Pinon Boarding School, Staff Quarters, Navajo Route 41, North of Navajo Route 4, Pinon

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,9-PIN,1B-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Staff Quarters was built in and is an example of the Pueblo Revival architecture that characterizes most of the PWA reservation school buildings of that era. Because of a death in the north dwelling. Building 302 is considered a chinde building and has been abandoned. PlflON BOARDING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS (Pinon Community School, Building HABS No. AZ-162-B (Page 2) PART

Description Exterior

Building 302 is a rectangular single story building containing three apartments; one one-bedroom unit and two two-bedroom units. {Fig. 1] The building is Pueblo Revival Style constructed of native Dakota sandstone. Wood lintels span above doors and windows, and wood canales lined with copper pass through the parapets to carry water off the flat roof. [Figs. INTERIOR. The walls and ceilings in Building 302 are painted plaster. Floors are wood and fireplaces in each living room are stone. MECHANICAL. Each of the three apartments were heated by two natural gas fired vertical wall furnaces. Domestic hot water was heated by gas water heaters in each apartment. PART II.

History

After a death in the north dwelling, the building was abandoned. It is considered a chinde hoghan ("home of the dead") by the Navajos and must never be entered. Traditional Navajos believe it is taboo to enter a building where someone died or to even speak the name of the deceased. Usually to prevent a person from accidently entering a chinde hoghan, the walls are pushed in, wood poles are placed in the doors and windows, or they are burned. Building 302 has been sealed with plywood. A new complex of buildings has been designed for Pifion Community School which necessitates the demolition of Building The new buildings have been sited to avoid the area occupied by the north dwelling, respecting Navajo customs.* Architect: Lescher and Mahoney/DLR Group; Phoenix, A2 PART III.

SOURCES - Parman, Donald L. The Navaios and the New Deal New Haven: Yale University Press, Threinen, Ellen, The Navaios and the BIA: A Study of Government Buildings on the Navaio Reservation. American Indian Engineering, Inc./Bureau of Indian Affairs Bulow, Ernest. Navaio Omens and Taboos Other possible sources: Indians at Work. Issues published from - PlFJON BOARDING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS (Pifton Community School, Building HABS No. AZ-162-B (Page 3) PART IV.

PROJECT INFORMATION This survey is a mitigative recording required by a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the following parties: Phyllis Badoni, Executive Director Pinon Community School Board Tom Tippeconnic, Assistant Area Director Navajo Area Office, Navajo Area BIA Jim Garrison Arizona State Historic Preservation Office Alan Downer, Historic Preservation Officer Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department Robert Bush, Executive Director Advising Council on Historic Preservation The survey documentation was completed in July by Lescher and Mahoney/DLR Group with the cooperation of the following: Pifion Community School Board Bureau of Indian Affairs Gallup Office Bureau of Indian Affairs - Albuquerque Office Arizona State Historic Preservation Office Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department David Sloan and Associates, Architects Prepared by: Brett A.

Hobza Affiliation: Lescher and Mahoney/DLR Group, Architects Phoenix, Arizona Date: July i (Pinon Community School, Building HABS No. AZ-162-B (Page 4) VI Ol ^ M=F at! * S$ $ K. S1 It O S O 8 Si S 3 1 t < yum I 1s C_ t==i^-V Figure 1. Floor Plan - Building 302 k PINON BOARDING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS (Pifion Community School, Building HABS No. AZ- (Page 5) Copper luunf at* Gtnafe Cop pa- luted, /caj/vsdutzo masonry Optnutf &n?und Vift, fUishtdmlh ada&e

Front Elevation

Pdeh ana ft It roof ^ 3 o rrun Copper (wed nvod Gmafe \ 1 ^rfoPdCtmisiftp +***asg=?srsr>. SECTION 'Urn'-''' Ptastcr VI^A-S ?MiTrEf5 AT fcU!LDlM6t Figure 2. Parapet Detail PlttON BOARDING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS (Pifion Community School, Building HABSNo. AZ-162-B (Page 6) Figure 3. Elevation Detail - Building 302 i DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION (Pages PINON BOARDING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS (Building HABS No. AZ-162-B (Page 7) FIGURE 1 Photocopy of drawing (original drawing located at Bureau of Indian Affairs, Gallup Office). FLOOR PLAN OF BUILDING FIGURE 2 Photocopy of detail drawings {reproduced from The Navajos and the BIA: A Study of Government Buildings on the Navajo Reservation). PARAPET DETAIL.

FIGURE 3 Photocopy of drawing (original drawing located at Lescher and Mahoney/DLR Group, Phoenix Office). Brett A. Hobza, Delineator. June DETAIL OF BUILDING 302 SHOWING MASONRY, CANALE, AND LINTEL. I