Winslow: Route 66 and Railroad History

For a hotel trip to Winslow, several distinct interests can help guide your plans: historic Route 66, the history of rail travel, and the art of Standin’ On The Corner Park. There are also two museums in historic buildings, along with options for a self-guided tour and a walking tour. The sites differ mainly in their respective themes, so you can tailor your plans to what you’d like to learn more about in Winslow.

Route 66 and the location of the La Posada Hotel

Winslow is located on historic Route 66. The La Posada Hotel is in the heart of the city on the old Route 66. These details provide two points of reference: the first describes Winslow’s connection to the historic road, while the second gives the location of a specific hotel. This keeps your hotel choice tied to a particular place without making Route 66 the only focus of your stay.

Hotel history and the historic district

The La Posada Hotel opened in 1930 as a luxury railroad hotel in the Fred Harvey series. This description combines a specific opening year with a clearly defined hotel type: a luxury property in Fred Harvey’s railroad hotel series. The year 1930 and the hotel’s place in the Fred Harvey series add detail beyond the general Route 66 connection: this is specifically the history of a railroad hotel.

The La Posada Historic District covers 11 acres and includes a hotel and a train station. This is a different perspective from the history of the railroad hotel that opened in 1930: the district is described by its multiple components and its area, not just by the history of one building. If you compare historic places by their scope, this distinction helps you consider the hotel’s history separately from the wider district.

Museums in historic buildings

The Old Trails Museum is located in the First National Bank building, which dates to 1921. The Affeldt Mion Museum is located in the 1930 depot at the La Posada Hotel. The buildings offer different historical points of reference through their types and dates: one museum is associated with a bank building, the other with a depot. The years can also be compared at a glance: 1921 for the bank building and 1930 for the depot. As you plan, you can decide whether to focus on the museum in the bank building or the one in the historic depot.

Art and song at Standin’ On The Corner Park

The committee for Standin’ On The Corner in Winslow, Arizona Park decided that the park should focus on the song “Take It Easy.” The artworks described include a two-story mural by trompe-l’œil artist John Pugh and a life-size bronze statue depicting a 1970s man with a guitar. The two works offer different points of interest: the mural draws attention to its scale and illusionistic technique, while the statue’s features include its material, life-size dimensions, and the guitar-playing figure it depicts. If public art is one of your travel interests, the park is a clearly defined point of interest in Winslow.

Tours at the La Posada Hotel and gardens

The La Posada Hotel offers a self-guided tour about its history and restoration. There is also a walking tour of the La Posada Organic Gardens. The two options have different focuses: the tour covers the hotel’s history and restoration, while the walk focuses on the gardens. If you want to plan around one of these topics, check the latest visitor information for each tour before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Snowflake, Show Low, Holbrook, Heber-Overgaard, Kayenta, Pinetop-Lakeside

Back to the main travel overview: Navajo.