Nearly 300 pieces of handcrafted tinware light fixtures were made for the Frijoles Canyon Lodge and NPS headquarters at the park in the late 1930s. Some were made according to architects’ plans, while others were CCC craftsmen designed. There are 34 unique styles of tinware here at Bandelier! Throughout the historic district, these significant historic objects are one of the park’s many wonderful assets. Because of the fragile nature of the aging tinware, and due to the fact that many pieces like mirrors and table lamps were made for the old Lodge, most of the collection is stored off-site at an NPS museum repository. Several dozen exterior light fixtures remain installed in the historic district, however. Over the years, the park has worked to keep them in good repair and to replace them as they age. In the latter case, the original is removed for cleaning and storage, and we commission a local craftsman to do the reproduction. We are due for another round of repair, conservation, and reproduction. Our current goal is to remove and reproduce 13 fixtures that are directly exposed to weather and sun.
The initial restoration of the fixtures will be funded by the Friends of Bandelier. We hope to solicit sponsors for the restoration of additional fixtures in the coming months.
