LA POSADA HOTEL

La Posada Hotel

303 E 2nd St, Winslow, AZ 86047

On May 15, 1930 the famous La Posada Harvey House Hotel opened its doors for business. The last one built in the famous Harvey Hotel and restaurant chain, Winslow was chosen for the site, as it was the headquarters for the Santa Fe Railway. During those days, Winslow was growing so fast that the railroad anticipated the town would soon become another Santa Fe New Mexico. Designed by Mary Colter, the famed Grand Canyon architect, she paid careful detail to blending the aspects of both the Native American and Spanish cultures of the area into the hotel. The La Posada opened just after the Stock Market crash of 1929 but still managed to hang on. When the nation recovered from the depression, the hotel catered to both railroad passengers and the many travelers of the Mother Road. At this time, dozens of other businesses sprouted up in the city, initially catering to the many Dust Bowl escapees, and later, to leisure travelers after World War II. However, by 1957, railroad travel had all but stopped and the beautiful La Pasada Hotel was closed. Two years later, all of its museum-quality furnishings were auctioned off. In the early 1960s much of the building was gutted and transformed into offices for the Santa Fe Railroad. The La Posada wasn�t the only business that suffered during these years. Until the 1960s, Winslow was the largest town in northern Arizona. But life began to slow down in Winslow and when the town was bypassed by I-40 in the 1970s, tourism died and businesses began to close their doors. However, when the railroad announced plans to move out of Winslow for good in 1994, and the La Pasada was scheduled for demolition, the town gathered up and went to work. First on the list of items was to save the old hotel, which they did. Second was the restoration of Winslow's downtown historic district, which continues to this day. Today, the La Pasada has been fully restored and stands as an oasis in the desert, catering to a new generation of Route 66 adventurers. The Old Trails Museum provides a collection of artifacts and memorabilia documenting the history of Winslow and northern Arizona. Make sure to capture a photograph or two at the "Standin� on the Corner� Park. Throughout your cruise in Winslow you�ll catch glimpses of vintage Route 66. For more information about the hotel please visit http:/laposada.org/.