I have a love of museums. Especially those about the early days of settlement pretty much of any place we visit. We visited 7 this trip. Yes, 7. It would have been 8 but the Hubbinator cried ‘uncle’ so we didn’t visit Charlotte Hall in Prescott. In other words, hang onto your hats folks. The museum visits will be spread over many, many posts.

Once upon a time in the high desert of the verde valley, a rich copper mine owner started building towns to house his miners, management, and their families. Apparently he kept naming them verde this and that and for his latest development, he was told no more verdes so he choose Clemenceau after his buddy the French Premiere Georges. And thus a town was born.

And when the mine closed in the 1950s, the town died. Most of the buildings were sold off or burned down except the school.

Eventually the area was annexed into the sprawling town of Cottonwood and a new school built, leaving the old school to be turned into a museum. Which is where we found ourselves. Because I wanted to see the replica classroom (research).

Life-size models of a 1900-1930s kitchen and bedroom.

We also saw lots of loving appliances which made life easier, like a pedal powered band saw and knife sharpener (which I want). And a machine that takes the kernels from corn.

And this washing machine (I’ll keep the one I have).

There was this model of the USS Arizona:

We saw toys and household items, some of which the Hubbinator claimed to have as a child. Of course, there was a card catalog (which made me feel old).

But mostly, there was this amazing model train display of the Verde Valley (to scale except one small part). I love trains:D

And if you look closely there’s a horrible accident complete with blood on the body through the windshield (top picture near the white building).

It was awesome. FMI: Clemenceau Heritage Museum