Cecil, not Cecile

May 5, 2021 

Flagstaff, to Grand Canyon, Winslow, and Albuquerque, NM
Miles Today: 505 
Total miles: 2,168
Gas in AZ: $3.09
Gas in NM: $2.79

Fairly long day driving, but got some great stops in at the Grand Canyon and in Winslow, AZ. I'll post about the Canyon next, but here's a bit about Winslow, where they have a nice little museum and some good iced coffee.

My Favorite Winslow, AZ Resident

Meet Cecil Creswell, former 'Harvey Girl' who quit the service industry to become a rancher and eventually rustle cattle. She changed her name from Olive to Cecil and began living as a man after spending too many years in an immaculate pinafore. 

Cecil  began her life as a rustler when she stole a bull from a neighbor, coloring it with henna so its owner didn't recognize it for three years. That bull and a couple of stolen cows started Cecil's herd. 

I learned about Cecil today at the Old Trails Museum in Winslow, Arizona. Yes. That Winslow.

The Seat of Government

While most visitors were gathered around the mural on Second Street that commemorates the Eagles'  song Take it Easy, I went through the museum and then sniffed out City Hall. It's a tiny building right by the railway tracks, and the council meets twice a month. 

In case you're interested, here's the city's tax code which imposes lodging and restaurant/bar tax of an additional 2% of the gross income from restaurants, bars, and 'transient' (under 30 days) lodging establishments. These taxes are in place for 20 years, and so far it looks like the council continues to vote for renewal every couple of decades. There's also a one percent tax on the gross income of every business (or person doing business) in the city. The revenue from this tax funds capital improvements in the city, and is something we can't do in Washington state because it isn't permitted by the legislature.

All Mod Cons in Winslow

Winslow is an old railway town, and although nothing remains of the roundhouse, marks of the town's past as a rail hub are still in evidence. Not content with just being a railway town, Winslow also became home to one of the nation's first passenger airports. 

Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the country's first passenger airline, established in Winslow in 1929. Charles Lindbergh was tasked with mapping the routes and designing the airports around the U.S. There's some information about the airport here. TAT later became TWA. 

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