blog. Anyway, towns in New Mexico such as Crownpoint, Pueblo Pintado, Lake Valley, Nageezi and Vanderwagen were located in the Checkerboard Area, but were not officially on the Navajo Reservation, yet they were chapter seats of the Navajo Reservation. A few years ago, approximately 2006 or 2007, this Checkerboard Area was officially made part of the reservation, although most maps still do not indicate it is as such. I have a map that does indicate it and I guard it jealously. This new part of the reservation has been shown on the tribal flag for decades.
So, until recently, the reservation's capital was located right on the very edge of the reservation, but that is no longer the case.
Window Rock is located in a very beautiful setting and it is a great place for a government town.
This beautiful setting was part of the reason why the Bureau of Indian affairs chose to establish an Indian Agency here in the first place. That plus the fact that it was located a day's ride from the railroad at Gallup, New Mexico. That made it more accessible in the days when horses and stagecoaches were the most common modes of travel.
Window Rock on the east is Tse Bonito, New Mexico. Four miles north of Window Rock is
Fort Defiance, which developed around a United States Cavalry fort.
Until a few years ago, the Navajo Reservation boundary ran along the state border on the east edge of Window Rock up to a point just north of Highway 264, then the reservation boundary turned east and went into New Mexico. This meant that Tse Bonito was not on the reservation even though it was almost exclusively populated by Navajos. This area was mostly Navajo land even though it was not formally part of the reservation. It was, in fact, an unofficial part of the reservation. It was commonly referred to as "The Checkerboard" because it consisted of alot of tribally owned land interspersed with non-Navajo land such as state owned land, federal land and privately owned land. The population of this area was still predominantly Navajo and many of the towns had Chapter Houses, which are somewhat similar to county courthouses in the fact that they serve as administrative centers of chapters, which are subdivisions of the Navajo Reservation. I will have more to say about Navajo Chapters in a later blog. Anyway, towns in New Mexico such as Crownpoint, Pueblo Pintado, Lake Valley, Nageezi and Vanderwagen were located in the Checkerboard Area, but were not officially on the Navajo Reservation, yet they were chapter seats of the Navajo Reservation. A few years ago, approximately 2006 or 2007, this Checkerboard Area was officially made part of the reservation, although most maps still do not indicate it is as such. I have a map that does indicate it and I guard it jealously. This new part of the reservation has been shown on the tribal flag for decades.
So, until recently, the reservation's capital was located right on the very edge of the reservation, but that is no longer the case.
Window Rock is located in a very beautiful setting and it is a great place for a government town.
This beautiful setting was part of the reason why the Bureau of Indian affairs chose to establish an Indian Agency here in the first place. That plus the fact that it was located a day's ride from the railroad at Gallup, New Mexico. That made it more accessible in the days when horses and stagecoaches were the most common modes of travel.
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