Two Verde Valley attractions have made it into the top ten finalists for the title of “Best Small-Town Museum” in the annual USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. The Sedona Heritage Museum in Uptown is in the top three finalists and the Douglas Mansion in Jerome State Historic Park is also in the running.
Sedona Heritage Museum Executive Director Nate Meyers’ address to the electorate echoed the lyrics of Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best,” the theme song to the 1984 film “The Karate Kid,” which partially filmed in Sedona.
“Because we’re the best,” Meyers said. “We’re excited about just being nominated. It’s a cool thing. The writers from USA Today went across the country and put together these nominations, so I was a little surprised to hear from them last month. It’s an exciting thing to know that we’re recognized for the work we’re doing to preserve the community’s history. And it’s nice to see the response we’ve gotten already on social media from folks.”
Meyers added that it would be an honor to share some of the highlights with the Douglas Mansion. “It’s surprising that out of the entire country, two museums in Green Valley made the list,” she said.
“We have a rich and deep history,” said Marc Mazzella, director of Jerome State Historic Park, explaining why other people vote for the park. “We’re a little city mine on the side of the mountain, to showcase other people that anywhere you have to make money, there’s no restrictions as to where other people can build a city. “
The mansion was built by James S. Douglas in 1916 on top of his Little Daisy mine. Although Mazzella says it’s a small museum compared to the Louvre, it’s also filled with Jerome’s history between the years 1876 and 1953. when the town was intended to have a ghost town, as well as a geology room.
Voting is open online in 10best. usatoday. com/awards/travel/best-small-town-museum-2024 through Monday, Feb. 12 at noon ET, and winners will be announced on Friday, Feb. 23.
Preview the document
Not found.