Existing comment:
Garden of the Gods Trading Post:
The Garden of the Gods Trading Company began in the early 1900s when teenager Charles F. Strausenback began selling his carved gypsum figures at Garden of the Gods' cast gateway in front of Fatty Rice's beer hall.
In 1924, Strausenback began building "an Indian Pueblo curio museum" so tourists not traveling further southwest would have a chance to study Pueblo structures. In this case, the museum was a private business, much like today's gift shops. Pueblo Indians were employed to dance and make baskets and pottery; Navajo Indians wove blankets and created silver jewelry. Native Americans plied their trades at the Trading Post through the mid-1950s.
In 1979, TAT Enterprises, Inc. bought the Trading Post and began a series of additions, leaving the main structure much as it was in earlier days. Painting and photographs by Strausenback, historic photos, and memorabilia recalling the property's history can be seen throughout the building. Wrought iron fixtures, designed and created by Strausenback, remain on the entry doors and around the fireplace. |