"Well, I'm a standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It's a girl, my Lord, in a flat-bed Ford
Slowin' down to take a look at me"
"Take It Easy", the Eagles first hit, was co-written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey in 1972. Seemingly timeless, the song is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and still resonates today.
When I drove through Winslow in 2007, I was on a mission to find the Whispering Giant sculpted by Peter Toth. I was unaware of "Standin' On The Corner Park" created by the town in 1999. It was only later that I learned of it and promised myself I'd return some day to see it. Twelve years later, I did just that.
The park has a statue of a young man (not meant to be anyone in particular) standing by a lamp post, holding a guitar. The adjacent building has a mural showing the reflection of a flatbed Ford truck with a blonde woman inside. Two second story windows have an eagle perched on one, while a man and woman can be seen through another. An actual Ford truck is parked on the street. In 2016, they added a statue of Glenn Frey as he looked in the 1970s. Across the street, a gift shop specializes in Eagles memorabilia and plays Eagles songs loud enough to be heard at the park, adding to the ambiance.
And, speaking of the Whispering Giant, here's a photo of it. It's too bad they placed the sculpture so the sun and the rail yard are behind the figure, making it difficult to get a suitable image.
Winslow is also home to La Posada Hotel, the last of the Harvey Houses that were built across the West, primarily along the railroad and Route 66. Fred Harvey immigrated from England in 1853 at the age of 17 and worked as a busboy and pot scrubber for a New York City restaurant. He learned the business as he progressed to more responsible positions, especially the value of quality food and service. After several restaurants with bad partners, he contracted with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad to provide the first restaurant chain in the U.S. His restaurants became famous for good food, good value and fast service provided by waitresses known as "Harvey Girls". Their story was told in a 1942 novel and 1946 movie musical starring Judy Garland. Young women flocked from all over to work for the Harvey Company. Despite strict rules and hard work, they were paid well and took great pride in their work.
A plaque on the hotel credits Mary Jane Colter for its design, and the National Park Service claims she was the architect for several iconic buildings at Grand Canyon. I had always heard of her as the preeminent architect of the "Southwest Style". Recently, a book was published that asserts she was a fraud, claiming credit for the work of others. It's hard to see how that could have been done, but the book reportedly has some creditable evidence. In any case, La Posada is a splendid building with beautiful art and furnishings. I had a nice lunch in the Turquoise Room, served by a lovely young Navajo woman.
The gift/jewelry shop contains high quality merchandise, and the interior design of the building is outstanding.
The principal artist on display is a woman named Tina Mion, who actually owns La Posada with her husband. They restored the hotel after it had suffered many years of neglect. Ms. Mion has lived an extraordinarily chaotic life (including part of her childhood spent living in an abandoned mortuary), which is reflected in her art. Several paintings associate people (some famous, some infamous) with spoons, which may seem a little strange, but not as strange as some of her other works. I encourage you to check out her web site and read all about her life and study her work. To call her, or her work, eccentric could be the understatement of the century. Click on Tina Mion.
My stay in Arizona finished with a very nice sunset.
Now that I'm back in Colorado for a while, there will be a break in the travelogue. I do have plans for a quick trip to Florida in May, and a family cruise to Alaska in June. Beyond that, we'll have to see.
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