Historical heart of a community: Travel and family are central parts of the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House's history

Feb. 25—Editor's note: The last Sunday of each month, Journal Arts Editor Adrian Gomez tells the stories behind some of the hidden gems you can see across the state in "Gimme Five."

The intersection of Rio Bravo and Isleta boulevards is in the heart of the South Valley.

Travel south from the intersection just over two miles and there sits a 16-acre property open to the public that has the area's history on display.

The Gutiérrez-Hubbell House History and Cultural Center is owned and operated by Bernalillo County Open Space.

The property includes eight acres of farmland, a demonstration garden, a historic orchard and acequia, as well as, the historic home itself, which is listed on the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places.

David Ottaviano, Gutiérrez-Hubbell House site manager, says the house was built after the marriage in 1849 of Juliana Gutiérrez (1834-1899) and James "Santiago" Hubbell (1824-1885).

"The Gutiérrez side represented an old wealthy prominent Hispanic New Mexican family and the Hubbell side represented a prominent established Anglo-American New England family," Ottaviano says. "The marriage also represented the influence that the eastern power center of the United States would start to have following the end of the Mexican-American War and what would become New Mexico Territory."

Ottaviano says travel has been central to the story of the Gutiérrez-Hubbell family. As traders and merchants, they led large caravans of freight wagons along the El Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail, the Butterfield and Old Spanish trails and other routes.

With its prominent place along the Camino Real, the estate was known as a resting place where travelers received the family's hospitality.

After 1860, this house was a stop for stages carrying the U.S. mail between Santa Fe and El Paso.

Ottaviano spends his days at the site where he interacts with the visiting public. He took a moment to give five facts about the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House History and Cultural Center.

1. The Gutiérrez-Hubbell family was a bicultural and bilingual family.

Ottaviano says the children in particular were known to be comfortable switching between Spanish and English, and many of the children embraced different cultures.

"The most well-known child today, J. Lorenzo Hubbell (1853-1930), who started the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Arizona, was very taken by the Navajo and their culture and learned some Diné and believed strongly that Navajo artists and craftspeople should be treated with respect and paid a fair price for their goods," he says.

2. The Gutiérrez-Hubbell House has some items as part of the collections, furniture, historic toys, etc., but the most important artifact in the museum is the historic structure itself.

Ottaviano says the home, built in the mid-1850s, is a wonderful example of traditional earthen/adobe construction built in the Territorial-style architectural style.

"The 27-inch-thick earthen walls provided insulation in the winter and allowed for coolness in the summer," he says. "The home architecturally is oriented toward the El Camino Real, now Isleta Boulevard. The El Camino Real was central to the family's trading operation."

3. Ottaviano says the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House is listed on the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places, and holds unique local and regional historic significance.

4. Louise Hubbell Erdal was the last descendant to own the house. Shortly after she died in 1996 the house was sold to a developer who wanted to make 10, 1-acre lots for homes.

Ottaviano says the development would have been built on the historic agricultural fields and it is unclear if the house would have been saved since it was in such poor condition at the time.

"Once people in the area got word of this sale, they organized and fought to save the home and property, eventually bringing in Bernalillo County to buy the property through a new mill levy tax," he says. "The Gutiérrez-Hubbell House became the first Bernalillo County Open Space property, others soon followed. Bernalillo County Open Space not only protects the historic house but maintains the agricultural heritage of the site as well."

5. Ottaviano says one of the sons, J. Lorenzo Hubbell, who started the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Arizona was also known as J. L.

"J. L. built his house in Ganado as well and used the dimensions of the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House, the home he grew-up in for his new home in Arizona," he says. "The Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, which is still an active trading post and the home J. L. built, is now part of the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, owned and operated by the National Park Service."