The Sedona Heritage Museum will host the world premiere of the latest book by Lisa Schnebly Heidinger, titled “The Journal of Sedona Schnebly.”
Heidinger will speak Saturday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. at the museum about what she learned about her great-grandmother through this effort and then sign copies of the new book until 2 p.m. Birthday cake will be served in honor of Heidinger’s father Larry Schnebly’s birthday, which is Sept. 18.
The book is a journal format and tells the story of Sedona’s life from her early teens until her last night on earth.
Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly followed her husband west when their small Missouri town condemned his Methodist religion.
Arriving in Arizona Territory in 1901, they planted orchards and hosted early tourists in what is now named Sedona. This vivid journal of her life introduces readers to a pioneer family — from their genteel upbringings through adventures with rattlesnakes, trappers and colorful guests. With photographs from family collections, this volume of Sedona Schnebly’s experiences and ruminations draws you into a fiercely private woman’s life that is by turns amusing and heartbreaking, and always fascinating.
Heidinger has been working on this project for 30 years, and says if her great-grandmother’s journals had ever been discovered, “this is what I would have wanted to find.”
Heidinger has written nine other books about various aspects of Arizona before this tour de force journal: A culmination of decades of conducting interviews and exploring archives. Voted OneBookAZ author for her Arizona Centennial book, she shares Sedona and T.C. Schnebly’s deep love of Arizona and of travel.
A former television and newspaper reporter, then editorial columnist, she draws readers into the story of a complex woman who became an accidental icon for Oak Creek Canyon, which now draws millions of visitors from around the world.
The Sedona Heritage Museum is in Jordan Historical Park at 735 Jordan Road in Uptown. Call 282-7038 or visit sedonamuseum.org for more information.
