New Mexico state officials and Navajo Preparatory School are moving forward with plans to construct a museum dedicated to Navajo Code Talkers, with a groundbreaking scheduled for December. However, the facility will be built on the school’s campus in Farmington, located approximately two hours northeast of the originally planned site in Tse Bonito near Window Rock on the Navajo Nation.
Several Code Talker descendants have expressed concerns about the decision to relocate and scale down the museum project. Zonnie Gorman, daughter of original Code Talker Carl N. Gorman and a recognized historian, characterized the move as an overstep by the governor. Laura Tohe, daughter of Code Talker Benson Tohe, objected to the Farmington location, citing what she described as a history of social injustice toward Navajo and Indigenous peoples in that area. Both Gorman and Tohe said they first learned of the plan through unsolicited outreach from architecture firms rather than direct consultation with state officials. Neither Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office nor Navajo Prep responded to requests for comment regarding the project.
State lawmakers have also scrutinized the project. During an Indian Affairs Committee meeting, legislators questioned state officials and Navajo Prep leadership about descendant consultation, operational details, and fund allocation. Sen. Shannon Pinto indicated that Lujan Grisham’s desire to complete construction before leaving office at the end of the year influenced the decision to move the museum to Farmington. The state has allocated $20 million for the project, with approximately $10 million appropriated from 2019 to 2025 and an additional $10 million allocated more recently.
Gorman emphasized that a comprehensive museum would serve to educate the public about the sophistication and complexity of the Code Talkers’ achievements. She noted that public understanding of their work remains limited and shaped by inaccurate stereotypes. The original vision for the Tse Bonito site had included provisions for a veterans center, research facilities, and archival storage in addition to museum exhibits.
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