Blog Post

Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona

March 17, 2023

Winslow, Arizona, United States--The giant Navajo Rug on display at the La Posada Hotel Museum is 26 feet by 36 feet in size and weighs 250 pounds and the condition is mint condition with vibrant colors, weaving and surface perfect; it sets the world record for being the Worlds Largest Navajo Rug, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

Photo above: Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona. The 26-by-36-foot Hubbell Rug made a rare appearance at the Winslow High School Gym during the Rural Policy Forum. A team of si La Posada employees moved and unrolled the rug for the event. Photo: La Posada Hotel.

"Dan Lutzik, La Posada general manager had Mary Walker, an assistant in at WAT (Winslow Arts Trust) analyze the rug and help to prepare a plan for permanent display," the Navajo-Hopi Observer reports.

"The rug may be available for viewing at future dates and times, as the final display circumstances allow. More information about viewing the rug is available by calling La Posada at (928) 289 4366 to determine if rug viewing is open when you expect to be in Winslow."

Photo above: Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona. Photo: La Posada Hotel.

"Hubbell, while in business in Winslow, Arizona, decided to make the "World's Largest Navajo Rug" as a tribute to Native American weavers and as a Southwest craft item, attracting people from around the world to northern Arizona. The rug was seamless and is 26 by 36 feet in size with patterns not recognized then," the Navajo-Hopi Observer reports.

'The patterns for the rug were provided by Sam Joe of Ganado at Hubbell's instruction. Joe was to dig up ancient pottery and find designs of very old and non-contemporary symbols. These designs were the basis for the rug.

"Hubbell also had a special block barn made to house the gigantic loom required to weave the rug. The building was 30 feet by 40 feet by 10 feet high inside. The loom's width needed to be about 27 feet wide to accommodate the rug width."

Photo above: Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona. "The rug on display in its future home in the Route 66 Art Museum located in the original railroad station next to La Posada Hotel. In this image the Winslow Harvey Girls are lined up at the west end of the exhibition space." Photo: La Posada Hotel.

"Julia Joe wove the impressive rug in one piece over the course of three years and three months. The loom was so large, 27 feet wide to be exact, Lorenzo had a barn specially built for it," the Handwoven Magazine reports.

"Weighing in at 250 pounds and measuring an impressive 26 by 36 feet, the rug is filled with still-vibrant red and black designs inspired by ancient Native American pottery found in the area."

Photo above: Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona. Photo: Kiril Kirkov/Smithsonian Magazine

"The Winslow Arts Trust at La Posada Hotel has acquired the rug Lorenzo Hubbell Jr. commissioned in 1932. The rug is displayed at La Posada as its initial public showing, the first in 50 years and a very long time since being displayed Winslow. The rug, valued today at $1 million, is on permanent display at the historic train depot, soon to be converted to Route 66 Gallery at La Posada, beginning spring of 2013," the Williams-Grand Canyon News reports.

"Hubbell, while in business in Winslow, Ariz., decided to make the "World's Largest Navajo Rug" as a tribute to Native American weavers and as a southwest craft item, attracting people from around the world to northern Arizona. The rug is seamless and 26 by 36 feet in size with patterns not recognized today.

"The patterns for the rug were provided by Sam Joe of Ganado at Hubbell's instruction. Joe was to dig up ancient pottery and find designs of very old and non-contemporary symbols. These designs were the basis for the rug. Hubbell also had a special block barn made to house the gigantic loom required to weave the rug. The building was 30 feet by 40 feet by 10 feet high inside."

Photo above: "Today we unrolled the Hubbell Rug (the world's largest single loom Navajo textile by weaver Angela Joe) and inspected it for pests prior to transporting it to the Museum of Northern Arizona for preventative freezing at the Eastman Collection Center. It takes 6 people to move the rug and it is so large that we can only unroll 1/2 of the rug in this space. The good news is that we spotted no damage or pests and the rug appears to be in excellent shape. Our thanks to the Museum of Northern Arizona for helping us to preserve this incredible object." Photo: La Posada Hotel.

"Today we unrolled the Hubbell Rug (the world’s largest single loom Navajo textile) and inspected it for pests prior to transporting it to the Museum of Northern Arizona for preventative freezing at the Eastman Collection Center. It takes 6 people to move the rug and it is so large that we can only unroll 1/2 of the rug in this space," La Posada reports.

"The good news is that we spotted no damage or pests and the rug appears to be in excellent shape. Our thanks to the Museum of Northern Arizona for helping us to preserve this incredible object."

Photo above: Worlds Largest Navajo Rug: world record in Winslow, Arizona. Photo: RB Burnham and Company

"In 1932, Lorenzo Hubbell of the Hubbell Trading Posts in Ganado, Arizona, commissioned the Joe family–Julia, Sam, and their daughters Lilly and Erma–to weave the world’s largest Navajo rug. Sam Joe studied ancient pottery to find unique designs and symbols. Julia, Lilly, and Erma then used the wool of 78 sheep–the dying, carding, and spinning of which took two years in itself–to create the yarn for the rug. Of course, weaving the “World’s Largest Navajo Rug” required the world’s largest loom as well–Hubbell had a special building made to accommodate the 27-foot-wide loom," the Charley's Navajo Rugs reports.

"After three straight years of weaving, the rug was finally completed in 1937. As is evident when you see the rug today, it was made of the finest quality yarn and with great attention to detail. The finished product is a beautiful, seamless, 26′ x 36′ rug.

Because of the rug’s size, though, storage and display are difficult.

"In fact, the public was deprived of the opportunity to see the World’s Largest Navajo Rug for 50 years. Fortunately, the Winslow Arts Trust acquired the rug in 2012, and it is now being put on permanent display at the La Posada Hotel historic train depot (located along the old Route 66)."