Huerfano Chapter

The Huerfano Chapter area covers approximately 90 square miles in the most Northeastern portion of the Navajo Nation. The Chapter covers the communities of Carson, Otis Bisti, Adobe, Gallegos, Blanco, and Jacquez. It is part of the Eastern Navajo Agency, commonly known as the “Checker-Board” area due to the land ownership mixture of privately owned lands, Indian allotted lands, Navajo trust lands, state and BLM lands. Huerfano Chapter has the largest land base in the Eastern Navajo Agency and second only to Bodaway/Gap Chapter (Arizona) among the 110 Navajo Nation Chapters, however not all of the Huerfano land base is Tribal Trust. The population is second to the Crownpoint Chapter in the Eastern Navajo Agency.

The Chapter was certified in 1956 and the first chapter office building was established in 1957, thereafter, in 1970 the second chapter office building was constructed, however, destroyed in a fire accident in the late 1980s. Upon lengthy negotiations between the Navajo Government and its insurance carrier, a new chapter house was built in 1990. Other buildings on the Chapter House compound include a Youth Center  and Senior Citizen Center.

The Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Clinic is situated near the Community School, mainly referred to as “DZ” because of the difficulty pronouncing the Navajo language. The IHS facility is open to patients on a daily basis.

Most of the Navajo Agricultural Product Industry (NAPI) & Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP) operations are situated in the Huerfano Chapter area.  NAPI and NIIP operations provide employment for Huerfano community members. The “Big-Farm,” as it is referred to in the Navajo language is still growing and all together, eleven blocks of 10,000 acres are planned. Seven blocks have been completed under the federal NIIP. At full operation NIIP will cover 110,000 acres and NAPI is expected to generate more than 3,000+ jobs.