Photo Credit
Jacob Barlow
County
San Juan
Year Built
1921
Architect
Joseph Heffernan (builder/trader)
National Register?
Yes, listed June 20, 1980
Status
Still Endangered: Condition Stabilized
Status Explanation
As of May 2026, the Oljato Trading Post is in better shape but still at risk. A new roof has helped stabilize the building by preventing water from entering and causing further damage. People now say it is in “pretty decent shape” compared to past years. Still, there is no caretaker, and the building’s future depends on finding someone to take care of it. The $1.3 million needed for full restoration is still a long way from being raised. Local advocates call the building “semi-endangered,” meaning it is stable for now but lacks a clear plan for its future. Without a caretaker, a plan for ownership or stewardship, and steady funding, the building could start to deteriorate again.
About the Threat
The main threat is now ongoing neglect rather than sudden structural failure. The new roof has removed the biggest risk. Without it, water would have kept getting in and, as one advocate said, could have turned the adobe building into a “mud hole.” However, making the building stable is not the same as fully preserving it. Its long-term future depends on three things that are still missing: a caretaker, a clear plan for ownership or management, and enough money for full repairs. The trading post is about 15 to 20 miles inside Monument Valley and one mile west of the Oljato community, making it one of the most remote places in the country. This isolation makes it much harder to monitor, maintain, and raise funds than it would be for buildings in more accessible areas. Without someone regularly present, even a stable building can quickly fall into disrepair from vandalism, weather, or neglect.
Restoring the trading post fully is expected to cost $1.3 million. Fundraising by the Friends of Oljato and the San Juan Foundation has helped, but they have not yet raised enough. The goal is for the restored trading post to be owned and run by local Navajo people as a community center, cultural site, and economic boost for the area. However, there is not yet a formal plan or ownership group in place.
Access
The building still stands on the Navajo Nation, about 15 to 20 miles inside Monument Valley on Piute Farms Road and one mile west of the Oljato community. Getting there means traveling on unpaved roads through remote areas. The building is not open to the public and does not have a caretaker. Anyone who visits does so at their own risk. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and Bears Ears National Monument are nearby.
History
Oljato comes from the Navajo word Oljee’to, which means “moonwater.” This refers to the way moonlight reflected on water sources that made the area livable in an otherwise dry landscape. Trading in Oljato started in 1906 when John and Louisa Wetherill, who were known for their work documenting Mesa Verde and other sites, opened the first trading post about a mile east of where it stands now. The Wetherills brought supplies by horse-drawn wagon from Gallup, New Mexico, a trip that took 21 days round trip, showing just how remote the area was. They ran the post for only four years before moving to Kayenta.
After the Wetherills left, there was an eleven-year gap when Navajo community members had to travel far to trade their goods. In 1921, Joseph Heffernan, who had worked as a trader in Colorado, set up a new post at the current site. He started out working from a tent before building the adobe structure that still stands. Heffernan was known as a typical “old trader,” independent, closely involved in Navajo community life, and caring about the people he served. Traders at that time were not just merchants; they also acted as bankers, interpreters, letter-writers, and, sometimes, even doctors for the community.
The trading post complex included a trading room, living quarters, storage space, a loading area for wagons, special areas for trading wool and lambs, and a raised area to oversee the trading floor. In front of the building, there was a traditional hogan facing east, where Navajo travelers who had come from far away could stay overnight and have access to water.
Heffernan kept ownership when the Navajo reservation expanded in 1933 to include the land where the post stood. In 1936, he sold it to John Taylor, starting a series of owners: George Pearson, Reuben Heflin, and then the Carson family, all part of the close community of Navajo country traders. In 1949, O.J. Carson’s daughter,, Virginia, and her husband, Edward D. Smith, moved to Oljato. In 1958, they got a 25-year lease and continued running the post. Virginia Smith assembled a collection of Navajo baskets, rugs, and silver, intended to remain with the building.
The trading post closed in 2009 and gradually fell into disrepair. By 2019, the damage was severe, so the San Juan County Historical Commission reached out to SHPO for help. Several groups then partnered to try to save the building, including the Navajo Nation’s Oljato Chapter, San Juan County, the San Juan County Historical Commission, the Utah Division of State History, SHPO, the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department. In March 2020, students from Utah State University Eastern cleaned up the site, put on a temporary roof, and reinforced a corner of the building. A $15,000 grant from the National Trust’s Southwest Intervention Fund paid for more roof repairs. In 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Oljato Trading Post one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Places. After that, a new permanent roof was installed, which made the building much more stable.
What can be done? What was learned?
The most urgent need is for a caretaker, either a person or an organization, to provide regular presence and basic care at the site. Without this, even a stable building is still at risk. Anyone connected to the Oljato community or the Navajo Nation who is interested in helping as a caretaker or steward should reach out to the San Juan Foundation.
Donations for the full $1.3 million restoration can be made through the Friends of Oljato, managed by the San Juan Foundation. These funds help with ongoing stabilization and will eventually support the full restoration needed to reopen the trading post as a community center, cultural site, and economic resource for the Oljato area, owned and run by local Navajo people.
Raising awareness about the trading post’s importance helps keep fundraising going. Sharing Oljato’s story, its role as a social and economic center for the Navajo Nation, its architecture, and its potential as a tourist and cultural site near Monument Valley and Bears Ears can encourage grant-makers and donors to support the project.
What is the timeline?
As of May 2026, there is no public timeline or funding deadline for the project. Progress depends on continued fundraising by the Friends of Oljato and support from grants. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2021 America’s Most Endangered Places listing has raised awareness and brought in some money, but not enough to fully fund the restoration.
What has been the public discussion?
Since 2019, the Oljato Trading Post has been a focus for preservation advocates, state agencies, and Navajo Nation representatives. The 2021 National Trust designation was a major milestone and led to coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune, ABC4, and the San Juan Record. Herman Daniels, who represents the Oljato area on the Navajo Nation Council, told the San Juan Record: “This can become the first stop for tourists as they travel to Monument Valley and Bears Ears, which will bring in revenue and help people understand the history of trading posts.” Robert S. McPherson, professor of history emeritus at Utah State University and a key advocate for the restoration, described the trading post as having “huge potential for economic and cultural revitalization in an area with strong tourism.” The main goal for everyone involved is still to see the trading post restored and run by local Navajo people. Jacob Barlow visited and photographed the site in January 2025, and his photos, posted in April 2026, are the latest visual record of the building’s condition.
Links to more information and articles.
National Register nomination (NPS Gallery): https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/80003939
National Trust for Historic Preservation — 2021 America’s Most Endangered Places listing: https://savingplaces.org/stories/an-endangered-navajo-trading-post-exchanges-its-unsettled-present-for-a-promising-future
San Juan Foundation: https://sanjuanfoundationutah.org
Salt Lake Tribune, June 2021 — National Trust endangered listing: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/06/07/oljato-monument-valley/
ABC4, June 2021 — endangered listing coverage: https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/southeastern-utah-historic-site-among-most-endangered-in-the-country-says-new-report/
San Juan Record, June 2021 — Navajo Utah Commission report: https://www.sjrnews.com/native-american-issues/navajo-commission-trading-post-restoration
Jacob Barlow site visit photos, January 2025 (posted April 2026): https://jacobbarlow.com/2026/04/06/oljato-trading-post/