Willcox: Railway History, Museums and Culture

Willcox brings together railway and local history with museums, film, stage performances and wine. If you’re looking for a hotel here, it helps to start planning your trip by deciding what you’d like to focus on: historic architecture, the legacy of Rex Allen, or cultural and event offerings. The themes range from a station on a transcontinental railway line to arts programs and wine tastings.

Railway and Local History

The Southern Pacific Railroad Station in Willcox was built from redwood in 1880. It is the only known original wood-frame railroad station still standing at its original location along the second transcontinental railway line from Los Angeles to Chicago. This puts a specific station at the heart of a broader railway history. The Railroad Avenue Historic District offers a different historical context: its significance lies in its connection to Willcox’s early settlement and the city’s development into a commercial center for the Sulphur Springs Valley. This offers two distinct ways to understand Willcox’s past: transportation history and economic development.

Individual buildings also offer clues to history and architecture. The Schwertner House was built around 1880 as a lodging house for army personnel traveling to Fort Grant. Nicholson Drugstore has the only pressed-tin storefront in Willcox. The Schwertner House is described in terms of its approximate construction date and former use, while the drugstore is distinguished by a unique architectural detail.

Museums and Rex Allen

The Rex Allen Museum opened in 1989 in honor of Rex Elvie Allen, who became known as the last of the singing cowboys of Western films. On display are memorabilia from his successful career in rodeo, radio, film and television. The subject therefore goes beyond a single medium and spans different stages of his career.

The Cochise Defense Antiquities Museum is located at the Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona. It is dedicated to the spirit of the Chiricahuas, who once roamed this land. If you’re planning a visit, check the visiting arrangements before you travel.

Film, Stage and Art

The Willcox Historic Theater shows current movies seven days a week. As programming and hours may change, check the current schedule when planning a specific visit. The 1937 cinema has been restored inside and out in an authentic Art Deco style. The theater thus offers two distinct points of interest: its ongoing movie screenings and the historic design of the building.

Willcox Theater and Arts offers live stage performances, art workshops, and STEAM and digital arts programs. These offerings complement the cinema with live performances and opportunities to explore art and creative subjects.

Wine and Events

Willcox Wine Country welcomes visitors to tasting rooms to enjoy locally grown and produced wines. Rex Allen Days in Willcox includes a rodeo, parade, rides, live entertainment and family-friendly activities honoring Rex Allen. The program may vary from year to year; if the event is important to your travel dates, check the current event dates. The museum and event share the same name but have different focuses: the museum centers on memorabilia from Rex Allen’s career, while Rex Allen Days centers on its event program.

When choosing a theme for your trip, you can distinguish historic buildings and railway history from film, stage performances, art and wine. This lets you tailor your stay to what interests you most in Willcox, without combining the different offerings into a single program.

Discover more destinations: Bisbee, Douglas, Tombstone, Benson, Sierra Vista

For the main travel overview: Cochise County.