About the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum
The River of Time
Recognizing the need to preserve the rich heritage of the Lower Verde River Valley, in 1989 several Fountain Hills residents gathered to form the Fountain Hills and Lower Verde River Valley Historical Society, which in early 2000 became the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum.
The museum was named after one of the town’s first residents and owner of the local newspaper, Alan Cruikshank. Originally located in Fountain Park, the museum moved to its current location in 2003 when a $3.7m bond issue funded construction of a joint library/museum building on town property, adjacent to the community center.
The Town of Fountain Hills continues to provide the property along with building services, a relationship that has sustained the Museum since it’s opening in 2003.
Our Mission
To engage, entertain, educate, and inspire people about the Lower Verde River Valley through relevant topics and experiences. Using the natural/social sciences of the region we preserve and interpret the past to understand the present and promote future sustainability.
The Fountain at 50 | Time to Celebrate 50 Years of Fountain Hills
On December 15, 1970 the world’s tallest fountain rose above the Lower Verde River Valley for the first time. The fountain was envisioned as the centerpiece of the newest community of a region that had been home to different communities as early as 1,000 BC.
The fountain is no longer the largest in the world, or even in the United States, but Fountain Hills is the largest community of the Lower Verde River Valley. Check out the town’s Fountain at 50 Celebration page to learn all about the wonderful events taking place throughout the celebration year – 2020.
Our Staff & Board
Museum Staff
Cherie Koss, Executive Director
Debi Novotny, Operations Manager
Emily Glenn, Volunteer Coordinator/Operations Assistant
Yvonne Prater, Administrative Assistant
Museum Board of Directors
Gerry Colbert – President
Gerard Bisceglia – Vice President
Sharon Brodhun – Secretary
Marianne Pinter – Co-Treasurer
Pat Isaacson, Historian
Brent Cruikshank
Bernadine Burnette, Ex Officio
Jean Linzer
David Collet
Makenzie Marino, High School Representative
Sandra Pattea
Debbie Skehen
Barbara Hansen
Bob Wilson
Bill Myhr, Ex Officio
Contact Us Today!
If you have any questions about the museum and our operation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call 480-837-2612.