Standing tall amid the shifting sands of time, the Painted Desert Inn in the Petrified Forest National Park hits a monumental 100-year mark this June, 12 News reported. Initially an oasis for weary Route 66 wanderers, the inn, now serves as a museum, celebrating a century of history and survival in the face of near demolition.
The inn's journey began in 1924, courtesy of Herbert David Lore who coined it the "Stone Tree House" because of its unique construction from petrified wood and sandstone. Despite problems with its foundation, the inn withstood the test of time even when the order for its demolition was issued in 1975. Yet, according to park lore, the discovery of murals by famed Hopi painter Fred Kabotie inside its walls led to a successful plea to save the building. “He reached out to higher ups in Washington D.C., explaining the significance of this place and that he couldn’t, in good conscience, tear it down,” Sarah Herve, the interpretation and education program manager at Petrified Forest National Park, explained to 12 News.
The National Park Service recognized Painted Desert Inn's value and its potential, transferring it to a historic landmark in 1987. According to the National Park Service, Lore had initially built the establishment on a seam of bentonite clay, which caused the inn's walls to crack and shift unpredictably. Nonetheless, ingenuity in architecture and restoration has kept the former inn stable enough to become an artifact of the American tale.
In its heyday, the inn poetically punctuated the arid expanses of the Painted Desert with its vibrant murals and local craftsmanship. Today, visitors can still soak in the historic ambiance through exhibits that reveal slices of the past, from Route 66’s glory days to the Civilian Conservation Corps' contributions. While overnight stays and a cold beer are off the table, the Park Service does cater to modern cravings with an on-site ice cream parlor. To mark the centennial, a series of family activities and moonlit tours will be held on June 21 and 22, as the park celebrates this landmark’s storied existence, as Sarah Herve mentioned in a statement to 12 News.
