History of the Garden
of the Gods Trading Post

The Trading Post was built in 1929 by Charles E. Strausenback. At the time that Strausenback built the Trading Post, he was already a well established entrepreneur in the Garden of the Gods area. He opened his first store in 1917 and took off running. Strausenback made the Trading Post a staple of Navajo and Pueblo Indian art. He would frequently invite natives to show off their jewelry, art, and silversmithing skills. Strausenback passed away in October of 1967 near his home in Lupton Colorado His widow, Esther, continued to run the Trading Post until 1979 when T.A.T. Enterprises acquired the business. Since then, the store has been drastically expanded upon. The original store was a mere 2,000 square feet. Currently, the Trading Post boasts an impressive 25,000 square feet of space with plans for more expansion in the near future. Throughout the constant expansion on Strausenbacks work, the Trading Post never lost its historic roots. Original Native American art is still on display as well as paintings and photographs done by Strausenback himself.  Our art gallery also features the work of local artists, traditional as well as contemporary Native American jewelry, Navajo rugs, sculptures, and pueblo pottery.