Welcome to the Historic Contact Station

Welcome to the Historic Contact Station. Navajo National Monument. , This contact station has served many purposes over the years, including an essential role as the monument’s first interpretive center., The Cook Shack , The building was originally constructed in 1939 as a nine-by-twelve-foot cook shack for park employees and the park’s custodians, Jim and Sallie Brewer. The shack doubled as a tool crib and was moved to its current location in 1940., Visitor Center , By 1941 the building was converted to the monument's first visitor contact station. A borrowed six-volt projector was installed in the rear of the building. Visitors powered the projector using their own car batteries and projected scenes from the park on the building's back wall. The first slideshow was entitled, "The Homelife of the Navajos." , Seth Thomas Bigman (left), a ranger at the park in 1948, worked at the contact station greeting and informing visitors about the park. Standing next to him is his wife, Helen, with their son, Patrick. , In 1952 the contact station was remodeled with a coat of brown paint on the exterior and a new window on the west side. Exhibits included photographs and artifacts. In 1954 a new addition to the northwest side housed a diorama of Keet Seel, circa 1260 (below). The diorama was lit using three automobile headlights. , Water in the High Desert , In 1941 water was piped from a nearby residence to a drinking fountain installed outside. In the high desert, this water was very popular with visitors. , Storage Shed , In 1965 a new visitor center was built, replacing the visitor functions here. This building then served as a storage shed and fell into disrepair., Interpretive Center , In 2007 the contact station was professionally restored to its 1950’s appearance, returning it to a functioning interpretive center. Take a walk through time and enjoy the exhibits.