Oljato Trading Post was a trading post located on the western edge of
Oljato–Monument Valley, Utah
Oljato-Monument Valley ( nv, ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 864 at the 2000 census.
It is the location of Monument Valley.
Geography
Oljato–Monument Valley is located at (37. ...
. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 20, 1980.
In 2021, it was named by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation in its list of
America's Most Endangered Places.
History
The name of Oljato Trading Post comes from the
Navajo ‘Oljéé’to’ (“Moonwater”).
The trading post was founded in 1906 by John and
Louisa Wade Wetherill
Louisa Wade Wetherill (2 September 1877 – 18 September 1945) lived with her husband and children in remote trading posts among the Navajo people in New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona for more than 25 years and became an authority on Navajo culture. S ...
. Oljato was one of the most isolated places in the United States and the local Navajos had been little influenced by Hispanic and Anglo culture. The Wetherills brought in supplies by horse-drawn wagon from
Gallup, New Mexico, a 21-day round trip. The Wetherills moved to
Kayenta
Kayenta ( nv, ) is a U.S. town which is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Established November 13, 1986, the Kayenta Township is the only "township" existing under the laws of the Navajo Nation, making it u ...
in 1910.
The present day structure was constructed in 1921 by Joseph Hefferman, a licensed Anglo trader, who then sold it in 1936. In the following years the trading post had a series of owners.
In 2020 it was stabilized by the State Historic Preservation Office, the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department and organizations.
The original structure of the traditional Navajo trading post included designated areas for trading wool and lambs, loading areas for wagons, storage, and an elevated area for overseeing the trading area.
The trading post was a venue for Navajo producers to trade and sell their products. It also served as a social hub in the community.
See also
*
Navajo trading posts
Navajo trading posts flourished on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah from 1868 until about 1970. Trading posts, usually owned by non- Navajos, were the origin of many populated places on the reservation. They were oft ...
References
Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Utah
Trading posts in the United States
Navajo Nation
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