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River of Time Museum
HONORING THOSE WHO SETTLED HERE BEFORE US
Long before there was a “world famous fountain”, there was a nation of ancient people who settled in the Lower Verde River Valley. We know them today as the Yavapai Nation, a 950-member Native American tribe who live in a 40-square mile reservation just east of Fountain Hills. Their heritage is an important story that the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum wants today’s residents to understand. “The partnership with the Yavapai Nation is critical,” Museum Director Cherie Koss, said. “We want to help local residents and visitors understand what came before us, what’s happening now and what might happen in the future.” The museum offers a Yavapai Nation tour in coordination with the Tribe which includes visits to the Yavapai Cultural Center, farms, cemetery, Wassaja Preschool and lunch at Anhala at the WeKoPa Resort. New for 2020 is the addition of the First Presbyterian Church and a talk by Yavapai Elder Tom Jones (availability permitting). The cost for the 4-5 hour experience is $75 ($70 for museum members). The bus tours, which leave from the museum’s location at 12901 N. La Montana Drive, fill quickly. Reservations and payment can be made on the website at www.rotmuseum.org, onsite during museum hours or by FOUNTAINHILLSLIVE.COM: your one-stop shop for everything fun
phone (480-837-2612). Dates for 2020 tours are January 15, February 12, March 11 and April 8th. From October through May, museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00; from June through September hours are Thursday through Saturday from 9:00 - Noon. Admission is $3 for students and children ages 6-12, $4 for seniors (age 65+) and $5 for adults.
Elder Tom Jones (left) of the Yavapai Nation talks about the history of his people as Dr. Bill Myhr, Director of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Education Division, looks on. Elder Jones was addressing participants of Class #4 of the Fountain Hills Leadership Academy in the historic First Presbyterian Church, built by the U.S. military in 1906.
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