Shiprock Headquarters, Building No. 124, 0.4 Mile East of Intersection US Highways 666 & 64, Shiprock

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NM-187-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

0.4 mile E. of intersection ofNavajo Route Shiprock San Juan County New Mexico Date of Construction: circa Situated on Navajo Nation land, 0.4 mile east of the intersection of U.S. highways on highway 64 0.1 mile east of the Middle School and High School on the south side of the highway, in Shiprock, San Juan County, New Mexico.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NM-187-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building Number a residential structure in lower Shiprock Headquarters, is significant for its association with Shiprock Headquarters, which contributed to the broad patterns of Anglo-Native American relations that developed on the Navajo reservation after . SHlPROCK HEADQUARTERS, BUlLDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters, HABS No. NM-187-A (Page 2) As one among several residential structures built at Shiprock headquarters between and Building Number represent the federal government's effort to accommodate employees in their service to the Navajo people; and as such is associated ''with the broad patterns of Anglo-Native American relations" (G.

DeMarcay, "New Mexico Historic Building Form", that developed on the Navajo Reservation between through the end of the historic period ( Description: Building Number 124 was erected as a one-story vernacular structure with two front and rear facing gables. Built of board and batten construction, the structure rests on a concrete foundation and has a red brick chimney and internal fireplace. The exterior exhibits few ornamental details beyond hand-hewn wood rafters exposed beneath a slight to medium overhang of the eaves. The front and rear facing gables all exhibit horizontal boards which form wood louvers for ventilation, fill the apex of the gable and add detail above the windows. There may have been a distinctive open front entry porch.

The space is now enclosed and the interior space has been divided as a porch and den. Both rooms contain maple flooring distinct from the oak flooring found throughout the remainder of the house. Board and batten wall treatment extends to the interior walls of the porch/den area. On the exterior the original wood rafters remain in place beneath a shed roof. A pitched roof portico once joined the main structure to a detached garage to the west. Similar construction is visible in the adjacent contemporary structure (an Indian Health Service building). This open walkway was enclosed in the The paired wood rafters beneath the overhang remain giving it the appearance of original construction. The walls of the exterior were constructed to resemble the original board and batten construction.

The building floor plan is a modified H-plan. The enclosed front porch and side portico attaching the garage to the main structure give it a rambling layout. Today the building contains sq. ft. The structure has two bedrooms, a dining room, kitchen and utility room (enclosed portico). Original interior detailing includes a wood hand hewn fireplace mantel, hardwood floors (oak and maple), glass front kitchen cabinets, built in shelves and SHIPROCK HEADQUARTERS, BUILDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters. HABS No. NM-187-A (Page 3) cedar lined closets. All windows have been replaced with aluminum thermal break units. The original wood plank garage doors, similar to the ones seen at Building Number 125 (D. Kammer and V.

Tiller, Historic Indian Health Service Buildings, have been replaced. The building currently is in poor condition. The area surrounding the structure appears to have been intentionally landscaped and supports Cottonwood and/or Chinese Elms. These trees likely date to the period of original construction. The yard is enclosed with a metal chain-link fence and the front gate is adorned with a paired dog motif (visible in the general landscape view NM-187-A-1 ). History: The Navajo Indian reservation, now the largest in the country, was established following the incarceration of the Navajo people at Bosque Redondo. Forced to march from their traditional homeland to Fort Sumner, New Mexico, the Navajo people endured four years of subjugation by the army.

During these years the Indian Service failed to convert the Navajo to farming. After their return home in some 6, 120 square miles of land was established as reservation (F. Kosik, Native Roads, The Navajo were given livestock and allowed to resume their historic settlement subsistence as herders. The Navajo land holdings have since increased to square miles and include private, tribal trust, fee and allotment lands. The expansion of the reservation in the early challenged the existing Indian Service administrations capabilities. In response, the Office of Indian Affairs established six districts reservation wide (D. Parman, Navajo and the New Deal, 11 ). The San Juan Agency, created in northeastern New Mexico, was headquartered at modern day Shiprock.

The area takes its name from an igneous intrusion which rises above the desert floor and dominates the landscape south of the community. Navajo legend holds that a mighty spirit bird crashed to the earth in this region. The landmark known today as Ship Rock (Tse bifal) represents the tip of the right wing of this spirit bird; the remainder is buried beneath the desert. William T. Shelton, Indian Agent for the new district, was sent to oversee the construction of agency headquarters. In the San Juan Agricultural Technical School was built to serve some 152 students. The first Indian hospital was added at the school in Following the establishment of these and other federal agency facilities a large number of Navajo gradually settled in the region.

The first structures built were destroyed in a devastating flood in (E. Threinen, Navajo and the BIA, In and again in the hospital and school facilities were expanded and residences for agency and health service personnel were required and erected. These buildings were constructed along a grid like pattern north of the San Juan River and west of the modern intersection of U.S. SHIPROCK HEADQUARTERS, BUILDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters, HABS No. NM-187-A (Page 4) As needed, residential buildings were built to the east strung out along the historic road between Shiprock and Farmington (modern Navajo Route Only a few of these structures remain largely unaltered today including building numbers 132 and All but are managed by the Indian Health Service.

In Kammer and Tiller questioned the accepted construction dates for the latter four structures. Based on primary research and architectural design such as "bungaloid details" they suggested that these buildings were erected between and They concluded, however, that buildings 124 and 125 were constructed around as new facilities were required. Despite previous investigation and the current research effort, no details on the architect, designer or builder of these structures have been found (Threinen 1981a; b; Kammer and Tiller All three buildings were abandoned in the Recently, Building Number 123 burned and the Bureau of Indian Affairs completed demolition of the building on August 31, (Certificate of Destruction Form).

Building Number 124 has gradually deteriorated and the Navajo community considers it a safety hazard, a general nuisance and an unsavory attraction to juveniles ($.Bippus, "Central Consolidated School Resolution", The Bureau of Indian Affairs proposes to demolish Building Number 124 as well. Building Number 125 is managed by the Indian Health Service, who recently replaced the roof on the structure. It is in fair condition and secured against intrusion. Several proposals have been made to put this facility back into use.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NM-187-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Bureau of Indian Affairs "Facility Inventory, Building Construction Data Sheet." On file at Navajo Nation, Shiprock Agency Offices, Shiprock, New Mexico. DeMarcay, Gary "New Mexico Historic Building Inventory Form." Building ID no. On file at Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department, Window Rock, Arizona. Kammer, David and Veronica E. Tiller Historic Indian Health Service Buildings on the Navajo Reservation. Prepared by Tiller Research, Inc. and Weller Architects, Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Engineering Services/PH$ VI Dallas, Texas and Navajo Area Office, Indian Health Service, Window Rock, Arizona. SHIPROCK HEADQUARTERS, BUILDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters, HABS No.

NM-187-A (Page 5) Kosik, Fran Native Roads: The Complete Motoring Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Nations. Creative Solutions Publishing, Flagstaff, Arizona. Threinen, Ellen a The Navajos and the BIA; A Study of Government Buildings on the Navajo Reservation. Prepared for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. "Thematic National Register of Historic Places nomination of Public Works Administration Buildings." Prepared for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Parman, Donald L. The Navajo and the New Deal. Yale University Press, Haven. Bippus, Stan "Central Consolidated School Board Resolution." On file with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Area Office, Gallup, New Mexico. Other

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NM-187-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

White Oak Environmental Alliance, Inc. research staff contacted the National Archives, American West Team, the Cartographic and Architectural Branch and Still Picture Branch in Washington, Their search yielded no documents referencing Building Number Staff also contacted the National Archives, Pacific Southwest at Laguna Niguel in an attempt to verify the historic record name (December 15, As no primary documents specific to Shiprock buildings were found the record name, Building Number was adopted from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Facility Management Inventory - Building Construction Data Sheet.

This documentation was prepared as required by a Memorandum of Agreement signed May The following individuals were signatories: Melvin Rousseau for Wilson Barber Area Director Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Area Office Alan Downer Historic Preservation Officer Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department Sl-IIPROCK HEADQUARTERS, BUILDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters, I-IABS No. NM-187-A (Page 6) Michael Taylor Historic Preservation Officer New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office Robert D. Bush Executive Director Advisory Council on Historic Preservation The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Area Office, Branch of Facility Management is responsible for the execution of this agreement document.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NM-187-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

M. Colleen Hamilton, White Oak Environmental Alliance, Inc., December, ,, 10 1 4~. SHIPROCK HEADQUARTERS. BUILDING NUMBER 124 (Lower Shiprock Headquarters. HABS No NM-187-A (Page 8) = = -q- 1 ';o . - KITCHE~ - ~ - .() L.IVJl'JG -' ~ ~orcn-1 G~05'o rr. tc=too CI..O. a4 . a 11 ~ ~ ~~ 0 5 0 s I !O ~ ~WA~TE~S LO..JE!< 5~/Pl'ZOCi'. f-lEAOQUA!c:El2 ~~:Plc!OCk:. MEXICO Original drawing located at Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Area Office, Gallup, May