Hubbell Trading Post Administrative History

Building Roster

Figure 20. Early morning at Hubbell Trading Post, December, 1984. This photo shows the northeast corner of the trading post building, HB-1. The door to the right leads into the jewelry room, the door on the left into the bullpen (grocery area). The wareroom extension is the second door on the left, the curator's office and storage area, HB-9, is the third door on the left. The barn, HB-3, is the two-story building in the background. NPS photo by E. Bauer, HUTR Neg. R75#26.

Trading Post and Wareroom Extension

HB-1 and HB-9: This is the building the visitors see as they approach the site on the entrance road. The store, rug room, trader's office (jewelry room), and wareroom are located in HB-1; the Curator's office, storage and work area, and darkroom are in HB-9 (HB-9 was also the location of the laundromat). HB-1 was built in probably in four phases. According to at dendrochronological report, [1] the office (jewelry room now) and the rug room were probably constructed in 1883. The vigas (beams) [2] were harvested in the summer of 1883, so it seems likely the building was under construction at that time. The grocery store and wareroom were added in 1889, according to the same dendrochronological report (and family memory). The wareroom extension (Curator's office) was under construction in 1930 at the time of Don Lorenzo's death but was completed at a later date and housed the laundromat, which burned out in 1966.

Construction: HB-1: Sandstone and mortar walls, plastered and painted on the interior. Board and viga ceiling, earthen roof over the boards, now covered by a modern tar roof (re-roofed in spring, 1991). Stone parapets surround roof. Wood over earth floor. This was the nucleus of the present trading post complex. The north and west walls of this section underwent considerable renovation in 1970. The walls were bulging, and it was decided to do some tearing out and rebuilding. [3]

Construction: HB-9: A limestone and adobe mortar addition at the south end of HB-1. Board and viga ceiling, earth roof, later covered by tarpaper built-up roof. Concrete floor, interior walls plastered and painted. The walls and at least part of the roof were in place at the time of Don Lorenzo's death. Although this structure now houses the Curator, plans are being made to convert this area to a museum as soon as a permanent curatorial building can be constructed (probably close to the staff living quarters). Many artifacts, historical objects, and objects d'art are stored here because there isn't anyplace to display them. [4]