Mabel Dodge Luhan House facts for kids
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Mabel Dodge Luhan House
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View from entry courtyard
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Location | Luhan Lane, Taos, New Mexico |
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| Area | 5.3 acres (2.1 ha) |
| Built | 1800 |
| Architect | Tony Luhan; Mabel Dodge Luhan |
| Architectural style | Pueblo |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001832 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | December 4, 1991 |
The Mabel Dodge Luhan House, also known as the Big House, is a special historic home in Taos, New Mexico, United States. It's located at 240 Morada Lane. This house became a National Historic Landmark in 1991, meaning it's a really important place in American history. Today, it's used as a hotel and a place for meetings and workshops.
This house was once the home of a famous writer and arts supporter named Mabel Dodge Luhan (1879–1962). She was known for hosting amazing gatherings, like a "salon," where many well-known writers, painters, photographers, and musicians would visit. She helped to support and grow the young Taos art colony in the early 1900s.
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What Makes the Mabel Dodge Luhan House Special?
The Mabel Dodge Luhan House is found near the edge of Taos town center. It's a large house with more than 20 rooms and can be up to three stories tall. It's built from adobe, which is a traditional building material made from earth.
Pueblo Revival Style Architecture
The house is a great example of the "Pueblo Revival" style. This style mixes old Native American Pueblo building ideas with Spanish Colonial designs. It looks like the traditional homes built by the Pueblo people, but with some newer touches.
History of the Big House
The house was built between 1917 and 1922. It used many of the same building methods that Pueblo people have used for hundreds of years. The construction even included parts of two older buildings. Tony Luhan, a Native American man whom Mabel Dodge later married, helped oversee the building work.
Inside the Historic Home
Inside, there are some famous rooms. The "Big Room" is a large space that acts as both an entrance and a main gathering area. There's also the "Rainbow Room," which got its name because of the colorful paint on the wooden ceiling beams. The Mabel Dodge Luhan House was the largest of several smaller homes Mabel built on her property. The other smaller houses were for guests, but they haven't been kept up as well.
Mabel Dodge Luhan's Influence
Mabel Dodge Luhan came from a wealthy family and had a good education in the arts. In the 1910s, she became famous for her "salon" gatherings in her New York City apartment. These were social events where important people in arts and culture would meet and talk.
In 1917, she moved to New Mexico. She soon bought the property near Taos and wanted to create the same kind of lively art gathering place there. She hoped to help the growing art community in Taos.
Famous Visitors and Their Impact
Mabel's efforts were very successful and helped many famous people in their careers. Writers like Willa Cather and D.H. Lawrence visited. Artists and photographers such as Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Edward Weston also spent time there. Even musicians like composer Leopold Stokowski and Dane Rudhyar were guests. While living in the house, Mabel Luhan also wrote seven books about American culture and ideas.
Later, the house was owned for a while by actor Dennis Hopper. Today, it continues to be a hotel and conference center, focusing on education and creative activities.
Gallery
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Mabel Dodge Luhan House
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Outdoor deck
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Garden
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Entrance
See also
In Spanish: Casa Mabel Dodge Luhan para niños
