Our Mission

Founded in 1997, the Winslow Historical Society receives, preserves, and interprets information and artifacts representing the history and cultures of the Winslow area, in order to engage and enlighten all visitors to the Old Trails Museum’s exhibits and programs.

A Brief History of the Winslow Historical Society and Old Trails Museum

Owned and operated by the Winslow Historical Society, OTM originally operated as the Winslow branch of the Navajo County Historical Society (NCHS), incorporated in 1969.

Western Savings and Loan donated the former Valley National Bank building to NCHS in 1985. After four years of building improvements and donations from former and current residents, OTM held its grand opening on July 8, 1989.

To better focus on their town’s history, the Board of NCHS’s Winslow branch decided to form their own entity, so the Winslow Historical Society (WHS) incorporated in 1997.

A dedicated group of museum directors, board members, and volunteers has continued to improve the 1921 historic building that houses the museum, as well as to develop a series of permanent and temporary displays that showcase the OTM’s growing collections.

In 2008, OTM was one of six rural museums to host the Arizona Humanities Council’s statewide tour of the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibition Between Fences.

In 2009, the WHS Board opened the OTM’s Museum Store, which specializes in regional Navajo and Hopi arts and crafts, books on local and regional history, and OTM’s annual historical calendar featuring images of Winslow’s history.