Prescott, AZ: History, Culture and Links

Want to move to Prescott (pronounced "press-kit")? Here's all about it!
Prescott is a mile high city surrounded by beautiful mountains covered in the largest Ponderosa Pine Forest in the world, and accented by Thumb Butte. We're growing fast, but have petty much kept our "little country town" atmosphere.

Our "town square," which is the lawn around the Courthouse, has something going on every night, all summer long: clogging, square dancing, movies on the lawn, big (and small) bands portraying every country in the world, plays and operas, you name it. One weekend a month we have an arts and crafts show, and other weekends we have things like antique and car shows, motorcycle events, St Patty's Day celebration, Oktoberfest, 10K runs, and bowl-of-soup day to earn money for the poor.

As far as shopping, we have 3 major malls: The Ponderosa Plaza, Frontier Village, and Gateway Mall. We also have a Farmer's market that meets each weekend in the College parking lot, and what town isn't complete with a Super Wal-Mart. The only thing we DON'T have is a See's candy shop (hint, hint for any of you business minded people out there). And speaking of Colleges, we have THREE: Prescott City College (liberal arts), Yavapai College, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

For those who like the out-of-door life, we have 5 lakes surrounding our community, a couple of which have been stocked for those who love fishing. We have 3 golf courses (Prescott Lakes, Antelope Hills, and Hassayampa), our own little airport along with a shuttle service, and for those who like the night life, we have Whiskey Row (an unforgettable block long mixture of art galleries and karaoke bars).

Sounds too "cityfied" for you? Well, pardner, wait till you see our
"Frontier Days" during 4th of July week. Our parade is full of
shoot-em-up cowboys and their horses (oops, watch your step)
full of skits and bank robberies, then our famous World's Oldest
Rodeo (with the roughest, toughest bull riders in the world), then
top it off with an evening of Line-dancing, and red, white and
blue fireworks.

Prices of homes here, depends on the area and how new the house is. Someone with not too much cash, has several nice choices of mobile home parks (one of which overlooks Willow Lake). A nice 3/2 used mobile in an upscale area runs around $90,000. Houses can run up to $350k if it has an acre of manicured forest around it. Planned communities are more. From time to time you can find an older 3/2 SFR cosmetic fixer for around $130K, but get there first. Prescott Valley is less expensive if you don't mind commuting the 7 miles.

Here is what the weather is like today (takes a minute to load).
And just below are some photos and statistics:

Courthouse Range Land Whisky Row Thumb Butte Historic District

Goldwater Lake            Antique Row          Watson Lake                Pronghorn           Evening Ride

Capitol: Phoenix

Date of Statehood:
February 14, 1912

Population:
Arizona was the second fastest growing state in the nation in the 1990s. Arizona’s July 1, 2004 population reached 5.83 million, according to the latest estimates from the Arizona Department of Economic Security Population Statistics Unit. The Arizona population is expected to reach 11.17 million by 2050, a 118% increase of the state’s population from 5.13 million in 2000.

Primary Agriculture:
Arizona's principal crops are cotton, hay, lettuce, and sorghum. Cattle, calves, and dairy goods are also important farm products. Agriculture is centered in Phoenix and Tucson.

Primary Industry:
Manufacturing has become Arizona's most important industry. Principal products include electrical, communications, and aeronautical items. Our state produces over half the country's copper.

Gemstone:
Turquoise (Legislation of 1974)

Bird:
Cactus Wren (Legislation of 1973)

Flag:

Animal:
Ringtail (Legislation of 1986)

Reptile:
Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake (Legislation of 1986)

Flower:
Saguaro Cactus (1973 Legislation)
Flower Art by: Santalady

Tree:
Palo Verde (Legislation of 1973)

Motto:
Ditat Deus (God Enriches)

Official State Homepages:

State of Arizona                Arizona Guide                    Arizona Homeland Security

Arizona State Parks Arizona @ Your Service

Other State Links:

Governor's Kids Page Governor's Essential Services Task Force

Government Information Technology Agency AZ Health Care Cost & Containment

AZ Dept of Economic Security

General State History

Man lived in the Arizona area 20,000 years ago. Traces of early agricultural civilizations are found throughout the state. High, almost inaccessible cliff dwellings still stand in silent evidence of another prehistoric race. Even the vast irrigation system surrounding Arizona capital city, Phoenix, follows ancient patterns of canals used to irrigate the Hohokam farmlands with water from the Gila and Salt Rivers.

From tree rings studied, we know that from 1276 to 1299 A.D. there was a great drought which ended the prehistoric civilization. When Columbus discovered America, Arizona was inhabited by ancestors of present day Indians. The written history of Arizona began when the Spaniards sent exploration parties northward from Mexico. The first was a Franciscan priest named Marcos de Niza, who entered the territory in 1539.

Other Spanish missionaries followed and established missions to bring Christianity to the Indians. Tumacacori Mission, north of Nogales, was founded by Padre Kino at the center of an Indian settlement. This mission is now a National Monument. Padre Kino also laid the foundations for San Xavier del Bac Mission on the outskirts of today's Tucson, still used for regular services by the Tohono O'Odham Indians who live nearby.

After Kino's death, Spanish development of this area came to a halt. In 1821 Mexico declared its independence from Spain and eventually went to war with the United States. This war ended in 1848, and the land north of the Gila River became United States territory. In 1853 the rest of the area was acquired by the Gadsen Purchase. Then the great westward movement of our early pioneers began, and Arizona entered the phase of its history which has provided so much story material for books and movies.

Men came West to seek their fortunes - adventurers, prospectors, farmers, businessmen, builders. To protect them against the Indians who fought fiercely to keep back this change in their land, the army also came and built its forts. Only the most brave and hardy pioneers came until the last of the Indian uprisings were finished and final peace won in 1886. Development of the state then surged forward.

Back in the ages of its creation, there had been formed in Arizona land great deposits of gold, silver, copper and other minerals which were now uncovered by the prospectors. Lusty new towns sprang up near the mines.

Great fortunes were made and lost, sometimes in a single 24 hours. While prospectors were "striking it rich," other pioneers saw their fortunes of the future in another aspect of Arizona land. Farmers cultivated crops along rivers and streams as had the Indians before them. Others brought in cattle to roam the range land. Still others saw Arizona as an ideal place to raise sheep.

Law and order were slow to catch up with the sudden growth of the frontier. Bitter gun battles broke out between the cattlemen and sheepmen, each wanting the grazing land and water rights.

With the leadership of the pioneers themselves, United States Marshals finally made a peaceful territory of Arizona, where crops, cattle and sheep, as well as mining, all became important in building the future of the state.

In 1912, its lawless, boisterous frontier days behind it, Arizona became the 48th state to join the Union and its modern advance began.

Historic Figures

Cochise
1812-74: Chiricahua Apache chief; born in present-day Arizona or New Mexico. Initially friendly toward whites, he embarked on a campaign against them in 1861 after he had been imprisoned on the false charge of having kidnapped a white child. With the murder of his father-in-law, Mangas Coloradas, in 1863, he became the main war chief of the Apaches. For many years he engaged in a series of violent actions against white settlers and the U.S. Army, but he was gradually isolated in a smaller and smaller mountainous region. After winning assurances from the U.S. government that he and his band could remain in the Chiricahua Mountains, he surrendered in 1872.

Sandra Day O’Connor
1930 - Present: Supreme Court justice; born in El Paso, Texas. After taking her law degree from Stanford (1952), she had a private practice in Arizona; serving in the Arizona Senate (1969--74), she was the first woman in America to be elected majority leader of a state senate (1972--74). She was elected to a county superior court (1974--79) and was then appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals (1979--81). When President Ronald Reagan selected her, she became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (1981). Generally conservative in her legal views, she occasionally took independent positions and for long held the "swing vote" on the issue of abortion.

Wyatt Earp
1848-1929: (Berry Stapp) Gambler, gunfighter, and lawman, born in Monmouth, IL. He drifted through the West working at a variety of jobs from confidence trickster to assistant marshal. During his stay in Tombstone, AZ, he befriended Doc Holliday, who joined with the Earp brothers against the Clanton gang in the famous gunfight at the OK Corral (1881). Earp collaborated in the writing of his biography Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal (1931), published after his death. The book portrayed him as a heroic frontiersman of the Wild West.

Cesar Chavez
1927-93: Labor leader; born in Yuma, Ariz. A migrant farm worker in his youth--he attended 65 elementary schools and never graduated from high school--he became a community and labor organizer of agricultural workers in the 1950s. In 1962 he started the National Farm Workers Association, based in California and the Southwest among the mainly Chicano (Mexican-Americans) and Filipino farm workers; in 1966 this union would be chartered by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations as the United Farm Workers of America; he remained its president until his death.

Barry Goldwater
1909-Present: U.S. senator; born in Phoenix, Ariz. Grandson of an immigrant peddler in the Western mining camps, he inherited a prosperous department store business of which he became president in 1937. An active sportsman, he was one of the first white men to navigate the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. During World War II, he was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force (1941--45). A conservative Republican, he served in the U.S. Senate (Ariz., 1953--65, 1969--87). He was chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He ran for the presidency (1964) but was defeated in a landslide by Lyndon B. Johnson

State Location

Highest Elevation: 12,633 (Humphreys Peak)
Lowest Elevation: 70 (Colorado River)

State Map

State Parks (See bottom of page for links)

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
The arboretum was established in the early 1920's by botanical enthusiast William Boyce Thompson. While growing into a major center for plant research, it has also blossomed into a lush desert garden. Arid-region plants and trees from around the world line scenic walks through the garden's 35-acre grounds. The arboretum's shaded picnic area is ideal for a leisurely lunch. Visitors can purchase cacti, succulents, and water-efficient trees and shrubs at the garden's visitor center. The arboretum is three miles west of Superior along U.S. Route 60. Activities: Picnic Area, Hiking Trails. For information call: (520)689-2723

Lost Dutchman State Park
Since the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine has never been rediscovered, the Superstition Mountains draw adventurers seeking lost gold as well as recreational riches. Situated at the base of the Superstitions, the park is an ideal starting point, fall through spring, for exploration of the Superstition Wilderness. Also, one of the Phoenix metro area's most popular desert lakes, Canyon Lake, is only a 30-minute drive from this campground. Most visitors camp, picnic, or hike interpretive desert trails. Lost Dutchman park is five miles northeast of Apache Junction off State Route 88. Restrooms (Handicapped Accessible) Showers (Handicapped Accessible) Waste disposal Group Use Area Picnic Area Hiking Trails Ramadas. For information call: (602)982-4485

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
The world's largest natural travertine bridge (400 feet wide) arches 183 feet above sparkling Pine Creek. Flowing springs and fern draped grottoes line the narrow canyon upstream and, in a large grassy meadow above the bridge, a restored turn-of-the-century hotel provides a peek at an earlier time. Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is located 13 miles northwest of Payson off State Route 87. Activities include hiking and picnicking. For information call: (520)476-4202

Slide Rock State Park
Located in what many consider to be Mother Nature's finest playground, Slide Rock State Park is nestled in lush Oak Creek Canyon. The park takes its name from a 30 foot long water slide worn in the rocks of the creek bed. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, and nature-watching take on new dimensions among the canyon's red rock walls and pine forests. A thriving apple orchard is a unique attraction. The state has expanded parking and other facilities used by the waves of visitors who refresh themselves at Slide Rock during summer months. Several Forest Service campgrounds are nearby. Slide Rock is seven miles north of Sedona off State Route 89A. For information call: (520)282-3034

Red Rock State Park
Red Rock State Park is a 286 acre nature preserve and environmental education center located just 5 miles west of Sedona off highway 89A on the Lower Red Rock Loop Road. A wide variety of special programs are available for school groups and private groups and our picnic areas and classrooms may be reserved for public or private functions. To protect our fragile vegetation, we ask that you stay on designated trails, to pack out your trash and to leave your pet at home while visiting Red Rock State Park. Swimming and wading are reserved activities for local wildlife only. We are a day-use park only, so there are no general overnight camping facilities available. Activities: Restrooms (Handicapped Accessible) Hiking Trails Picnic Ramada Visitor Center with Theatre,

Camping and Hiking

Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Don’t' be alarmed by its name: this state park is located next to the community of Cottonwood in the scenic Verde Valley, and is alive with animal and human activity. Perhaps best known as a 'nest' for bird watching, the park is also favored for picnicking, camping, canoeing, horseback riding, and stream and pond fishing. Walking trails meander along the shady banks of the Verde River. The park, with its full-facility campground is also a good base for exploring other attractions in and around the Verde Valley. Number of Camping Units - 45 Facilities available: Restrooms/Showers (Handicapped Accessible), Electric Hookup, Waste Disposal, Group, Use Area, Fishing, Canoeing, Picnic Area, Hiking Trails, Equestrian Trails, Ramadas. For information call: (520)634-5283

Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area
Imagine camping among 100-foot pine trees beside a quiet lake watching majestic great blue herons at a cool 6,300 ft. in elevation. Year-round camping, fishing, picnicking, boating, and wildlife viewing opportunities make Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area a very popular place. Fool Hollow is located within National Forest Lands on the Lakeside Ranger District near the City of Show Low, Arizona. The Fool Hollow Recreation Area has a 149-acre lake. Show Low Creek flows into Fool Hollow Lake, providing a natural feeding ground for a variety of wildlife and a very diverse fishery.

Hunting and Fishing

Alamo Lake State Park
An oasis for anglers and nature lovers, Alamo Lake offers classic Sonoran Desert scenery and the promise of uncrowded views. Principally a flood control reservoir, the park is located on the Bill Williams River about 30 miles before it enters the Colorado River. Although its water level fluctuates sharply, the lake teems with large-mouth bass and catfish. Its upgraded campground features developed sites and a well stocked marina store with boat rentals. An abundance of outdoor activities include wildlife watching and hiking against a backdrop of the picturesque Rawhide and Buckskin mountains. Wildlife include: quail, deer, coyote, bald eagles, and the area's trademark...wild burros. Access is via 38 miles of paved road. Turn north at Wenden off U.S. Route 60. Restrooms/Showers (Handicapped Accessible), Electric Hookup, Waste Disposal, Group Use Area, Fishing, Boating, Boat Ramp, Picnic Area, Ramadas, Store, Boat Rentals. For information call: (520)669-2088

Buckskin Mountain State Park
This state park scenically located between the Buckskin Mountains and the Colorado River attracts both nature lovers and water enthusiasts. Hikers are enticed to explore the area via three developed trails that ascend steep bluffs to panoramic overlooks. The river draws pleasure boaters, water skiers, and swimmers to this 400-foot-elevation recreation area. Anglers vie for largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, and bluegill. Buckskin Mountain State Park and its associated River Island Unit are approximately 11 miles north of Parker off State Route 95. Facilities: Restrooms (Handicapped Accessible), Showers, Electric Hookup, Waste Disposal, Fishing, Boating, Boat Ramp, Picnic Area, Hiking Trails, Gas Docks, Store, Boat Rentals. For information call: (520)667-3231

Lake Havasu State Park
There are two distinct units at this water lovers' paradise, Windsor Beach and Cattail Cove. Windsor Beach is a wonderfully developed area in Lake Havasu City just north of the famed London Bridge. (London Bridge was dismantled at its original site in England and rebuilt in Arizona by developer Robert McCulloch in 1971.) Windsor Beach is popular for day use, camping, and launching all varieties of watercraft. Facilities: Restrooms/Showers (Handicapped Accessible), Waste Disposal, Group Use Area, Fishing, Boating, Boat Ramp, Picnic Area, Hiking Trails, Ramadas. For information call: (520)855-2784

Patagonia Lake State Park
At two and a half miles long and 250 surface acres, Patagonia Lake is popular for a variety of recreational activities, including water skiing, fishing, camping, picnicking, and hiking. Created by the damming of Sonoita Creek, the lake is filled with bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish, and is stocked with rainbow trout during the winter. For anglers' sake, half of the lake is designated a no wake area. A level fishing pad is provided for wheelchair access. Because the lake attracts a multitude of water lovers during summer months, water skiing and jet skiing are prohibited on weekends and holidays from May 1 through October 1. Camping ranges from undeveloped spots to sites with water and electric hookups. Park conveniences include picnic ramadas, a swimming beach, and a marina store with boat rentals. Entry to the park is from State Route 82 between Patagonia and Nogales. For information call: (520)287-6965

Arizona Hunting
For information on hunting big and small game in Arizona contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (602)942-300

Arizona also offers these other outdoor activities:

All terrain vehicles
Boating
Canoeing
Climbing
Horseback riding
Picnicking
Skiing
Swimming

Historic Sites

Fort Verde State Historic Park
Fort Verde was the primary base for General Crook's U.S. Army scouts and soldiers. They were charged with squelching Apache and Yavapai Indian uprisings in the late 1800's. Some of the original buildings still stand today. Its officers' quarters are open to visitors interested in learning what life was like on the frontier. The fort's museum, located in the old headquarters building, exhibits artifacts that explain the history and methods of frontier soldiering. The park is in the town of Camp Verde, three miles east of Interstate 17. For information call: (520)567-3275

Jerome State Historic Park
The 1916 mansion of James 'Rawhide Jimmy' Douglas sits regally atop a hill overlooking the scenic Verde Valley. The mansion served as a 'hotel' for visiting mining officials and investors, as well as home to the Douglas family. Once Arizona Territory's most productive copper mining area, Jerome lost its sheen when prices plummeted during the Depression. The mansion's well-appointed interior and adobe-brick architecture reflect the copper mining high-life before the fall. Displays feature local mining history and methods. The park, located in the town of Jerome off State Route 89A, has a number of intriguing historic attractions nearby. For information call: (520)634-5381

Riordan State Historic Park
The Riordan mansion (actually two adjoining mansions) was built in 1904 for Timothy and Michael Riordan. The Riordan brothers owned the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company, Flagstaff's leading logging enterprise. A tour through the brothers' massive 13,000 square foot home provides insight into the life of a wealthy frontier family in the early 1900's. Its rustic exterior, perhaps Arizona's finest example of Craftsman style architecture, is a striking contrast to its opulent interior of

Tourist Attractions

Biosphere 2
Beginning in September 1991, this unusual glass-enclosed, airtight environment was the scene of a two-year experiment in which eight people attempted to live on their own. Basically a giant greenhouse, Biosphere 2 is now mostly a tourist destination. For information call: (520)896-6400

Grand Canyon
A mile deep and 18 miles wide in places, the 277-mile-long Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring destination for any visitor. Millions choose the South Rim as the vantage point for exploring this natural wonder. For information call: (520)638-7888

Petrified Forest
Petrified wood can be found in spots around the globe, but nowhere is it in such colorful abundance as in Petrified Forest National Park, just off I-40 in northeast Arizona. Drive through the park, or get a closer look via one of the hiking trails. For information call: (520)524-6228

The Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo is Arizona's largest. Special attractions include the 4-acre African veldt and the Forest of Uco, a rain-forest exhibit with rare spectacled bears. The children’s zoo has numerous baby animals on exhibit and a large petting enclosure. For information call: (602)273-1341

Grand Canyon Railway
This popular railway uses 1920s-vintage coaches to link Williams, Ariz., with the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Visitors enjoy spectacular scenery during the ride, but they also enjoy the freedom of seeing the canyon without worrying about parking. For information call: (800)THE-TRAIN

Prescott Arizona Your gateway to the historic Southwest, Prescott is less than a day away from hundreds of historic sites, national parks, monuments and recreational sites:
Arizona	Canyon de Chelly National Monument Casa Grande National Monument Chiricahua National Monument Coronado National Monument Fort Bowie National Historic Site Glen Canyon National Recreational Area Grand Canyon National Park Historic Route 66 Hohokam Pima National Monument Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site Jerome State Historical Park Montezuma Castle National Monument Monument Valley National Monument Navajo National Monument Oak Creek Canyon/ Slide Rock State Park Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park Pipe Spring National Monument Saguaro National Park Sedona Sunset Crater National Monument Tonto National Monument Tumacacori National Monument Tuzigoot National Monument Walnut Canyon National Monument
Utah	Arches National Park Bryce Canyon National Park Canyonlands National Park Dinosaur National Monument Glen Canyon National Recreational Area Golden Spike National Historic Site Natural Bridges National Monument Rainbow Bridge National Monument Zion National Park
Nevada	Great Basin National Park Lake Mead National Recreational Area Las Vegas Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
New Mexico	Aztec Ruins National Monument Bandelier National Monument Capulin Volcano National Monument Carlsbad Caverns National Park Carson National Forest Chaco Culture National Historic Park El Malpais National Monument El Morro National Monument Fort Union National Monument Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Pecos National Historic Park Petroglyph National Monument Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument White Sands National Monument
California	Death Valley National Park Devils Postpile National Monument Joshua Tree National Park Mojave National Park Pinnacles National Monument Redwood National Park Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Yosemite National Park
Colorado	Great Sand Dunes National Monument Mesa Verde National Park Rocky Mountain National Park

OTHER Arizona Travel Links:

AZ Tourist Arizona Speed Traps Meteor Crater Lowell Observatory Hike Arizona

LOCAL LINKS TO PRESCOTT ARIZONA

Click on the Area of Interest:

Appraisers	Home Inspection	Realtors
Builders	Information	Schools/Colleges/Universities
City of Prescott	Mortgage	Services
Employment	News and Events	Subdivisions
Fun Links	Other Links	Tax Sales
Homes	Property Management	Title Agencies

Prescott Information:

Official website of the Prescott Chamber Of Commerce

Prescott City Directory- Telephone Numbers

Prescott Gateway Mall- Store Telephone Directory

Prescott Public Library

Prescott National Forest

Yavapai County, Arizona Official Website

Arizona Game & Fish Dept.