Wide Ruins Community School

About

Wide Ruins is very rich in history and has been represented by many famous Diné People from the Wide Ruins Community area, such as Dr. Annie Wauneka, the Navajo Tribe’s first woman Council Delegate. She was the prestigious recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to health care services.

The Wide Ruins Trading Post was established in 1885 at the site of a large prehistoric settlement called Kin Teel’, meaning “wide house”. The only Kin Teel remaining is the ancient one underlying the wind-blown red sand. By 1950, operating conditions were changing for traders on the Indian reservations, and in that year, the Lippincot Family who operated the Trading Post sold the Wide Ruins Trading Post to the Navajo Tribe. In 1986, the historic Wide Ruins Trading Post was lost in a fire. The community has since been forced to shop elsewhere – Gallup, New Mexico, Holbrook, Arizona.

The community is in a spectacularly scenic area. Antelope Lake is 14 miles to the northeast, which offers excellent fishing and camping. There are numerous hiking places in the area to view the land. The community has celebrated their traditions with their own special Navajo rug. Rugs from the Wide Ruins area copy the design and coloring of the Chinle rugs but tend to be more intricate with more colors. Somewhat unique to these rugs are a design feature of alternating weft colors (one color alternating with another color). Local rug weavers have made the Wide Ruins Style Rug very famous.

Today, Wide Ruins has a local Chapter House which represents and assists the local community with Tribal services. Wide Ruins Community School also hosts and serves the community with a Volunteer Fire Department. The Wide Ruins Mennonite Mission supports the local people during times of need.