San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff Arizona This is a photo of the highest mountains in Arizona at 12,633 feet. The San Francisco Mountains are the most prominent volcano in the San Francisco volcanic field around the Flagstaff Arizona area.Photo © copyright by Josiah Davidson, all rights reserved. To buy a print or purchase use rights, go to Josiah Davidson |
Flagstaff Arizona Custom Tours
Flagstaff has a number of museums and historic sites of interest. The premier among them is Northern Arizona Museum which features displays describing the geologic and natural history of the area. There are rooms full of prehistoric Indian artifacts gleaned from nearby ruins. Archeological discoveries indicate a rich and changing culture thrived in this area and traded with natives of Mexico and California. The Museum displays a replica of a Kiva and explanations of some of the ceremonial and religious practices of ancient Native Americans.
Flagstaff
is a town rich in history, folklore, and science. A tour of the city serves
to explain some of the puzzling aspects of the layout of the town. For instance,
the civic center is near the railroad because Flagstaff's early economy was
centered on lumber and cattle. Old Town and its spring mark the original
location of the town, which burned to the ground a number of times. Eventually,
bricks and native stone replaced wood as building materials making businesses
less susceptible to fire. Some of those buildings have been restored to their
original appearance and are still in use today.
A visit to the Arboretum (excepting the winter months) will introduce you to the native flora and fauna of the area. You will visit the Riordan House (if reservations are available), home of one of the original lumber magnates as well as the Pioneer Historic Museum with its displays of tools and implements of the early settlers of the town. You will also stand in the very observatory where Percival Lowell discovered the planet Pluto.