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Recently, when a visitor to the Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO) asked Park Ranger Sarah Herve why Holbrook doesn’t seem to celebrate or even capitalize more on being the gateway community to PEFO the way other small towns do, Herve took the discussion to social media asking residents, former residents and property owners to share their thoughts on ways for Holbrook to align more with PEFO and its visitors.
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The discussion highlighted both the passions and frustrations felt by people as they work to find a way to help Holbrook not only survive but thrive in the world of today, while promoting the rich history of its past.
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Suggestions ranged from Matthew Smith’s idea of creating a Japanese-brew pub with a southwestern flair that featured brews like Arizona Sake, Bucket of Blood Red, Painted Desert Pilsner, Sonsela Stout or Long Logs Lager served with koji marinated pork on Navajo fry bread to a Dino Days Festival and tours that would include PEFO.
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“After a belly buster meal at the pub or one of our great restaurants in the calm of the morning before the winds kick up, take a balloon tour to showcase the landscape,” wrote Smith.
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Mike Baer suggested a Dino Days festival to be done in conjunction with PEFO at the Navajo County Fairgrounds. “Bring in scientists, actual dinosaur exhibits along with science fairs with surrounding schools,” wrote Baer. “Get the Roxy Theater to play Jurassic Park movies during the festival.”
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The festival theme continued with suggestions that Holbrook coordinate with PEFO Dark Sky events, with activities being in town as well as at the PEFO.
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Another idea offered was a shuttle service from the hotels to PEFO as well as tour cars to take visitors to the various sites nearby.
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Mindy Marie suggested, “Get one or more of the hotels to run a shuttle to and from PEFO for their guests and maybe couple it with some PEFO/hotel package deal.”
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Speaking of tours, Tany Tafoya wrote in, “We need our own version of the ‘Pink Jeep Tour’.”
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Michael O’Dell noted, “I am the tour guide at Hidden Cove Petroglyph Park by the Golf Course. Many visitors come there now and many have stayed over to go out there. It’s also become a popular bird watching attraction. It is an asset and part of the big picture for Holbrook’s tourism.”
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The idea of signage was floated out as well from LEDS and neon to archways created out of dinosaurs.
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Linda Kor wrote, “I am in favor of a large LED neon archway that says ‘Holbrook, Gateway to the Petrified Forest’ over Hopi Drive. Then the rest of the businesses on Hopi can seek funding for LED signs too.”
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Smith countered, “Instead of LEDs, let’s encourage a neon artist to set up shop here to provide custom made signs to shops all along Route 66; maybe two neon dinosaurs forming the legs of the arch. I’m not really into the light pollution or energy neon consumes but it really is our kind of thing.”
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O’Dell wrote, “PEFO helped us get the Hidden Cove Park off the ground by helping us obtain the grant we got from the National Park Service. PEFO offered the Route 66 Relics Tour for our Route 66 Festival, which was very unique and very popular. Not to mention their help with the Train Depot Art Shows. The partnership between PEFO and the city has become strong over the years and will only become stronger as we head in this direction.”
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Emily Girard added, “The numbers of tourists who drive through the park each day are great. It is the fact that you have to hold them over. This is the hard part and it does need to be festivals, etc. But at the same time we need to continue to clean up Holbrook and take care of the abandoned buildings. Holbrook has a lot to offer towards the small town appeal that people like.”
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Sarah Hancock shared, “Holbrook is what we make it. We can all sit around complaining about how Holbrook has refused to do anything about tourism, or we can do our part and tell about the things we like.”
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Smith shared, “I have seen the struggles Holbrook has had over the last 10 years, but I also see a diverse town filled with kind and unique people. I think we need to capitalize on our link with PEFO for sure but do it in a way that capitalizes on our strengths, history and local talent. We need to have a unique Holbrook hook that is sophisticated and gets people to stay for more than one day. Based on the resources of PEFO I know this area has been a travel corridor and therefore a cultural crossroad for thousands of years.”
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Arizona Sake brewer Atsuo Sakurai added, “I want to make this a town where people create their own businesses such as cafes, tour guides, grocery stores, hotels, Navajo food restaurant, construction, farming, etc. We need to show young people their bright future even from the middle of the desert.”
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O’Dell shared, “There are enough cool places right around Holbrook that you could spend days just in our area. I’ve taken some folks on my own out to the Woodruff canyons and they just love it. Homolovi and Rock Art Ranch are close enough to be considered in the Holbrook area.”
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Other suggestions included meeting as a group to bring the ideas together and create a working plan to make these ideas a reality in Holbrook.
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Herve said plans are in place to bring these ideas and this discussion to the Holbrook City Council and Chamber of Commerce.
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For those interested in what other gateway cities are doing, check out the following websites: Tusayan, Arizona (Gateway to the Grand Canyon) www.southrichamberofcommerce.com; Moab, Utah (Gateway to Arches and Canyonlands) www.moabchamber.com; and Gardiner, Montana (Gateway to Yellowstone) www.facebook.com/visitgardinermt.
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