School is Back in Session

The venue that is now home to the Patagonia Museum closed its doors in 2015 as the “longest in contiguous use” elementary school in Arizona. Hundreds of kids passed through its doors in the 101 years it was in service as a school. The halls are much quieter now so it’s no wonder that we were happy to arrange a private tour for 12-year-old Cole & 9-year-old Natalie, at the request of their aunt who writes our favorite “Glimpses of the Past” series for the local newspaper.

Like most kids, they loved the playground and the bright mural painted by talented local artists but they also enjoyed exploring the current exhibits in the Museum.  The Cowbelle’s room is dedicated to the rich history of ranching in Santa Cruz County and is full of western artifacts that intrigued Cole & Natalie. When they learned there were 7 saloons located on the main street between 1900 – 1910. they agreed it’s likely that some of those cowboys spent the night chained to “the Patagonia jail tree” when they were too intoxicated to ride home safely. Note: The re-enactment was thoroughly enjoyed by the adults on the tour.

Educating people about the rich and diverse history of the people, places and things that typified eastern Santa Cruz County is the reason the Museum exists. Based on the note our curators received after their visit, we’d say our mission was accomplished.

The Museum is open Thursday – Saturday from 2 to 4, year-round. Drop us a note if you’re in the area outside those hours and we’ll do our best to ensure you too can see the sights.