Wool Warehouse (Albuquerque, New Mexico) facts for kids
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New Mexico–Arizona Wool Warehouse
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| Location | 520 1st St. NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | T. Charles Gaastra |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000400 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 23, 1981 |
The Wool Warehouse is a cool old building in downtown Albuquerque. It was originally called the New Mexico–Arizona Wool Warehouse. This historic building is located in the city's Warehouse District.
It was built between 1928 and 1929 by a wool merchant named Frank Bond. The warehouse was super important for New Mexico's wool industry in the middle of the 20th century. Because of its history, it was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1980. It also joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
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A Look Back at the Wool Warehouse
Albuquerque was a perfect spot for the wool trade. It was right in the middle of New Mexico and had easy access to the AT&SF Railway. This train line helped move wool all over the country. After World War I, people in America wanted a lot more wool. This made the wool business in New Mexico grow very fast.
How the Warehouse Helped the Wool Business
The Wool Warehouse was finished in 1929. It showed how important the wool industry had become. This huge building could hold five million pounds of wool and animal hides! Imagine how much wool that is. The warehouse also had offices for several companies. These included the Bond-McRae wool trading company and the Wool Warehouse Company. There was also the New Mexico Cooperative Wool Marketing Association. Frank Bond was the boss of the first two companies. His son took over the businesses in 1936.
Why Wool Production Slowed Down
Starting in the 1940s, New Mexico began to produce less wool. Several things caused this change. It became harder to find enough land for sheep to graze. Also, new types of clothes made from synthetic fabrics became very popular. These new fabrics were often cheaper and easier to care for than wool.
Because sales were dropping, the Wool Marketing Association closed in 1959. The warehouse itself stopped being used for wool in 1972.
What the Warehouse is Used for Now
In 1985, the building got a big makeover. It cost $2.5 million to turn it into a theater and a restaurant. Since 1994, a local non-profit group called Youth Development, Inc. has owned the building. They use it sometimes for fun events like concerts and dances.
The Design of the Wool Warehouse
The Wool Warehouse was designed by an architect from Albuquerque named T. Charles Gaastra. He also designed other famous buildings in the city. These include the Monte Vista School and the Hendren Building.
The warehouse is a two-story building made of red bricks. It has a total of 40,000 square feet of space inside. If you look closely at the inside of the building, you might notice something interesting. The design of its 36 support columns looks a bit like ancient Egyptian art!
