Big Red: Flagstaff’s First Car and Lowell’s Rolling Time MachineThe journey begins with Big Red, a 1911 Stevens-Duryea and one of the first automobiles in Flagstaff. It once belonged to Percival Lowell himself, who had it custom-built with an extra-wide backseat so his wife, Constance Lowell, could take naps in comfort during their drives. Big Red quickly became a beloved local icon in Flagstaff, and remains so today. After decades away from Mars Hill after being sold to a friend of Constance, the car was rediscovered in 1989 by a vintage auto collector named Warwick Eastwood who unknowingly owned it. He reached out to Lowell the very next day and drove it up the hill for a joyful staff reunion, which included astronomer and former mayor of Flagstaff E.C. Slipher’s son Earl Jr., who remembered playing in it as a child. Percival Lowell’s cherry-red 1911 Stevens-Duryea automobile, affectionately nicknamed “Big Red” by Lowell staff, typically resides in the lobby area of the Putnam Collection Center as a display piece. “It feels really good,” says Stoker. “We even have a Big Red team now: people who take care of it, bring it out for special events. It’s a symbol of our history, but it also connects the community in a really emotional way.” Details:Size: 3" x 1.4"
