Wells Fargo Museum (Phoenix) facts for kids
Wells Fargo Museum
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| Dissolved | September 2020 |
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| Location | 145 W Adams St Phoenix, Arizona |
The Wells Fargo Museum in Phoenix was a special place that taught visitors about the history of the Wells Fargo Bank. It was one of several Wells Fargo museums across the United States. This museum was located in downtown Phoenix.
The museum showed how Wells Fargo helped people settle in the Territory of Arizona. Pioneers from the eastern United States moved west, and Wells Fargo played a big part in their journey. The museum had many interesting displays. One popular exhibit was a copy of a Wells Fargo bank from the 1800s.
Sadly, the museum closed permanently in September 2020. This happened after it temporarily closed in early 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Most other Wells Fargo Museums also closed around that time.
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Cool Things to See at the Museum
The Wells Fargo Museum had many exciting exhibits. Here are some of the things you could see:
- An actual stagecoach from 1879. This was a real vehicle used for travel and carrying valuables.
- A copy of a stagecoach that visitors could climb inside. It was fun to imagine traveling in the Old West!
- Displays of gold and other valuable minerals.
- A working telegraph machine. You could see how messages were sent long ago.
- Two old-fashioned telephones. Visitors could even talk to each other using them.
The Isaias W. Hellman Gun Collection
Isaias W. Hellman was a very successful businessman. He came from Bavaria and started his first bank in his own store. Later, his bank joined with Wells Fargo in 1905. Hellman also loved collecting guns. He had a very impressive collection. After he passed away in 1920, his gun collection was given to the museum. It was a popular exhibit for many years.
Art Gallery: Western Artworks
The museum also had an art gallery. It showed amazing paintings by famous artists like N.C. Wyeth and Frank Earle Schoonover.
N.C. Wyeth's Western Art
The museum had the largest collection of N.C. Wyeth's western-themed art. Wyeth was a famous illustrator. He traveled to the western United States to get ideas for his art. He collected costumes and items, like cowboy and Native American clothing. His trips inspired him to create dramatic paintings of the American Old West.
Frank Earle Schoonover's Illustrations
Frank Earle Schoonover was another talented artist. He drew pictures for many books and magazines. He illustrated stories like "Hopalong Cassidy" and "A Princess of Mars." One of his paintings, called "There’ll Be ... to Pay," was displayed in the museum. This painting was related to the Hopalong Cassidy stories. Schoonover also helped start what is now the Delaware Art Museum.
Trustrim Connell's Medal of Honor
The museum had a special display about Captain Trustrim Connell. He was a hero who received the Medal of Honor. This is a very high award for bravery. Trustrim Connell was a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
During a battle called Saylor's Creek, Corporal Connell bravely captured a Confederate flag. This act of courage was enough to earn him the Medal of Honor. He received his medal on May 10, 1865. After the war, Connell was put in charge of the Indian territory in Arizona. This included all of Wells Fargo's business there. In 1898, his family moved to Phoenix. In 1907, he received a special Gold Medal that said "For Valor." He worked for the American Railway Express Company in Phoenix until he retired in 1925.
Gallery of Museum Exhibits
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Front view of 1879 Wells Fargo Stagecoach.
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Inside the 1879 stagecoach.
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1920s Tellers Cage.
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1920s Bank Manager's Office.
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Bank exhibit
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One of many exhibits.
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Gold exhibit.
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The I. W. Hellman Gun Collection.
- Wells Fargo Museum Art Gallery
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The Art Gallery
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"The Pay Stage"
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"There'll Be ... to Pay"
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