How do we know something is “southwestern?” What makes us look at a building or painting or a knickknack and think to ourselves, “that’s in the southwestern style”? Join us on August 25th for a free virtual program as recent Journal of Arizona History author Christina Lake will seek to answer these questions by exploring the career of Mary Jane Colter. An influential architect and interior designer, Colter’s designs for the Fred Harvey Company led to some of the most iconic buildings in the Southwest. Her work reveals the way the Harvey Company sought to attract tourists from the East by selling the wildness and beauty of the Southwest. In helping to create this “southwestern style,” Colter was an early innovator in what is today called heritage tourism. This virtual program is free and open to the public.

Dr. Lake’s article is free for the month of August! Read it here: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/852646

 After discussing the article, the audience will have a chance to ask Dr. Lake questions. Join us for another exciting “Ask the Author” program from the Arizona Historical Society.