Bootlegging, Moonshiners & Spirits Legacy of Prohibition: Old Town Wild West Tour
“The BIGGEST little Town in the State of Arizona!”
Cottonwood Arizona’s big bootlegging industrywas abound.During a time when having an alcoholic drink was illegal, Main Street was lined with pool halls, restaurants, auto dealers & supply shops, and countless other stores which were fronts to the backroom gambling houses, blind pigs and speakeasies, known for dispensing illicit wine, beer and the best brewed whiskey in the state of Arizona. Cellars from these backrooms, lead into bootlegging tunnels that connected businesses underground to hide their stock from raids and hijacking. Warehouses and underground distilleries were kept very secretly. During transportation, Cottonwood auto mechanics ingeniously rigged dual tanks on touring cars, one for gas and one for rum running. Engines were supped up to outrun the law. There was a certain reputation for lawlessness. For years, prohibition agents turned a blind eye to Cottonwood. When Al Capone and other criminals and bandits started coming to town, sheriff George Ruffner from Prescott was elected to come into Cottonwood to raid the businesses and close the underground tunnels.
This cultural heritage tour is fun and informative. Learn Cottonwood's prohibition history, locations of Arizona bootlegger Kings, underground tunnels, raids, where the bootleggers lived and where the out-of-towners stayed, including Mae West, and where she rubbed her hands through barrels of wine mash and more.
Evening of Fun, Tasting, Drink & Paranormal
approx. 3 hr ~ Full Guided Cultural Heritage Tour featuring Cottonwood's Historic Past with a little Taste of Old Town includes 1 wine tasting $45 per person RSVP/limited. (minimum 4 people) Call in advance to purchase. Other wine & tasting additional $$ pay as you go
These days and approx. times can be scheduled FRIDAY & Saturdays ? 6-9pm SUNDAY 2-4PM WEEKDAYS 2-4PM
All tours meet at the Cottonwood Hotel front office.
• Personal Accomplished Tour Guide • Local historian • Story Teller • Ghost Whisperer
Call Karen Today!
Custom Tours $15 per hour per person (4 person minimum)
Historic Hotel, Cottonwood, Jerome, Sedona, Arizona, Historic 89A, Explorations, Vortexes, Paranormal, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Haunted, Day Tours, Things to Do, Wine Tasting, Prohibition Era History, Arizona Movie Tours
Please call in advance to reserve (928) 202-2207
TOURS From the Cottonwood Hotel
• Home & Building Tour ~ Cottonwood's Commercial Historic District + national registered home listing property
• Bootlegging Heritage Tour
• Old Town Tasting Tour (Customized with samplings, antiques, history, spirits & spirits, and more... The choice is yours)
• Mysteries, Ghosts & Paranormal, UFO's, Aliens Combination Tour
• Historic Trails & Riparian Tour ~ Available Sunday 9:30am (1-1.5hr) can be with or without Breakfast or Brunch (tailored to group) Learn about this rare riparian, its habitation, vegetation, bootlegging trails, how Cottonwood got its name and more.
• Elvis Presley "Stay Away, Joe" Tour
• Old Cottonwood Cemetery
• Cottonwood Vortex
• Sedona Vortexes (Caravan)
Above TOURS By Reservation ONLY ~ 4 People Minimum
General Rate is $15 hour per person Lunch, breakfast, wine, etc., is extra.
Price can vary depending on customized packaged. Call for more details... Karen (928) 202-2207
John Wayne, Mae West, Elvis Presley andJon Cryer are only a few movie stars, starlets, and world renown people that have walked the streets in Old Town on Main Street in Cottonwood, Arizona’s Commercial Historic District.Come and learn this areas movie history and eat, sleep and stand where Hollywood Legions left an imprint. Bring your camera.
Tour starts at the Cottonwood Hotel featuring movie locations for:
• 1946, ‘Angel & the Badman’ starring John Wayne & Gail Russell
• 1946, ‘Desert Fury’, starring ‘Liz Scott, Burt Lancaster, John Hodiac, Mary Astor, Wendell Corey
• 1967 Filming of 'Stay Away, Joe" starring Elvis Presley, co-starring Burgess Meredith, Joan Blondell, Katy Jurado • 1987, ‘Dudes’ starring Jon Cryer, Daniel Roebuck
John Wayne & Elvis both bought western wear at the old Robinsons Clothier Western Wear Shop, which was located below and adjoining the Cottonwood Hotel. Wayne exclusively wore Lucchese cowboy boots, which today you can purchase the Dukes favorite brand from the Alley Cat after your tour.
John Wayne and Gail Russell romanced at the historic Cottonwood Hotel several times during their 1946 filming of ‘Angel & the Badman’. Their ‘secret’, but not so secret romance, was carried on at the hotel, as it was just a few doors down from the old Rialto Theater. Before day break, they would sneak back into Sedona, where the other film crew lodged.
During the filming of his Wayne’s leading role in ‘Angel & the Badman’, he was known to have purchased a bottle of aspirin for his headache at the local Drugstore which was on the corner across from the Cottonwood Hotel. Since his father was a pharmacist, he liked to chat up the local pharmacist. (future Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders)
The old Rialto Theater (today’s Tavern Grille location), brought in nearly 150 locally filmed movies to do what was called a ‘Rush’. This was when the directors, producers and movie stars all gathered to review their progress of the filming.
Some John Wayne facts:
John Wayne born May 26, 1907, died Jun 11, 1979.
Wayne’s favorite drink was Sauza Commemorativo Tequila with a lemon and chipped ice. When he wasn’t drinking that, he generally had cola, grenadine & Jack Daniels on the rocks.
Paranormal, Ghosts, Blood in Wine & Death By Chocolate, TOUR
Interactive ghost hunt and walk through the haunted jail and buildings on Main Street in Cottonwood Arizona’s Commercial Historic District. Come and take a chance of encounter with the spirits, apparitions and orb activity in Old Town.Karen Leff, accomplished tour guide, ghost whisperer, local historian and story teller will entertain you with REAL paranormal and unexplained stories and testing with ghost meters to detect any anomalies that may take place, shall go undetected…A sampling of death by chocolate, paired with blood in wine, haunted by flavor, will satisfy your palate along the way.
***Don’t leave your camera behind, as chances are strong in capturing orbs at most locations.
Coming Soon... Heritage Walk with Art & Wine Tour
OLD TOWN COTTONWOOD INTERACTIVE GUIDED WALKING TOUR Historic home, buildings & businesses
(Minimum 4 people)
Home Interier of 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival
Hear the stories about this small western town, once called the “Biggest Little Town in the State of Arizona.” Local historian and storyteller, Karen Leff, the owner of the Cottonwood Hotel, the oldest hotel in Cottonwood, will take you on a trip to the past with this interactive HISTORIC BUILDING & HOME TOUR. Learn the history of the 1925 hotel (est. since 1917), a historic 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival home, working artist gallery, remnants of an old 1923 cellar, part of an old secret bootlegging tunnel, a 1929 haunted jail with Al Capone’s name carved on an outside cell wall, while listening to bootlegging and ghost stories and more. The tour combines the old with the new. You will have interactive experiences, touring historic reuse through some of the local businesses. You’ll meet local shop keepers who’ll share their hospitality with appetizers and drink. You’ll sample healthy & fresh flavors of Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders and stroll through wine tasting rooms (extra $$ for wine tasting). Combining the old with the new, you’ll meet local shop keepers and working artist who’ll share their hospitality with appetizers and drink, touring through historic reuse with local businesses.
Cultural diversity contributes to the thriving and sustainable Old Town businesses and neighborhood.
Wear good walking shoes. Bring your camera. There are some places on this tour, where only the tour group is allowed!
PLACE: Meet at the Cottonwood Hotel, 930 N. Main St., Cottonwood, AZ
Tour a Spanish Revival Colonial Home
CLICK Photo to see more of Cate's Gallery
Italian Gelato Sampling at Crema's. You'll just have to buy some!
This mysterious cellar once lead into a bootlegging tunnel
Mysteries, Ghosts & Paranormal
Stories & Ghost Hunt Friday & Saturday by Reservation ONLY 7-9PM minimum of 4 people
Bring cameras, flashlights, binoculars, recorders, etc.
Old Town Haunted Jail
Customized to group Pre-Registration required Minimum 4 people ($15 per person)
HIKE, RIPARIAN/TRAILS of the Verde River Greenway Area
Learn about it's history, vegetation & habitat
Combined with Breakfast, Brunch or Drinks at extra $$
***1 mile easy walking trail
call Karen (928) 202-2207 Direct or (928) 634-9455 hotel office/message
Blue Heron ~ Verde River Mascot
Please click on the pdf. file below to open and/or print an Old Town Tours brochure.
Cottonwood AZ SELF-GUIDED Historic Walking Tour
$4 Take at your own leisure... (approx. 1 1/2 hrs.)
Includes Brochure, (1) Bottled Water or soda additional drinks $1 approx. 15 minute historic lecture
This tour can take up to 1/2 day if you are into shopping & eating or drinking while touring Cottonwood's history. Come and explore Old Town Cottonwood's friendly Main Street, one of few existing Arizona small towns left. With it unique array of eclectic shops, galleries, antiques, 1-of-a-kinds, bookstores, eateries, coffee shops, cafes, wine tasting rooms, olive oil and vinegar and gelato sampling, breakfast, lunch, dinner all in a small town area, you'll be glad you came to Old Town Cottonwood.
Pick up a Self-Guided Tour Brochure at the Cottonwood Hotel. Call (928) 634-9455 {hotel office} or (928) 202-2207 {Inn-Keeper/Tour Guide}.
Personal Tours
Cottonwood Historic Tours
• Old Town Building & Home Tour (storytelling, spirits & hauntings) • Riparian Tour
Elvis Tour Indian Ruin Tours
• Tuzigoot National Monument • Montezuma Castle • Montezuma Wells
Jerome Tours
Verde Valley Wine Trail Tours
Sedona Vortex Tours
• Red Rock Crossing ~ Cathedral Rock • Airport Vortex
Cathedral Rock ~ Red Rock Crossing
Sedona AZ
Red Rock Crossing
Cottonwood Hotel
930 N. Main St. Cottonwood, AZ, 86326, United States
