Flagstaff impressed me for many reasons but the preservation and renovation of the historic downtown is top of the list. While there are dozens of lovely galleries, restaurants, shops, etc., I still expected to see cowboys ride up to the local watering hole. Flagstaff hasn't lost its personality at all.
A little bit of history that was also of interest to me:
"On July 4, 1876, a party of emigrants from Boston stripped a pine tree of its branches and raised an American flag in honor of the nation's centennial. When they moved on, their "flag staff" became a landmark for those who followed."
Tomorrow, I head into the Grand Canyon for a week and will be off the grid!