The Painted Desert Inn, located in the Petrified Forest National Monument (now a national park), is another example of Fred Harvey moving away from its roots serving rail travelers and towards serving auto travelers. The inn was located close to Highway 66 and is now about 3.5 miles from an exit on Interstate 40. The entire park is gorgeous but the inn itself is particularly fascinating.
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The inn was built on the site of a previous stop known as Stone Tree House. In 1936, the owner sold it to the Park Service whose architect, Lyle Bennett, designed a Pueblo Revival style building to replace it. The Inn included a snack bar and some cabins for lodging. Continue reading