Where Gumbo Was (#477)
Gumbo was visiting the very interesting La Posada Hotel, situated in Winslow, Arizona. Congratulations to Jonathan L and George G, who recognized where Gumbo was!
Winslow has been called, “The town that wouldn’t die” — and that is also true of this beautiful hotel. Situated along historic Route 66, the La Posada is considered the last of the great railway hotels. It was one of the Fred Harvey’s properties — Mr. Harvey being known for his string of high-class railroad hotels and restaurants along the Santa Fe Railway. An MGM movie made about Mr. Harvey — The Harvey Girls — starred Judy Garland.
In the 1920s Harvey company decided to build a major hotel in northern Arizona. It was to be called “La Posada”—the Resting Place— and was to be the finest of hotels. Winslow was chosen as the site of the hotel because it was the Arizona headquarters for the Santa Fe Railway. Construction costs, including the grounds and furnishings were around $2 million in 1929 (over $40 million in today’s dollars).
(Front of the La Posada hotel property)
The hotel was designed by famed architect Mary Colter and it is considered her finest achievement, even greater than her hotels at the Grand Canyon. She was given a free hand and was able to design everything in the hotel, from the landscaping to the furniture to the china.
(At the rear of the property there is still a train stop for the Santa Fe Railroad. The hotel still functions as the Winslow Santa Fe railway station)
La Posada opened in 1930, just after the stock market crash of 1929 heralded the Great Depression. It remained open until 1957 when it was closed to the public. The furnishings were auctioned off in 1959 and in the early 1960s much of the building was transformed into offices for the Santa Fe Railway. The hotel was nearly demolished a number of times.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation found out about the La Posada’s situation, and it came to the attention of Allan Affeldt. Mr. Affeldt purchased it from the Santa Fe Railway and spearheaded its rehabilitation and restoration efforts, which are still ongoing.
Many celebrities have stayed at the La Posada, as varied as Albert Einstein, John Wayne, and Presidents FDR and Truman. The interior is nicely restored and features a variety of interesting art, as you can see from the examples in this blog post.
(Upstairs sitting area/lounge included a game playing area, with an unusual variation on Monopoly)
We didn’t stay at the La Posada, although I’d like to do that sometime. I think it would be memorable — not unlike staying at the Galle Face Hotel in Sri Lanka.
