Wool Warehouse (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Encyclopedia
The Wool Warehouse is a historic building in the Warehouse District of downtown Albuquerque
, New Mexico
. Built in 1928–29 by wool merchant Frank Bond, the warehouse is significant for its role in New Mexico's wool
industry in the mid-20th century. It was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties
in 1980 and the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981.
made it the hub of the New Mexico wool trade, which flourished as American demand for wool increased rapidly after World War I. The growing prominence of this industry was reflected in the Wool Warehouse, which was completed in 1929. Capable of storing five million pounds of wool and hides, the building also housed the offices of the Bond-McRae wool trading company, the Wool Warehouse Company, and the New Mexico Cooperative Wool Marketing Association. Bond was the president of the former two companies, both of which were taken over by his son in 1936.
Beginning in the 1940s, wool production in New Mexico began to decline. This was due to a variety of factors including limited availability of land for grazing and the rapidly growing popularity of synthetic fabrics
. Faced with dwindling sales, the Wool Marketing Association shut down in 1959 and the warehouse itself eventually followed suit in 1972. In 1985, the building was remodeled at a cost of $2.5 million to house a theater and restaurant. Since 1994 it has been owned by Youth Development, Inc., a local nonprofit, and has been used sporadically for concerts, dances, and other events.
, who also designed the Monte Vista School and the Hendren Building, among others. The warehouse is a two-story red brick structure with 40000 square foot of total space. The interior of the building shows an Egyptian influence, most notably in the design of the 36 supporting columns.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Built in 1928–29 by wool merchant Frank Bond, the warehouse is significant for its role in New Mexico's wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
industry in the mid-20th century. It was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties
New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties
The New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties is a register of historic and prehistoric properties located in the state of New Mexico. It is maintained by the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. The Cultural Properties Review Committee...
in 1980 and the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1981.
History
Albuquerque's central location and convenient access to the AT&SF RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
made it the hub of the New Mexico wool trade, which flourished as American demand for wool increased rapidly after World War I. The growing prominence of this industry was reflected in the Wool Warehouse, which was completed in 1929. Capable of storing five million pounds of wool and hides, the building also housed the offices of the Bond-McRae wool trading company, the Wool Warehouse Company, and the New Mexico Cooperative Wool Marketing Association. Bond was the president of the former two companies, both of which were taken over by his son in 1936.
Beginning in the 1940s, wool production in New Mexico began to decline. This was due to a variety of factors including limited availability of land for grazing and the rapidly growing popularity of synthetic fabrics
Synthetic fiber
Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by scientists to improve on naturally occurring animal and plant fibers. In general, synthetic fibers are created by forcing, usually through extrusion, fiber forming materials through holes into the air, forming a thread...
. Faced with dwindling sales, the Wool Marketing Association shut down in 1959 and the warehouse itself eventually followed suit in 1972. In 1985, the building was remodeled at a cost of $2.5 million to house a theater and restaurant. Since 1994 it has been owned by Youth Development, Inc., a local nonprofit, and has been used sporadically for concerts, dances, and other events.
Architecture
The Wool Warehouse was designed by Albuquerque architect T. Charles GaastraT. Charles Gaastra
Tjalke Charles Gaastra, Netherlands won the International Exhibit of Architecture in Berlin for the Gildersleeve house in Santa Fe, New Mexico that he built for New Mexico Supreme Court justice, David Chavez...
, who also designed the Monte Vista School and the Hendren Building, among others. The warehouse is a two-story red brick structure with 40000 square foot of total space. The interior of the building shows an Egyptian influence, most notably in the design of the 36 supporting columns.