By China Cassidy Due to COVID-19 and the restrictions prohibiting large gatherings, many of the summer and fall events, such as the Native American dances and Wild West Fest that celebrates the area’s history, have been canceled or reworked so they could be hosted virtually. Thankfully, the Historic Navajo County Courthouse Museum and Visitors Center, which was built in the late 1800’s and originally housed the jail and county administration until 1976, is open for visitors. Standing for more than a century, the museum is a great place to get back in touch with some of the town’s early history and learn what roll it still plays in today’s Holbrook. Visitors can view glass cases full of old pottery from the Arizona indigenous tribes including Navajo, Hopi, Yavapai, Havasupai and White Mountain Apache tribes. There are also photos of those who played significant roles in the town’s history and the tools and personal belongings of the people that lived here. One commonly referenced person in Holbrook’s history is Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens. From the beginning, Holbrook had quite the reputation for being a lawless Old West town. Owens is remembered for the shootout at the Blevins house, which now serves as the Holbrook Senior Extended Care facility, where he was said to have killed three men and wounded a fourth, when he went to serve a warrant on Andy Blevins for horse stealing. Sheriff Owens was just the first in a long line of dedicated citizens who would take the oath to uphold the law in the area over the next century. There is an exhibit inside the museum dedicated to the sheriffs who have served from Owens, all the way to the previous Navajo County Sheriff, K.C. Clark who retired in 2019. Another exhibit that represents a big part of the history of Holbrook as the county seat, is the old courtroom that sits on the second floor of the building. The courtroom was host to many trials over its years into the early 2000’s, decades after the building was converted into a museum in the 1970’s. The room still has most of the original benches and jury seats and the judge’s chambers have also been well preserved over the years. Authentic and fragile photos of Holbrook in its Old West heyday and the saloons that catered to the outlaws can also be seen throughout the courtroom. Although, the room has not been used for a real trial for some time, there are still reenactments done for special events. Aside from its history as the justice system in Navajo County and the remnants of Holbrook’s Wild West beginnings, there is so much more to explore within the local gem. There are exhibits that represent Holbrook’s multi-cultural history. From displays with Spanish prayer books dating back to the 1920’s, to the grinding stones and pottery used and made by the areas Native Americans, the history. As one of Holbrook’s oldest and most prominent buildings, it seems fitting that it became home to the area’s history. The museum also features exhibits of old barber shops and clothing displays that show how style has changed over the decades, from flapper dresses in the 1920s to the law enforcement uniforms worn throughout the years. Other rooms are filled with items that are still used today but in a much different form, such as kitchen stoves and telephones. There is a drug store arranged as it likely looked when it was operated years ago. With so many displays, visitors can step back in time and see how things like photography, telecommunications, kitchenware, barber shops, school systems and many other things have evolved over the years. There are even fossil exhibits tying Holbrook at the gateway to the Petrified Forest National Park. The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Anyone seeking more information can call (928) 524-6558. The Historic Navajo County Courthouse Museum and Visitors Center is located at 100 E. Arizona St. in Holbrook. Masks are required unless there is a reason that prevents someone from wearing one
