resting place

After seeing many of Mary Colter’s creative endeavors in Grand Canyon National Park, there was one more place on the checklist in Winslow Arizona: La Posada.

Mary Colter envisioned La Posada as the grand hacienda of a wealthy Spanish landowner, whose family lived here for 120 years, occasionally expanding the hotel until it finally resembled the structure we see today. This fantasy guided every aspect of her architectural design.

As soon as you enter through the hand-painted gateway, the textured array of plant-life, teal doorways, and orange peel tiling accenting off neutral tone Pueblo-style walls welcome all weary travelers.

The narrative expands, setting the stylistic tone from the distressed rafters to the worn brick floors of the main hallway connecting the wings of the establishment.

The oldest part of the home—the central two floors—rose like a dream adrift in a sea of wild sage. The second Don Pájaros grew the herd to 20,000 head, watering greedily from the headwaters of the Little Colorado all the way to Grand Falls, and added the east wing (now the dining room and railway offices) as the ranch quarters.

La Posada, The Plaza, and The Castañeda all have a Trading Post, with an extensive collection of regionally curated arts and crafts. It’s easy to get lost and spend a majority of time there.

There is a wall dedicated to the 20th century personalities that frequented the location when through-traffic was higher from the Santa Fe Railway. Some notable ones are Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhardt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Betty Grable, and Johne Wayne.

Upon exiting out of the back doors you can loop back to the entrance courtyard. As suggested by the iron door handles, enter silently and depart peacefully. A proper resting place it is.