Trails and Treasures Home Page  Road Trips  Across America 2004 Searching for Fred Harvey

Winslow, Arizona

Winslow was once the largest town in northern Arizona courtesy of the Santa Fe Railway which had its Arizona headquarters here.  As the railroad declined, Route 66 became the mode of travel, and Winslow continued to thrive. But, with the building of I-40, the economy went downhill.

“Take It Easy,” a hit song by the Eagles with the lyrics “Standin’ On a corner in Winslow, Arizona …,” is celebrated with a small park that contains a bronze statue and a mural depicting the story behind the song.

La Posada, a Fred Harvey hotel built in 1930, was Mary Colter’s masterpiece.  Designed as a Spanish hacienda, the hotel was a favorite retreat for the rich and famous—Howard Hughes was a regular guest, and Charles Lindbergh honeymooned here.  La Posada closed in 1957 and barely escaped the wrecker’s ball—the fate of most Harvey hotels.  La Posada is back in business and is billed as the Last Great Railroad Hotel.  Each bedroom is unique and is named after a famous guest.  I stayed in the Victor Mature room.