Holbrook, Arizona

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Holbrook is the perfect place to launch a visit to the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, the Grand Canyon, and the Navajo Nation in general.

Holbrook, Arizona

Located on the banks of the Little Colorado River, Holbrook was founded in 1881 when the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was built. The town was named after chief engineer Henry Randolph Holbrook and the railroad sold a million acres to a Boston investment group which established the Aztec Land and Cattle Company—known as the Hashknife Outfit—making Holbrook its headquarters.

Historic Holbrook, Arizona Territory

The constant presence of outlaws along with endless cattle and horse rustling made the area quite lawless. Holbrook was known as “the town too tough for women and churches.” The Pleasant Valley War was a long, bloody skirmish that took place in the 1880’s, with many of the confrontations in and around Holbrook. However, in 1895 the town became the county seat of Navajo County. By 1902 the Hashknife was bankrupt, and the land was sold to the Babbitt brothers.

Petrified Forest

President Theodore Roosevelt named the Petrified Forest a National Monument in 1906. In 1926, the Beale Wagon Road became Route 66, passing through both the Petrified Forest and Holbrook, and tourism began taking over the economy.

In my upcoming book, THE CANARY, Sarah Ryan arrives in Holbrook in 1899 to meet with esteemed paleontologist Dr. Allan Brenner. But instead, she finds herself in the company of his son, Jack.

Excerpt

(Sarah initially confuses Jack with his father, Allan, whom she's never met.)

Sarah hadn’t expected Dr. Brenner to be so young. Or tall, his stance beneath his hat and duster exuding self-assurance. She had never met the esteemed paleontologist in person, but he was … different than she had imagined. Her smile slipped a bit. Could he have possibly written all those papers in the last four or five years he was credited with? He appeared to be around thirty years old, and that would mean he’d been doing extensive field work while earning his doctorate. It stretched credibility.

Dr. Brenner was looking at her as if he didn’t know who she was. Well, obviously he didn’t, since they had never met, but it appeared he hadn’t been expecting her.

“Did you get the letter from Mrs. Parks?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh, good. Then you knew I was coming.” He was here, so he was awaiting someone. She relaxed a little. Traveling alone from Boston had a been a bit nerve-wracking, but she had kept reminding herself that she was made of sterner stock than most. She was a Ryan after all. A daughter and niece of the well-known Texas Ryans, Blackmores, and Walkers.

“You’re a woman,” Dr. Brenner stated, his brows furrowed in a way that reminded her of her favorite horse, Chip, when he wanted another carrot, but she wouldn’t give him one.

“Last time I looked,” she replied cheerfully. She’d been given the break of a lifetime when Mrs. Parks had hired her for this dig. She wasn’t going to let anything get her down.

When consternation remained on his quite-handsome face, she added, “Is that a problem?”

“I was told to meet an S. Ryan. I’d assumed you were ….”

When he paused, she waited, but when he didn’t finish the sentence, it became clear what he was going to say. “A man,” she said.

He sighed and looked away. “Yes.”

 

The Canary release July 25, 2023! Pre-order the eBook here.