Pine-Strawberry Archaeological
And Historical Society
Welcome to the Pine-Strawberry Museum
Tucked just beneath Arizona's Backbone, the famed Mogollon Rim, the Pine-Strawberry Museum in Pine, Arizona, was opened in 1979 for the purpose of displaying artifacts related to the prehistory and history of Pine and its twin among the pines, Strawberry. All around us, the Mogollon Rim is a wilderness of ethereal beauty, carved majestically into unmatched proportions. To our north and accessible from Highway 87 north of Strawberry, the Rim Road, FR 300, is a twisting, graveled legacy to settlers and cavalry tenacity.
The community of Pine was settled in 1879 by Mormon pioneers, who endured many hardships during their settlement of this untamed country. But through their determination and faith, Pine survived. Much of what is displayed in the Pine-Strawberry Museum today is in tribute to the dedication and hard work of our founding families.
The museum relocated to its current location in 1990 from a single room in the Isabelle Hunt Memorial Public Library in Pine. This larger facility allows the display of more artifacts and documents; especially those that pertain to the Native American cultures that occupied our area, the first Spanish and Anglo pioneers to visit and settle the area, and the peoples who have remained in the community since the initial settlement.
The museum houses prehistoric artifacts found in the land area of Pine and Strawberry Valleys and near plateaus, as well as artifacts actually brought and used by the earliest settlers to the communities.
Also on display are artifacts relative to the Pine and Strawberry area that were neither found here nor actually used by the founding families, yet are typical of those used by the early settlers. Examples of these would be wash buckets, irons and oil lamps. In general, items displayed in the Pine-Strawberry Museum pre-date 1945.
Main Room
Between the years 1917 and 1981, the Main Room in the Pine-Strawberry Museum served the Mormon community as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or "the LDS Chapel." Between the early 1980s and the year 1990, when the museum relocated to the building, the facility was used as a school. Today, the museum is part of the Pine Community Center. Also located in the Community Center are the Cultural Hall, the Arts & Crafts Center, the Senior Center, the Thrift Store, and the Kiwanis Building.
Randall Park
Newly developed Randall Park, in historic downtown Pine, is the site of the "Isabelle Hunt Memorial Library," a celebrated building, now on display. The building, donated by Ralph and Velma Fuller, was converted from a 1920's rental cabin into Pine's first library in the 1960's. Visitors may peer inside the old structure and view artifacts from the library's heyday as well as enjoy an audio history that plays upon approaching the building. Randall Park, located next to the Randall House, also features picnic tables for relaxation, as well as a clubhouse filled with books for the children. This relaxing environment boasts water friendly plants, birdbaths, and wind chimes. Come and have an historic experience in charming Randall Park.
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