camp verde visitor center

A proud history of the oldest city in the valley. In a two room museum in downtown Camp Verde, the Camp Verde Historical Society tells the story of early pioneer life in the oldest city in the valley. Starting with a small store, rhe city proceeded the Fort by two years. They have a small collection of items and a case of Indian artwork in the form of pottery that has been collected in the area. They have done a nice job of displaying pictures of the early pioneer days accompanied by printed history of the shop keepers, the Indians, the soldiers, miners, farmers, postal riders and notorious outlaws who made the history of the area. They even have a wall dedicated to brochures of other places to visit in the area. There is no charge to enter, but they deserve a small donation for packing so much history in such a small space.

Less than 2 miles removed from the junction of I 17 and 260 is a special place that deserves more attention. Camp Verde is a state park which features a former US Army cavalry encampment dating back to the late 1800's. Three original buildings remain in amazing condition and in strong contrast to the primitive, walled fortress image portrayed in movies. In addition the park has a small museum which adds interesting detail about army life experienced there. The museum does not overpower a visitor with tons of display material, but excels at sharing ancedotes about living there as a Buffalo soldier, a soldier's wife, and an Indian scout. I found the information fascinating, and the section on Indian scouts was outstanding. Lastly, among the artifacts on display is a bugle which was used in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. All in all, I was deeply satisfied that we had wandered off the road and found this little gem which definitely added to my understanding of that era.

Having driven past Camp Verde numerous times we felt it was time to see what it was about. Turns out it was about 3 hours. Quaint little town with a re-creation, and rehabilitation, of an early military camp, Fort Verde This was the staging area for the troops who tracked down Cochise. What we learned here put things we had known together in a cohesive pattern about early Arizona. The staff was friendly and informed. We left after an hour feeling as though our history experiences went up a notch. Or two.

Gave us the information we needed. We were first time visitors and needed assistance for restaurants and sightseeing. We were able to get brochures that were helpful.

Original buildings from 1880s, a real fort, not a Hollywood version. See also lots of artefacts arrenged as they were used in the old west. The rangers are very very friendly and competent. One can complete the visit in an hour. The Fort is near the highway, easy to get there.

This place is full of history, We had an excellent ranger, she shared her time providing us with a rich overview of local history, we were very impressed. We even were able to see workmen, there to complete a project, making hand made adobe bricks, and they shared the information about them with us also.

The center is in a old school house. Alot of information about attractions in the area. Very nice free museum with artifacts covering local history. This should be the first stop when visiting here.