La Posada to begin restoration of east grounds, depot next month

La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona, will begin a $2 million first phase of restoration of its east grounds and railroad depot in July.

According to a Facebook post a few days ago from hotel owner Allan Affeldt, the project eventually will become the Winslow Arts Museum.

More details:

The Winslow Art Museum will explore the impact of the Santa Fe Railway and Route 66 on artists past and present.
We will display works from our collection and special exhibits including:
— The Hubbell Rug. At 24’ x 36’ this is the world’s largest single-loom Navajo weaving, made for Lorenzo Hubbell from 1930 -1935.
— James Turrell’s models for Roden Crater – the most important land-light project in the world (www.rodencrater.com). Our museum will also be a Visitor Center for Roden Crater.
— The Santa Fe Railway #502. This is the original Pleasure Dome from 1950, the Santa Fe Railway’s first dome/observation car. The #502 includes Mary Colter’s original Turquoise Room, “the finest dining room on rails”, for which Colter designed the famous ‘Mimbreno’ china.

The first phase will begin after seven years of fundraising and acquiring the needed permits.

Alleldt said the depot was designed by noted architect Mary Colter and built in 1929. He said it is Colter’s only unrestored building.

More about Winslow’s fast-expanding arts scene may be found at the Winslow Arts Trust website.

Affeldt bought La Posada, built in 1929, during the 1990s and restored it into one of the most popular and praised lodging properties in the Southwest. It’s also one of the best-preserved examples of Harvey Houses by the Fred Harvey Co. that dotted the region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

He also bought the Plaza Hotel and the closed Hotel Castaneda, both in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 2014. Long-term plans for the Castaneda are to restore and reopen it as a hotel.

(Image of La Posada’s east grounds in Winslow, Arizona, via Facebook)

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