Holbrook Arizona Tourism

John W. Young, a railroad contractor, in 1881 set up headquarters two miles east of the future Holbrook, where a little community already existed.

The first house to be built east of Horsehead Crossing was constructed by Juan Padilla which lay above the junction of the Puerco and Little Colorado River in 1871.

Berado Frayde (or Freyes) was in charge of Padilla’s saloon, and the place came to be known as Berado Station. It was the main crossing for travelers heading south. Padilla was at best a haphazard merchant, pricing all articles at fifty cents regardless of their value. The first railroad tracks were laid at Berado in 1881. As Berado began to fall out of existence along with Horsehead Crossing, Holbrook grew in importance as well as economically. Young named the town of Holbrook in honor of H.R. Holbrook. It became the county seat in 1895 and is today an important community serving numerous ranches and trading posts.