OTM Exhibits
The Story of Winslow
Housed in the 1921 First National Bank Building — which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places — the Old Trails Museum has retained the bank’s original marble-faced counters, mosaic tile floor, and vault, which provide a historic backdrop for our exhibits and collections. The permanent exhibit’s text panels debuted in 2015 and tell the history of Winslow alongside images and artifacts donated by decades of museum supporters.
The Story of Winslow exhibit topics include:
- Area pre-history, including Meteor Crater and Columbian Mammoths
- Hopi, Laguna, and Navajo peoples
- Historic trails and early residents, including the Mormons’ Brigham City
- The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
- Area ranches & ranchers, and trading posts & traders
- Winslow’s Harvey Houses, Harvey Girls, and La Posada Hotel
- US Route 66 and Winslow’s historic airport
- Civic life including military service, medical care, and education
- Community life including organizations, recreation, and entertainment
The Old Trails Museum debuted the Journeys to Winslow exhibit in October 2017 in the Skylark Courtyard, which is a stop along the Journey Through Winslow Pathway. Developed by Tess and Lawrence Kenna, the Pathway is a trail for residents and visitors to explore Winslow’s history and current downtown revitalization, and its other stops include the World’s Smallest Church on Route 66 and historic facades and murals throughout the downtown historic district. The Kennas funded the reprinting of Journeys to Winslow, which was originally developed by the Old Trails Museum for the Winslow stop on the Arizona tour of the Smithsonian’s Journey Stories exhibition (above at the Grand Opening at La Posada Hotel in June 2013).
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 1-The First Peoples of the Southeastern Colorado Plateau
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 2-Early Trails Across the Little Colorado River Valley
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 3-The Railroads Build a Town-Early Days
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 4-The Railroads Build a Town-Early Industry
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 5-A City in Motion-The Heyday of Rail Travel
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 6-A City in Motion-Modern Modes
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 7-Winslow Today-Commerce and Services
Journeys to Winslow-Panel 8-Winslow Today-Downtown Renaissance and Tourism
The Winslow Visitors Center: A Hubbell Trading Post History
The Old Trails Museum debuted The Winslow Visitors Center: A Hubbell Trading Post History exhibit at the Winslow Visitors Center’s Centennial Celebration in July 2017. Trading posts played a unique role in the economy of the American West from the 1870s through the 1970s. John Lorenzo Hubbell was the most successful, respected, and influential trader of the era, and the Hubbell Trading Post and Warehouse in Winslow played a critical role in the family’s trading empire. The exhibit was made possible by the Old Trails Museum and the Winslow Chamber of Commerce, which operates the Winslow Visitors Center from the former trading post.
Hubbell Trading Post-Panel 1-Introduction
Hubbell Trading Post-Panel 2-The Hubbell Family Empire
African Americans in Winslow: Scenes from Our History
The Old Trails Museum debuted the African Americans in Winslow: Scenes from Our History exhibit at A Stroll Through Black History, one in a series of events hosted by the NAACP-Winslow Branch to celebrate Black History Month in February 2017. OTM expanded the exhibit for February 2018 and hopes to continue adding oral histories and images from more of Winslow’s African American families. Please contact OTM Director Ann-Mary Lutzick at 928-289-5861 if you would like to contribute.
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 1-Introduction
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 2-Winslow
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 3-Tommy Dukes
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 4-Mel Hannah
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 5-The Hayes Family
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 6-Dennis Randles
African Americans in Winslow-Panel 7-The Renfro Family
Snowdrift Art Space: 100 Years of History
The Old Trails Museum debuted the Snowdrift Art Space: One Hundred Years of History exhibit at the Snowdrift Art Space Centennial Celebration in October 2014, when the museum joined Snowdrift Art Space and the Winslow Arts Trust in celebrating a century in the life of one of Winslow’s most historic buildings. The exhibit, also on permanent display at Snowdrift Art Space, tells the story of the building’s evolution as the Babbitt Brothers’ largest branch store to its present-day incarnation as an art gallery and studio space.
Snowdrift Art Space-Panel 1-The Babbitt Brothers in Winslow
Flying through History: The Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport
The Old Trails Museum debuted the Flying through History: The Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport exhibit at the 2014 High Desert Fly-In, a free annual event when residents, tourists, and pilots from around the country are invited to Winslow’s historic airport to enjoy airplanes, history, food, and more. The exhibit tells the airport’s story from its celebrated beginnings through the present day. For information about the upcoming High Desert Fly-In, go to the event website and Facebook page.
Flying Through History-Panel 1-Introduction
Flying Through History-Panel 2-An Airport is Born-Lindbergh & TAT
Flying Through History-Panel 3-Early Operations-TWA in the 1930s
Flying Through History-Panel 4-The US Military in Winslow
Flying Through History-Panel 5-Civil Aviation Comes of Age
Flying Through History-Panel 6-The Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport Today
Women of Winslow
To celebrate 100 years of Arizona statehood on February 14, 2012, volunteers formed the Winslow Centennial Committee and developed Second Saturdays in Winslow, monthly programs that explored Winslow’s diverse history. To kick things off in summer 2011, OTM co-hosted the Arizona Women’s Heritage Trail traveling exhibit, How Splendid is our Past, at La Posada Hotel, and created this companion exhibit entitled Women of Winslow.
Women of Winslow-Panel 1-Introduction
Women of Winslow-Panel 2-Elsa Lomawaima Adams
Women of Winslow-Panel 3-Frona Parr Drumm
Women of Winslow-Panel 4-Mary Giragi Ferguson
Women of Winslow-Panel 5-Doctor Grandma French
Women of Winslow-Panel 6-Mabel Nagel
Women of Winslow-Panel 7-Verla Oare
Women of Winslow-Panel 8-Florence Beck Olmstead
Women of Winslow-Panel 9-Betty Patterson
Women of Winslow-Panel 10-Minnie Platt
Women of Winslow-Panel 11-Zada Purdy
Women of Winslow-Panel 12-Vada Carlson Rodriguez
Women of Winslow-Panel 13-Winslow Business and Professional Women’s Club