This page covers that part of the park which continues north from Newspaper Rock, crosses over the interstate and then loops round past the Painted Desert Inn to the Visitor Centre and exit 311 of the Interstate (and so back to Route 66).



The following photographs were taken at various points along the park road in this Northern Section.

As you continue along the roadway through the Northern Section you pass the Painted Desert Inn sitting on the edge of the wilderness area.

A close up of the Painted Desert Inn that was closed for refurbishment during my visit to the park.

The Painted Desert Inn has an interesting history, it was originally built by Herbert David Lore in 1924 to act as a tourist attraction, a lunch room, a bar, and a shop for Native American crafts. In 1935, the Petrified Forest National Monument purchased the building and The Civilian Conservation Corps remodelled the Inn which reopened in 1940. It was closed during World War II but reopened in 1947 and renovations were carried out by Mary Elizabeth Jane Cloture, the company architect of the Santa Fe Railroad that runs through the park. These included a new colour scheme and murals depicting the Hopi culture were painted by Fred Chop, a famous Hopi artist

Eventually structural damage began to occur due to the effects of a bed of clay under the building and the Inn was abandoned between 1963 and 1990. It continued to deteriorate and the building was nearly demolished in 1965 and again in 1975. The first major rehabilitation was undertaken in the 80s which resulted in the building reopening to the public in 1990.

A full rehabilitation project began on October 25, 2004 that aims to repair many of the buildings structural problems with reopening planned in 2006.

I found this on on-line book that describes the architecture of the National Parks - Presenting Nature: The Historic Landscape Design of the National Park Service (1916 to 1942). There is much additional material on the National Park Service web site.

A final photograph from the Northern Section.

After completing the Northern Section you leave the park via the Visitor Centre.

And to finish off on a mystery - in the Visitor Centre car park I found this amazing construction. My guess is that it is a capsule hotel on wheels! To add to the mystery it has a German number plate - did they drive it across the Atlantic.

Click to go back to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest introduction page

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