The Buildings
The Navajo Mountain Boarding School was built in the early 1930's during the New Deal era. The buildings utilize Hogan design elements, their timbers are hand-cut local juniper, and their masonry is red sandstone, locally sourced and hand-shaped. The Navajo Mountain Boarding complex is the only boarding school of this era to have flagstone floors and covered walkways. The buildings are rare monuments and cultural jewels. Over 70,000 Navajo Mountain children passed through the schools doors between the 1930's-1990's when the school was closed.
The Classroom Complex
The main building complex consists of two hexagonal classrooms connected and accessed by a short hallway. They are the oldest structures of the complex. Both of the classrooms have three sets of inset windows facing southeast. The floor is covered with white tiles laid on concrete. The east room has a fireplace that was connected to its chimney. The library was housed there and there are still many books in the buildings. We assume that the South room had heating in the middle. The entryway has two storage niches, two opposing wooden, doorless closets. The ceiling of the hallway was painted blue.
The classrooms are connected to the cafeteria and kitchen by a breezeway, an outdoor, plank covered walkway with four timber columns.
The cafeteria, which is accessed through the breezeway, is a hexagonal room with a fireplace. The kitchen is in an adjacent, rectangular room. Its windows are inset deeply in stone frames. It has inbuilt wooden walls that separate less than half of it into smaller spaces. One of these smaller spaces has a seating area.
All the buildings have a traditional timber ceiling structure and are covered with a mud roof. They are built from sandstone, then covered with mud and painted.
The classrooms are connected to the cafeteria and kitchen by a breezeway, an outdoor, plank covered walkway with four timber columns.
The cafeteria, which is accessed through the breezeway, is a hexagonal room with a fireplace. The kitchen is in an adjacent, rectangular room. Its windows are inset deeply in stone frames. It has inbuilt wooden walls that separate less than half of it into smaller spaces. One of these smaller spaces has a seating area.
All the buildings have a traditional timber ceiling structure and are covered with a mud roof. They are built from sandstone, then covered with mud and painted.
The Principal's House
The principal's house is a long building located to the east of the classrooms. It was build after the classroom complex. It consists of three hexagonal rooms and is covered with traditional timber ceiling and mud roof. The main entrance is in the west room but the building is also accessible through a sunroom on the east end.
The house has been tested positive for asbestos in the pipes.
The house has been tested positive for asbestos in the pipes.
The Dormitory
The dormitory is located to the northwest of the classrooms on the very far end of the campus, closest to the road. They are connected to the other buildings with a concrete paved road. The building consists of two rectangular rooms and a connecting hallways in the middle. It is presumed that it is the youngest building on the campus because, contrary to the other buildings, it has a flat roof and is partially made of concrete blocks.
The room on the left side of the entrance was the dorm for the boys. It contains a small, wire, cage-like space for laundry. To the right of the entrance was the dormitory for the girls.
The building was tested positive for lead paint.
The room on the left side of the entrance was the dorm for the boys. It contains a small, wire, cage-like space for laundry. To the right of the entrance was the dormitory for the girls.
The building was tested positive for lead paint.
The Staff Building
The staff building is located to the northwest of the classrooms between them and the dormitory. It is connected to the breezeway with a concrete paved walkway. The building consists of three hexagonal buildings. They are presumed to be younger than the classrooms and the principal's house because the ceiling is a plank variation on the traditional shape and is covered with tarp, not mud. The entrances are in the two side rooms.
The building housed the faculty and staff, apart from the principal.
The building has been tested positive for asbestos in the pipes.
The building housed the faculty and staff, apart from the principal.
The building has been tested positive for asbestos in the pipes.
The Shed
The shed is a rectangular building to the north of the classrooms. It is built on a stone two-level pedestal. It has two store rooms with large, wooden doors which were painted blue. The roof is covered with wooden planks. It was used as a storage building as well as a woodshed and also housed the generator.
