Pow Wow Trading Post & Motel

Ed Leopold purchased the property in about 1936 but apparently leased it out a few years later. Everett Fox, who later became the Holbrook Police Chief, began operating the business in 1943.

In the late 1940s or early 1950s the name was changed to the Pow Wow Trading Post & Motel by Ken Leopold, Ed's son. Ken Leopold apparently operated the Pow Wow Wow at least into the late seventies or mid 80s. He made his own radio commercials which ran on the local station KDJI. The younger Leopold offered the property for sale in the mid 80s. In 2019 it became the Petrified Smoke Shop.

The large Kachina style sign was installed sometime after 1959. It replaced a much more modest sign that probably dated to the earlier name change. At some point the business converted into a rock shop. The portion of the sign that reads "Rocks" once read "Motel". When this photo was taken in 2012 it appeared to be closed.

What might have been the motel buildings are still standing behind the trading post building. Originally there was just one motel building with seven units separated by carports and what looked like a small separate office-owners unit.

I bought this Wooden Nickel and have no idea of the age, I just thouht it was cool. Wooden Nickels were common in tourist oriented places liketrading post.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

Late 20s or early 30s Postcard
The front of this postcard reads:

When in Holbrook, Ariz
stop at
Central Auto Court
Gas for Cooking
Fireproof Construction
Cottages Equipped with
Simmon's Beauty Rest Mattresses
Private Baths and Toilets
All Night Garage Service
Office - Store - Station

The back of the postcard is much more informative, reading:

DISTANCES FROM HOLBROOK ARIZ.
East on U.S. 66
Gallup 102, Albuquerque 269, Santa Fe 334,
Las Vegas NM 408, Amarillo 572, Oklahoma City 872.
West on U.S. 66
Flagstaff 100, Grand Canyon 188, Williams 134,
Needles 345, Los Angeles 656.

Holbrook is main point for Petrified Forest and Painted Desert at the entrance to Navajo, Hopi and Apache Indian Reservations.
Central Auto Court is situated in the heart of town.

A large assortment of genuine Navajo Indian Rugs in stock at all times.

Note: At that time, or shortly after, there were a pair of visible gas pumps out front according to the images on the postcard.

Late 50s / early 60s Postcard
Pow Wow Trading Post
U.S. Highway 66
752 North Navajo
Downtown
Holbrook, Arizona
Jackson 4-xxxx
Authentic Navajo Rugs
Hopi Pottery
Apache Beadwork
Zuni Jewelry
Indian Handcrafts
Opposite the El Patio Autel
Mr. & Mrs K. E. Leopold
Owners & Operators

Note: Even though the sign shown out front shows MOTEL on this postcard there is no mention of it in the description.
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Photo(s): 2012, 2015