The Pueblo – Part 3

Lorain Times-Herald ad from October 15, 1929

The Pueblo may have started out as a sandwich shop and barbecue, but it soon evolved into a dance resort and nightclub.

About a year and a half after the Pueblo opened for business, the restaurant added the Navajo Room. It’s described in the article below, which ran in the Lorain Times-Herald on October 15, 1929.

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NEW TYPE DANCE RESORT TO OPEN HERE TOMORROW
Navajo Room at Pueblo Carries Out Indian Decoration Design

The Navajo Room, Lorain’s newest dance spot, opens tomorrow night at the Pueblo Barbecue on the Lake-rd, opposite the Lorain Country Club.

The room is a new addition to the main building which was built over a year ago and was designed to conform exactly with it in every detail by the architect-owner, F. J. McFadden.

Here in a modern setting is a bit of old world architecture – faithful reproduction of Mexican and Navajo Indian architecture.

The new Navajo Room harmonizes with the interior decorations of the Pueblo, which is the main building and which houses the barbecue and dining room.

Navajo Design
The almost extinct architecture of the Aztec and Navajo Indians has been restored here. Heavy cross beams brace the ceilings, the walls are of a contrasting fawn colored stucco and dark walnut wood work.

Intricate bits of hand painted Indian designs give a touch of color to the dark wood work. In the Navajo Room around the walls and at the top near the ceilings there is a continuous panel of hand paintings that depict the life of the Navajo Indian.

These paintings are done in contrasting blues and whites and terminate into one large panel at the far end of the room over the orchestra platform.

This last panel is done in brilliant reds and whites and adds the necessary color to break the continuous panel.

Colorful Entrance
Queer paintings are to be found everywhere. They also are all hand painted and exact reproductions of the Indians. Small bits of Indian bric-a-brac as well as Indian rugs, shawls and pieces of woven ware stand or hand in vantage points about the rooms.

The entrance to the Navajo Room is typically in keeping with the architecture. A small porch with tiled floor leads from the large parking area at the side of the building. From the porch one steps into the large main room.

At the right of the entrance is the check room while at the far end and opposite the door is the orchestra platform. A doorway to the right of the entrance also leads into the main dining room.

Built into the walls and all around the room are benches finished in dark walnut to match the wood work of the walls and overhead beams. The orchestra platform had been designed in such a way as to eliminate all overtones or blares. Heavy drapes and Navajo Indian rugs and shawls further aid in perfecting the acoustics.

“We have tried to built the Navajo in such a way as to make it a pleasure for those who dance here to come again and again,” said McFadden.

Unique Lighting
A special feature of the Navajo Room is its unique lighting system. Practically any color or color combination can be obtained by the electrician.

The main lights will be shaded with parchment shades all hand made and hand  painted with the figure of an Indian horseman.

The orchestra will be lighted invisibly with varied lights and a specially constructed dance floor has been laid and planned carefully.

The Navajo Room will be open Wednesday and Sunday nights for dancing at present altho it is planned to open it also on Friday nights. The Campus Owls orchestra will play at the Navajo Room exclusively.

“It has been our desire to build something that was distinctively different,” says McFadden. “Every detail has been faithfully carried out to conform with the architecture and the decoration of Navajo and Aztec Indian buildings of years ago.”

The Pueblo is open every day and night to the public as well as catering to special parties.

The Navajo Room will be used for special gatherings and parties when not in use for dancing, McFadden stated.

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Standing, left to right, are: “Shorty” Chamberlain,
Kent Richardson, Walt Hines; Seated are: Frank Billings,
Dick Kuss, Harrison Baumbaugh and Ted Metzger

On the same page of the Times-Herald as the above article, another article focused on the appearance of the Campus Owls Orchestra and their opening of their regular winter dance season at the new Navajo Room.

The article provided some background of the group. It stated, “The Campus Owls known to practically everybody in Lorain-co and to many outside of the county have played several seasons at Vermilion-on-the-Lake in the summer time and the Antlers Hotel in the winter.

“The personnel of the orchestra remains the same as during the summer. “Shorty” Chamberlain, Ted Metzger, Harrison Baumbaugh, Frank Billings, Walt Hines, Dick Kuss and Kent Richardson.

“For many years the Campus Owls have been noted for their diversity. They developed a practically new type of presentation which has caused comment even by some of the critics on large metropolitan papers.”

Courtesy collectorsfrenzy.com