The Sedona Historical Society has unveiled its fall programming lineup including both returning favorites and brand-new experiences at the Sedona Historical Museum on Jordan Road and throughout the Sedona area.

Red Rock Loop Tour

This guided motorcoach tour combines the ride with walking tours of the historic red rock area at the base of Cathedral Rock. It starts on Upper Red Rock Loop Road and is led by SHS volunteer historians.

“[Participants] will learn a lot about an area that I think sometimes gets overlooked unless you live out there,” Meyers said. “But it’s a historic and beautiful area. Before there was a Sedona there was Red Rock, which was the name of that community out in that area. One of the first things I did when I got this job was going on our Red Rock Loop tour. I’ve learned a ton about some of the early homesteading, irrigation history, and some later history about the Fryes, who lived out there and built the House of Apache Fire, which is now part of [Red Rock State Park]. They were involved with early aviation history and ran TWA Airlines.”

The tour also stops at the Schuerman Red Rock Cemetery, the Schuerman family homestead house, the Armijo homestead house, the remnants of the area’s first school that was established in 1891, early Oak Creek vineyards, the old Chavez place and Dumas Ranch. 

Tour dates will be Wednesday, Sept. 27, Thursday, Sept. 28, Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30. The tours start at 1:45 p.m. at the museum’s overflow parking lot past the entrance on Jordan Road and return at 5 p.m. Tickets are $65 for Sedona Historical Society members and $75 for non-members, and can be purchased at the museum or by calling (928) 282-7038.

Mondays at the Museum 

This series of programs takes place on Mondays at 11 a.m. and focuses on arts and crafts presentations by several returning artisans, allowing visitors the opportunity to learn a bit about a new hobby or to hone their craft. The program for Monday, Sept. 18, will be a watercolor sketch journaling workshop with Mary Helsaple for $10.

“The watercolor workshop [is] filling up quick,” Meyers said. “Mary Helsaple is a fantastic watercolor artist and she does truly incredible things with watercolor and she’s excited to share her knowledge.”

“All my paintings rely on personal experiences, field notes, sketches, and photo references and my personal library of over 40,000 images from which to draw inspiration and reference,” Helsaple wrote on her website. “Having spent years on expeditions learning about, seeing and studying subjects, there is a wealth of images and memories to create from.”

Verde Valley Spinners and Weavers Guild

The next presentation by the Verde Valley Spinners and Weavers Guild will take place on Monday, Sept. 25.

“Founded in 1973, by Mary Pendleton and Betty Gaudy, we are a diverse group whose mission is to encourage interest and education in fiber arts including loom, basket and tapestry weaving, yarn spinning, knitting, crocheting, dyeing, needle and hand felting,” the guild stated on their website.

“We’re always happy to have them here,” Meyers said. “They’ll bring whatever fibers they’re working on. Sometimes somebody will bring a spinning wheel and [they’re] always happy to talk with all our guests about the [craft] and show off their work.”

History Alive

This historical reenactment will take place on Thursday, Oct. 5, at 3:30 p.m. It is a rebranding of the popular “Throwback Thursday” program. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased on the SHS website. The monthly program takes place on the first Thursday of every month with the exception of December and will return from January through May.

Costumed interpreters and actors take on historical figures from Sedona’s past. Reenactors will be stationed at different locations around the Jordan Road museum for visitors to interact with them.

“You really get to interact with the history, you get to talk with the characters, ask them questions and get to know some of these folks from Sedona’s history,” Meyers said. “Some of the characters are attached to the museum property, like members of the Jordan family. So you get to interact with the characters in their historic setting.”

Fool Me Twice!

SHS brings back local favorite Michael Peach for an encore performance of “Fool Me Twice” on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 1:30 p.m. at the museum. Tickets are $6 and may be purchased at the door.

“Mike began doing his living history programs at the Sedona Heritage Museum back in 2000, and over the years, Sedona audiences have grown to love his style of blending original cowboy poetry, tall tales and historical humor as he exposes local mythology and takes a tongue-incheek look at quirky incidents from the past using jokes, storytelling and firstperson narrative,” the SHS posted on Facebook.

“[Guests] experience a lot of emotions in the stories he tells. Some of them will be heartbreaking,” Meyers said. “Some stories will be happy, some will make you laugh. But, in the end, you’re going to walk away from the experience having been in the presence of a master storyteller. That’s always just a great experience.”

Free Fall Speaker Series

On Thursday, Oct. 12, at 10 a.m. in the apple shed at the Jordan Road museum, Wendy Lippman, general manager of Tlaquepaque, will kick off the free Fall Speakers Series taking place on the second Thursday of each month. Lippman will be covering the history of Tlaquepaque in celebration of its 50 anniversary.

“[Tlaquepaque] is an anchor of the Sedona community and is such an iconic part of Sedona. When people think of Sedona they think of red rocks and then Tlaquepaque … It’s just such an important part of the community and it’ll be really interesting to to hear [her] perspective on the history there.”

Our Town Sedona: Only We’re Dead … The Musical!

This program will replace the cemetery walks of previous years with hour-long performances consisting of a series of vignettes incorporating musical elements that will depict the lives of figures from Sedona’s history. The program will take place in the Cook’s Cedar Glade Cemetery, west of Airport Road near the Sedona Elks Lodge, at 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28.

“It’s all based in actual history and fact,” Meyers said. “If you enjoyed our cemetery walks, you’re really gonna like this one, because we’re having the characters interact with each other. There’s going to be music associated with it this time.”

This show is not recommended for people under 13 years of age and guests are encouraged to dress for the weather and bring flashlights. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at sedonamuseum.org.

Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Fair

Numerous local craft vendors will set up on the grounds of the museum and in the apple shed to display and sell their wares from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 21. “That’s a great time to come out and support local crafters and get a head start on your holiday shopping,” Meyers said. “It’s a great venue for it … [and] you can work in a trip to the museum that day.”

Interested vendors can request additional information via the SHS website, by calling (928) 282-7038 or by emailing Meyers at director@sedonamuseum. org.