Museums around the state have posted special offers on Arizona Office of Tourism’s Web site, www.arizonavacationvalues.com. In addition, the Central Arizona Museum Association has created the May Museum Month Culture Passport, available free at Robinson May stores. The passport includes discounts or free mementos from more than 40 museums in central Arizona. May 18 is International Museum Day.

Governor Launches National Tourism Week

The Arizona Office of Tourism has launched programs to encourage Arizonans to explore their own state.

Governor Napolitano noted that tourism each year injects $30 billion into the state economy, contributes $1 billion to state coffers and employs one in every five residents.

Tourism week runs through May 18.

Hotel San Carlos Added To Historic List

The Hotel San Carlos in Phoenix has been added to the list of National Trust Historic Hotels of America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced the addition of nine members to its 200-member program. The hotels are in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. For a complete list of hotels, see www.historichotels.org

The Hotel San Carlos, at 202 N. Central in downtown Phoenix, was built in 1927. At the time of its opening, the San Carlos was hailed as one of the most modern hotels in the southwest and was the first high-rise, air-conditioned, elevator-equipped hotel of the day.

Restoration Work Under Way In Bisbee

An $18,000 state grant is helping the city refurbish deteriorating windows at two historic buildings in Bisbee.

Twin Peaks Construction of Tucson is expected to spend the next two to three months completing the work at the Copper Queen Library and the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum.

The museum is designated as a landmark site on the National Register of Historic Places.

The library building, which is approaching its 100th year, is registered as a “contributing site” to Bisbee’s Historic District.

Both buildings are considered cornerstones of the historic district.

The work at both is being funded through the grant from the Arizona State Parks Historic Preservation Heritage Fund and by $12,000 contributed by the city.

Deal Will Keep Tourist Train Chugging In Yuma

A deal between Yuma, the federal government and a nonprofit group will keep a tourist train chugging.

The Yuma Valley Railway uses the engine to pull a train during the winter along a levee between Yuma and Somerton.

The train’s future was in question when it turned out that the steam engine operated by the Yuma County Live Steamers Association for the past 15 years belongs to the federal government.

The nonprofit group came by the engine improperly through no fault of its own, officials said.

The engine originally belonged to the federal government, which had given it to the city of Alturas, Calif. The city then leased it to a nonprofit group in its area, which then gave the engine to the Yuma group, said Yuma city spokesman James Stover.

When the federal government found out recently that Alturas no longer owned the engine, it looked like the Live Steamers would have to give it up.

However, under an agreement brokered with help from 4th District Congressman Ed Pastor, the city will hold title to the train for three years. After that, the city can do what it wants with it.

The club will be responsible for the train’s upkeep and liability insurance. The deal will cost the city nothing, Mr. Stover said. —