On the Road Again to Gallup
As we got closer to Gallup, we had our eyes peeled to see the first Navajo hogan. On that trip many, many years ago, we started seeing them outside Gallup. Today we didn’t see them here or did we see a hogan anywhere. We would have to have gone farther into the Navajo Nation in order to do so. (Linda’ photo)
On the Road Again to Gallup
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
No high winds were forecast for today, so it was our day to take a road trip across the state to Gallup, NM, at the edge of the Navajo Nation. Albuquerque to Gallup is about 140 miles through the desert. The roads are very good (we were mostly on the I–40), the speed limit is usually 75 mph, and the only thing negative are the number of trucks that you have to pass unless they are passing you––no reduced speed limit on these roads for trucks. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
Desert scenery on our route. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
Dramatic scenery. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
Further along. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road, Albuquerque to Gallup
Laguna Pueblo
After about an hour of driving, we stopped off at the Laguna Indian Pueblo. (Linda’s photo)
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Close–up of the pueblo. The pueblo is made up of six villages; we visited the village where the mission church is located.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Driving into the Laguna Pueblo. The pueblo has been the home of the Laguna Indians at least since 1300 A.D. (Linda’s photo)
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
The mission church up on the hill. Outside ovens (hornos, one at lower right of photo) are still used to bake bread.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
St. Joseph’s Mission Church, built in 1699. The feast of St. Joseph is celebrated here on September 19. The religion of the Pueblo Indians is a mixture of Catholism and Native American rituals.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
This is a very pretty church and I took many photos of it. We were the only visitors at the pueblo and we were definitely being checked out by various arrivals of pueblo dwellers. They were all very friendly to us and seemed happy that we had come to visit.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
St. Joseph’s Church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
St. Joseph’s Church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Close–up of the doors to the church. We were here too early in the day for the church to be open.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
An arch to the rear of the church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
A small chapel on the side of the church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Inside the chapel: Our Lady of Victory Shrine.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Close–up of the memorial plate in the shrine.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
In the rear courtyard is the grave of Mariano Pacheco, one of the Laguna boys who died in World War II.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Also in the rear courtyard are the graves of St. Joseph’s Church’s parish priests.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Close–up of the grave marker for one of the priests.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
The Laguna Pueblo cemetery seen from the church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Also at the back of the church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Close–up.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Walking out of the front churchyard.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
One more photo of St. Joseph’s Church.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
Houses in the Laguna Pueblo.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
More of the pueblo.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
We were also here too early for this store to be open.
Laguna Pueblo
Laguna Pueblo
This store was open and this is where I bought the postcard named “White Man’s Moccasins.” I also bought the poster of it. We were given advice by the sales clerk as to where to buy Indian products in Gallup (I think she said Richardson’s). She told us that most of the stores in Gallup are now owned by Middle Easterners who are not giving the Native American artists fair money for their creations but are selling them at inflated prices.
Laguna Pueblo
On the Road from Laguna Pueblo to Gallup
When I was 9 years old and Linda was 11, our parents took us on a road trip from New York across country to California. We both remember driving from Albuquerque to Gallup. This would have been on U.S. 66 as the I–40 was not built yet. We had sort of a contest to see who would be the first to see a Navajo hogan. In a way, we were re–creating that earlier trip. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road from Laguna Pueblo to Gallup
On the Road from Laguna Pueblo to Gallup
In this photo on the right, you can see U.S. 66 paralelling the I–40. Around about here, Linda said that the Continental Divide was coming up––Can you believe that she remembered it and its location from that trip long long ago. I was flabagasted. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road from Laguna Pueblo to Gallup
Continental Divide
And here we are at the Continental Divide. (Linda’s photo)
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
The Continental Divide is the point where rainwater to the west of it flows to the Pacific Ocean and rainwater to the east of it flows to the Atlantic Ocean. This divide runs north through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana and beyond.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
The teepees at the Continental Divide.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Close–up of one of the designs on one of the teepees.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Looking to the west at the divide.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Looking to the east at the divide.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
The gift store at the Continental Divide. “Great Divide Gifts” really meant Native American souvenirs. I thought I was flagasted that Linda remembered the Continental Divide, but I was even more so when she told the store owner that she remembered a different store being here when she was 11 years old. He told her that she was right, that store burned down about 10 years ago and this new store had replaced it. (Linda’s photo)
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Much artwork on this new store. The mural at the back.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Close–up of part of the mural.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Artwork on the front of the store. (Linda’s photo)
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
Close–up of some of the artwork.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
More artwork.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
And more.
Continental Divide
Continental Divide
And a last one.
Continental Divide
El Rancho Hotel
We got off the I–40 and onto U.S. 66 to visit the El Rancho Hotel. We were now in Gallup. (Linda’s photo)
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
The El Rancho Hotel, opening in December 1937, is a National Historic Site. It was built by the brother of movie magnet D.W. Griffith. Up to the 1950s, it was also known as the Home of the Movie Stars. Stars stayed here while filming nearby such movies as Sundown, Streets of Laredo, and The Hallelujah Trail.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
Inside the El Rancho Hotel.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
Also inside the El Rancho Hotel. We ate lunch at the hotel’s restaurant. Dishes are named for stars: The Ronald Reagan (for when he was an actor)––1/2 pound burger with cheese and bacon with jelly beans on the side; The Carmen Miranda––a hot tamale plate, etc. I ordered the Armand Ortega, but I had to tell our waitress that I didn’t know who he was, but did she? Yes, she told me that he was the owner of the hotel––sliced sirlon on flour tortilla with chili (very good). They also served Navajo tea and Italian sodas. An aside: the Ortega’s store in San Juan Capistrano, CA, is also owned by Armand Ortega. There was also a very good gift store in the hotel.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
One of the autographed photos of stars who have stayed at the El Rancho Hotel––Lucille Ball.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
Kathryn Hepburn.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
And, then, of course, Spencer Tracy.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
Burt Lancaster.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
And John Wayne. There were quite a large number of photos on the walls.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
The New Apostolic Church on the street behind the hotel.
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel
Another building on that street.
El Rancho Hotel
Gallup
We drove a bit through Gallup and then headed off to the Zuni Pueblo. All I remember of Gallup from long ago was going to a Navajo trading store there. There didn’t seem to be much more here today than souvenir stores. (Linda’s photo)
Gallup
On the Road to the Zuni Pueblo
Believing that we probably would not be in this area again, we decided to drive south on the 602 and then west on the 53––about 35 miles––to the Zuni Pueblo. The scenery along the route had changed from all desert to a forest. A great number of signs directing people to Bible camps were along the road. (Linda’s photo)
On the Road to the Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
It seemed like a very long ride but we finally came to this sign. At this pueblo, you are only restricted in photo taking during religious celebrations.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
Driving through the Zuni Pueblo. We were looking for the mission church.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
After going to wrong way several times, we found the Old Zuni Mission, also called the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. It was not open as it is undergoing rennovation. Again, we appeared to be the only visitors to the pueblo. But you know that you are being watched. Two men came out of their homes to talk to us––one selling earrings and one selling carved stones (Linda bought one). The second one invited us to see the Comanche Indian dancers who were to perform here later in the day. That would have been very interesting to watch but we needed to leave soon to drive back to Albuquerque.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
The Mission cemetery.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
A close–up of one of the grave markers.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
Another view.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
More of the Zuni Pueblo.
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni Pueblo
A different view of the Mission.
Zuni Pueblo
Gallup
We drove back to Gallup and stopped off at Earl’s Restaurant on U.S. 66. We had read about it in New Mexico Magazine. While eating, Navajo and Zuni traders come to your table with their wares. We thought that this would be a real tourist trap but were very surprised to realize that we probably were the only tourists in the crowded restaurant––everyone else were Native Americans. And that’s who were buying from the traders. This really surprised us. I bought a beautiful turquoise pendant from this woman––I paid only about 40% of what I would have had to pay for it in a store
Gallup
Gallup
The sales clerk at the Laguna Pueblo store had told us about this mosque–like store in Gallup, owned by Middle Easterners and selling Native American wares. It did not appear to have been successful as it was closed and there were no store signs on it. (Linda’s photo)
Gallup
On the Road from Gallup to Albuquerque
We next drove back to Albuquerque without stopping. We both had a tiring but great day. (Linda’s photo)
