The first Bowlin’s Old Crater Trading Post was built in 1936 in Bluewater, New Mexico, by Claude M Bowlin who had been an off-reservation trader with the local Navajo since 1912. Well-respected by those with whom he dealt, he was called Nahtsonahi or ‘Mouse’ by the Navajo. He and his wife, Willa, even raised a local child who grew up to become the first Navajo elected to the New Mexico Senate. In the post-war boom, he established other stores across the state – Bowlin’s Travel Centers which still exist – while the current Bluewater building was erected in 1954. Bowlin became a member of the United Indian Traders Association (UITA), which set standards for the creation of American Indian arts and crafts, and sold only UITA silverwork in his stores. When I-40 bypassed the store, it was the death knell for the Bluewater post, as for so many other businesses. The Old Crater Trading Post closed in 1973 (by which time Bowlin had been retired for some time). Claude Bowlin died shortly afterwards at the age of 83 and his widow sold the property with the stipulation that it be only used for religious purposes. It houses the Bluewater Bible School and Church for a few years and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The Old Crater Trading Post is increasingly bad shape. As you can see from these photos I took earlier this year, it’s suffered fire damage inside and parts of the roof have collapsed. The famous paintings on the exterior walls have either faded away or are covered by undergrowth.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 13:59:07 +0000
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