A section of railroad being built in Eastern Arizona, circa 1900. (Courtesy photo)

Enjoy reading up on some Eastern Arizona history by visiting the Eastern Arizona Museum and Historical Society located in the town of Pima. The building the museum is located in is, in itself a historical piece, as it used to be the Bank of Pima, the oldest structure in Pima. The building was constructed in 1882 of tufa stone from the limestone quarry at Bear Springs Flat and was originally used as a community conference area. Of the trio of historical buildings used for the museum is the Old Rexall Drug Store, built around 1900 and moved to the old Royal Confectionery building in 1928. When you step inside the museum, it’s as though everything inside the building had been frozen in time from the early 1900s, with original fixtures, tools, and various items that had long since been left behind by their owners.

Museum collections include:

American Indian Artifacts

Arizona History books

Barbed wire collections

Guns and knives

Hand tools

Handwork

Individual and family histories

Photographs

Quilts

School Annuals and Artifacts

Vintage clothing, shoes, jewelry and grooming items

Wood carvings – an extensive collection by local Don McFate

For museum operating hours and more information about the museum, please visit: http://easternarizonamuseum.com/.

Come visit the Pipe Spring National Monument, located in Fredonia, where American Indians, Mormon pioneers, plants, animals, and many others have depended on the life-giving water found at this historical spring. Learn about pioneer and Kaibab Paiute life, dating back to more than 140 years ago, by exploring the museum, or visit a remarkable fort and the historical cabins preserved on the property, or take a stroll through a garden and orchard located near the Ridge Trail.  Visit with rangers, ranch animals, and attend living history demonstrations and talks.

Whether you’re on a time crunch or you’ve come to visit for the day, stop by and check out the visitor center and museum where you can learn about the Kaibab Paiute Indians and Mormon pioneers, take a 25-minute tour of the Winsor Castle tour (offered every half hour), or stretch your legs out by walking the half-mile trail a bit and enjoy beautiful desert views and endless blue skies.