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Prescott, Arizona

November 15, 2023

Prescott (/ˈprɛskət/ PRESS-kət)[5][6][7] is a city and the county seat of Yavapai County, Arizona, United States.[8] As of 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827.

Prescott
City
Courthouse and Buckey O'Neill statue
Seal
Wordmark
Motto: 
"Welcome to Everybody's Hometown"
Location of Prescott in Yavapai County, Arizona.
Prescott
Location in Arizona
Prescott
Location in United States
Coordinates: 34°32′24″N 112°28′07″W / 34.54000°N 112.46861°W / 34.54000; -112.46861[1]
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyYavapai
Incorporated1881[2]
Named forWilliam H. Prescott
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • MayorPhil Goode
 • Mayor Pro TemBrandon Montoya
 • City council members[3]Steve Sischka
Eric Moore
Cathey Rusing
Clark Tenney
Connie Cantelme
 • City ManagerKatie Gregory
Area
[4]
 • City45.21 sq mi (117.09 km2)
 • Land44.97 sq mi (116.47 km2)
 • Water0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
Elevation
[1]
5,367 ft (1,636 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City45,827
 • Density1,019.08/sq mi (393.47/km2)
 • Metro
129,643 (Landscan)
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes
86300–86399
Area code928
FIPS code04-57380
GNIS feature ID33189[1]
Websitewww.prescott-az.gov

In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona Territory, replacing the temporary capital of Fort Whipple.[9] The Territorial Capital was moved to Tucson in 1867. Prescott again became the Territorial Capital in 1877, until Phoenix became the capital in 1889.

Prescott has a rich history as a frontier gold and silver mining town. Mining and settlers brought frequent conflict with native American tribes in the area, including the Yavapai and Apache. Prescott was the home to Fort Whipple from its inception, which acted as a base for campaigns against natives. Prescott was a stereotypical "wild west" town during the latter half of the 19th century; famous residents included Doc Holliday and Virgil Earp of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The makeshift wooden town burned to the ground several times in the first decade of the 20th century, which finally resulted in the town being rebuilt in brick. The modern city subsists on tourism, especially around its storied past. It is host to the self-proclaimed "World's Oldest Rodeo", running continuously since 1888. The rodeo, one of the most famous in the United States, draws some 35,000 tourists a year.

The towns of Prescott Valley, 7 miles (11 km) east; Chino Valley, 16 miles (26 km) north; Dewey-Humboldt, 13 miles (21 km) east, and Prescott comprise what is locally known as the "Quad-City" area.[10] This also sometimes refers to central Yavapai County in general, which would include the towns of: Mayer, Paulden, Wilhoit, and Williamson Valley. Combined with these smaller communities, the area had a population of 103,260 as of 2007. Prescott is the center of the Prescott Metropolitan Area, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as all of Yavapai County.

The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe reservation is adjacent to and partially within the borders of Prescott.

Prescott is in the Granite Creek watershed and contains the convergence of Miller Creek and Granite Creek on its north side.[11]

History edit

 
First Territorial Capital and Governor's Mansion, 1864. Now part of Sharlot Hall Museum
 
First Prescott Courthouse, circa 1885
 
"Execution of a soldier of the 8th Infantry in Prescott, Arizona 1877" is the caption. In fact, it is the execution of Private James Malone of Company K 12th US Infantry in Prescott Arizona 15 March 1878 for his part in a January 1876 murder.[12]

Prescott was originally inhabited by the indigenous Yavapai, who had split off from Patayan groups around 1300 AD.[13] The first recorded European contact with the Yavapai was made by Spaniard Antonio de Espejo in 1583, who was looking for gold.[14] Until the 1860s, there was no permanent European presence. The territory was explored by the Walker Party in 1862 and 1863. Walker and his men discovered gold at Hassayampa Creek, just south of Prescott, in 1863. Further gold was struck at nearby Lynx Creek, Weaver Creek, and Big Bug. With the backing of Ohio railroad magnates, the Arizona Organic Act establishing the Arizona Territory was pushed through in February 1863. The land was now open to settlers. Fort Whipple was established the same year near present day Chino Valley. The fort was also made the territorial capital.[15]: 78–79 

The fort was moved to more mountainous terrain 20 miles (32 km) south the next year.[15]: 78–79  Arizona Territorial Governor John Noble Goodwin selected the site of Prescott following his first tour of the new territory. Goodwin replaced Governor John A. Gurley, appointed by Abraham Lincoln, who died before taking office. Downtown streets in Prescott are named in honor of both of them. Goodwin selected a site south of the temporary capital on the east side of Granite Creek near a number of mining camps.[citation needed] The new town was named in honor of historian William H. Prescott during a public meeting on May 30, 1864.[9] Robert W. Groom surveyed the new community, and an initial auction sold 73 lots on June 4, 1864. By July 4, 1864, 232 lots had been sold within the new community.[16] Prescott was incorporated in 1881.[2]

The mineral wealth of Prescott included a good quantity of both gold and silver, and made the hamlet the most important city in northern Arizona. It also escalated the American Indian Wars, as pioneers and natives increasingly attacked the other, in ever bloodier reprisals. Tribes also chose sides against each other, with the Maricopa and O'odham fighting alongside American and Mexican settlers against the Yavapai and Apache in brutal campaigns.[15]: 79–81  The Hualapai War broke out in northern Arizona in 1865, which brought a period of guerilla warfare, though few pitched battles.[15]: 79–81  Not until 1935 were the Yavapai given a reservation in Prescott, and at first only a mere 75 acres (30 ha) directly adjacent to Fort Whipple. An extra 1,320 acres (530 ha) were provided in 1956.[15]: 106 

The mining camps brought much prosperity, but also much racism. On July 12, 1863, the miners of Lynx Creek passed a resolution banning Asian and Mexican miners. Similar resolutions were passed in the other mining districts. Since there was no extant Mexican population, there was little to temper the racism of new Anglos from the Eastern United States. There were also very few women on the frontier at the time; an 1864 census found just 40. 31 were Mexican, which, combined with the racism of the territory, led to frequent allegations of sexual promiscuity. By the 1870s, as Prescott became increasingly "civilized", it took on the values of Victorian society, including its sexual standards. There were exceptions, however. Mary DeCrow, a white woman, arriving around 1863, had a relationship with a black Texan, breaking taboos around miscegenation. She later married a Mexican blacksmith, starting a boarding house with him; public opinion calmed down after this and she eventually became much loved. Another legendary Prescott woman, Mary Sawyer, wore men's clothes, drank hard, swore hard, and worked a mining claim. Sawyer's breaking of gender norms however resulted in her 1877 institutionalization in an insane asylum, in which she remained until her death in 1902.[15]: 156–157 

Prescott served as capital of Arizona Territory until November 1, 1867, when the capital was moved to Tucson by act of the 4th Arizona Territorial Legislature.[17] The capital was returned to Prescott in 1877 by the 9th Arizona Territorial Legislature.[18] The capital was finally moved to Phoenix on February 4, 1889, by the 15th Arizona Territorial Legislature.[19] The three Arizona Territory capitals reflected the changes in political influence of different regions of the territory as they grew and developed.

Prescott also holds a place in the larger history of the American southwest. Both Virgil Earp (brother of Wyatt Earp) and Doc Holliday lived in Prescott before their now infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Virgil Earp lived in Prescott starting in 1878 as a constable/watchman.[20] Doc Holliday was there for a while in the summer of 1880 and even appears in the 1880 census records.[21][22]

The Sharlot Hall Museum houses much of Prescott's territorial history, and the Museum of Indigenous People (formerly the Smoki museum)[23] and Phippen Museum also maintain local collections. Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott boasts many historic buildings, including The Palace, Arizona's oldest restaurant and bar. Many other buildings have been converted to boutiques, art galleries, bookstores, and restaurants. Prescott is home to the Arizona Pioneers' Home. The Home opened during territorial days, February 1, 1911.

After several major fires in the early part of the century, downtown Prescott was rebuilt with brick. The central courthouse plaza, a lawn under huge old elm trees, is a gathering and meeting place. Cultural events and performances take place on many nights in the summer on the plaza.

Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican nominee for president, launched his presidential campaign from the steps of Prescott's Yavapai County Courthouse.

Notable wildfires edit

Yarnell Hill Fire: Nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, part of the Prescott Fire Department, died on Sunday, June 30, 2013, while battling the wildfire that had ignited two days earlier south of Prescott.[24]

Goodwin Fire: The wildfire ignited in the Bradshaw Mountains south of Prescott on Saturday, June 24, 2017. The fire eventually led to the evacuations of Mayer and Walker a few days later. State Route 69 was partially closed between the towns of Mayer and Dewey-Humboldt.[25]

Geography edit

 
Thumb Butte and Granite Mountain in Prescott.

Prescott is 55 mi (89 km) west-northwest of the State of Arizona's geographic center.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.5 sq mi (107.5 km2), of which 40.7 sq mi (105.4 km2) is land and 0.81 sq mi (2.1 km2) is water.

Prescott is considered part of North Central Arizona, sitting just north of the Bradshaw Mountains and east of the Sierra Prieta range. The Granite Dells, often called ‘The Dells’, lies just north of the Prescott city center and is known for its large boulder outcroppings of granite that have eroded into a spectacular appearance of bumpy rock features. Within 'The Dells'[26] are Watson and Willow Lakes, which are two small, man-made reservoirs. Here a number of hiking trails connect to the Peavine Trail.[27] The Peavine National Recreation Trail follows what was the former rail bed of the Santa Fe. This railroad traveled from Prescott to Phoenix through the Granite Dells. The "Peavine" got its name from the winding portion of this railroad that twists and curves, resembling the vine on which peas grow. The Peavine trail connects to the Iron King Trail, which was the route of the old Prescott Railroad through the Granite Dells. Other lakes include Lynx, Granite Basin and Goldwater, all surrounding different areas of this rustic community. Goldwater Lake,[28] by Goldwater Park, is 4 miles (6.4 km) from downtown Prescott, has 15 acres (6.1 ha) of water surface, and is a popular destination for park recreation and picnic facilities. Lynx Lake[29] is another lake close to Prescott in tall ponderosa pines, and gets some 125,000 visitors every year. This 55-acre (22 ha) lake offers visitors recreational activities, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking and a small, seasonal restaurant with a view of the lake. Finally, there is the smallest of the natural lakes with 5 acres (2.0 ha) of surface water at Granite Basin Lake.[30] None of these lakes permit swimming due to a history of water quality problems,[31][32] however all are popular recreational destinations near Prescott.

Granite Creek flows generally north from the Bradshaw Mountains through the city, the Granite Dells, and the Little Chino Valley to the Verde River.

Climate edit

Prescott is in the Bradshaw Mountains of central Arizona, at an elevation of 5,400 feet (1,600 m). The city has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) bordering on a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa); however, unlike most other locations in this climate class, there is a pronounced summer wet season due to the North American Monsoon.

Average annual precipitation for 1991-2020 was 16.46 inches (418 mm), with spring and early summer the driest times of the year.[33][34] Snowfall is typically light and snow cover usually melts away quickly; the average seasonal total was 10.2 inches (26 cm).The largest portion of precipitation falls during the July–September monsoon season. Average daytime temperatures remain above 50 °F (10 °C) the entire year, but diurnal temperature variation is large throughout the year, averaging nearly 30 °F (17 °C) annually.[33][34] On average, temperatures reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 44 days annually, though 100 °F (38 °C)+ readings are uncommon and occur only 1–2 days per year on average, much unlike the Sonoran Desert to the south and Mojave Desert to the west. The average season for freezing temperatures is October 21 through May 1.[citation needed]

Temperature extremes are fairly widespread. The warmest measured temperature in Prescott is 105 °F (41 °C) on two separate occasions (1925 and 2021).[35] The coldest low was measured in 1937 and stood at −21 °F (−29 °C).[35] Due to the large diurnal temperature variation, cold winter days are rare, but being far inland causes a variability which occasionally leads to ice days. The coldest maximum on record is 20 °F (−7 °C) in February 1905 and a normal year between 1991 and 2020 saw the coldest day of the year not rise above 33 °F (1 °C).[35] Warm summer nights are rare due to being on an elevated plain, but happen on occasion. The warmest on record is 79 °F (26 °C) in August 1904, whereas a normal year has a more modest 69 °F (21 °C) for the highest low.[35]

There was a severe drought from 1999 to 2009, seen from the lack of snowpack in the Bradshaw Mountains. Local creeks do not contain water except immediately after the rare rains. Nevertheless, at the start of 2007 lakes were reported as full. The winter of 2005–06 had less than 3 inches (7.6 cm) of snow, compared to an average snowfall of 12.8 inches (33 cm).[36]

Climate data for Prescott, Arizona (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1898–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 73
(23) 		77
(25) 		83
(28) 		89
(32) 		97
(36) 		105
(41) 		105
(41) 		103
(39) 		98
(37) 		92
(33) 		83
(28) 		78
(26) 		105
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 64.8
(18.2) 		67.8
(19.9) 		73.8
(23.2) 		81.4
(27.4) 		88.5
(31.4) 		96.4
(35.8) 		98.5
(36.9) 		95.4
(35.2) 		91.0
(32.8) 		84.8
(29.3) 		74.7
(23.7) 		65.8
(18.8) 		99.6
(37.6)
Average high °F (°C) 52.6
(11.4) 		55.2
(12.9) 		61.2
(16.2) 		67.8
(19.9) 		76.3
(24.6) 		87.0
(30.6) 		89.6
(32.0) 		87.2
(30.7) 		82.4
(28.0) 		72.9
(22.7) 		61.6
(16.4) 		51.9
(11.1) 		70.5
(21.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 38.2
(3.4) 		40.8
(4.9) 		46.4
(8.0) 		52.5
(11.4) 		60.7
(15.9) 		70.3
(21.3) 		75.3
(24.1) 		73.5
(23.1) 		67.3
(19.6) 		56.5
(13.6) 		45.7
(7.6) 		37.7
(3.2) 		55.4
(13.0)
Average low °F (°C) 23.8
(−4.6) 		26.4
(−3.1) 		31.6
(−0.2) 		37.3
(2.9) 		45.0
(7.2) 		53.6
(12.0) 		61.0
(16.1) 		59.7
(15.4) 		52.2
(11.2) 		40.1
(4.5) 		29.8
(−1.2) 		23.6
(−4.7) 		40.3
(4.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 11.9
(−11.2) 		15.1
(−9.4) 		20.5
(−6.4) 		26.4
(−3.1) 		32.5
(0.3) 		42.3
(5.7) 		52.6
(11.4) 		52.3
(11.3) 		40.8
(4.9) 		28.2
(−2.1) 		17.9
(−7.8) 		11.8
(−11.2) 		9.2
(−12.7)
Record low °F (°C) −21
(−29) 		−12
(−24) 		2
(−17) 		11
(−12) 		20
(−7) 		28
(−2) 		34
(1) 		32
(0) 		26
(−3) 		13
(−11) 		−1
(−18) 		−9
(−23) 		−21
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.52
(39) 		1.78
(45) 		1.46
(37) 		0.57
(14) 		0.51
(13) 		0.23
(5.8) 		2.69
(68) 		2.78
(71) 		1.64
(42) 		0.96
(24) 		0.87
(22) 		1.45
(37) 		16.46
(417.8)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.9
(4.8) 		3.1
(7.9) 		2.5
(6.4) 		0.4
(1.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.9
(2.3) 		1.4
(3.6) 		10.2
(26)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 5.6 5.9 5.4 3.2 3.0 1.6 9.9 9.9 5.9 3.9 3.8 5.1 63.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 1.2 1.2 0.8 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.3 5.2
Average relative humidity (%) 57 53 42 33 30 23 41 44 42 42 47 58 43
Mean daily sunshine hours 6.8 8.8 9.0 10.6 11.8 12.1 11.9 12.0 9.8 8.1 7.3 6.7 9.6
Mean daily daylight hours 10.2 11.0 12.0 13.1 14.0 14.4 14.2 13.4 12.4 11.3 10.4 9.9 12.2
Average ultraviolet index 3 4 6 9 11 12 12 11 9 6 4 3 8
Source 1: NOAA[37][38]
Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV and humidity)[39]

Monsoon season edit

Prescott is affected each year by the North American Monsoon.[40] Monsoon season is June 15–Sept. 15, and brings significant rain, wind, hail, thunderstorms, and flooding to the area. In spite of the dangers of flash floods and wildfires, many locals enjoy monsoon season for the relief of cooler temperatures, which commonly result from storms during the height of summer heatwaves.[41]

Arizona receives half of its annual rainfall during monsoon season, but this can be misleading. Monthly averages in precipitation can give the false impression that rains are confined to monsoon season, while single-day annual rainfall records have been set far outside of monsoon season, repeatedly.[42] The area is prone to weather extremes and often, monthly rainfall records are actually the result of one or two dramatic rain events.[citation needed]

Flood risk edit

Prescott area residents have faced the challenges of extreme rain and flash flooding since the first prospectors arrived in search of gold in the late 1800s. In 1863 Joseph R. Walker's original mining camp on the banks of Lynx Creek was completely swept away in a flash flood less than a year after arriving in Prescott.[43][44] In the late 1880s, floods destroyed the first dam on Lynx creek near present-day SR-69.[45] 1891 brought the heaviest flooding on record across Arizona (a record broken in 1993), carving lasting changes to the Verde river drainage, bordering Prescott. The Verde, which has in some years been completely dry, gushed with 4,284 cubic meters per second of water on Feb 24, 1891, or about half the size of the Columbia river.[46][47]

Tropical Storm Octave, in 1983, brought 14.5" of rain to parts of Prescott in less than forty-eight hours. Damages included the Santa Fe Railway, which was washed out in so many places it was completely abandoned the following year.[48][49] Two Prescott area college students died in Granite Creek during flooding in 2004, which brought an official state of emergency declaration from state governor Napolitano.[50] Significant flooding has been recorded as recently as 2018, prompting the evacuation of nearby Mayer in August.[51]

A large number of homes in Prescott are located within FEMA designated "high risk flood zones A and AE".[52] The City of Prescott recently updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps in response to increased construction and notable flooding for several consecutive years.[53]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870668—
18801,836174.9%
18901,759−4.2%
19003,559102.3%
19105,09243.1%
19205,010−1.6%
19305,51710.1%
19406,0189.1%
19506,76412.4%
196012,86190.1%
197013,6316.0%
198019,86545.7%
199026,45533.2%
200033,93828.3%
201039,84317.4%
202045,82715.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[54]

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,938 people, 15,098 households, and 8,968 families residing in the city. The population density was 915.6/sq mi (353.5/km2). There were 17,144 housing units at an average density of 462.5/sq mi (178.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.9% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 8.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,098 households, out of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.62.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.9% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,446, and the median income for a family was $46,481. Males had a median income of $31,834 versus $22,982 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,565. About 7.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy edit

 
The Derby Mine mill & camp, one of the many gold and silver mines in Prescott around the turn of the century. Taken 1901. Thumb Butte is visible in the far background.

The Prescott Gateway Mall is an enclosed shopping mall that opened in 2002, replacing Ponderosa Plaza, which was Prescott's first enclosed mall when it opened in 1980.[55]

Downtown Prescott has dozens of independently owned and operated shops.[56]

 
Men from the Derby Mine, 1905

Top employers edit

According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[57] the top employers in Prescott are:

# Employer # of employees
1 Yavapai Regional Medical Center 2,094
2 Yavapai County 1,750
3 Northern Arizona VA Health Care System 1,300
4 Yavapai College 1,290
5 Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott 650
6 Walmart 575
7 City of Prescott 518
8 Prescott Unified School District 457
9 Sturm, Ruger & Co. 400
10 Polara Health 305

Other major area employers include the Yavapai-Prescott Tribe, the James Family Prescott YMCA, and Fann Contracting.

Places of interest and culture edit

 
Brinkmeyer House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
 
Hassayampa Hotel, built 1927. Henry Trost, architect.

Prescott has many Victorian style homes. Prescott has 809 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The tallest house in North America, Falcon Nest is in Prescott, on the slope of Thumb Butte.

Prescott is home to the downtown historical area known as Whiskey Row. Adjacent to Whiskey Row was the red-light district which operated until 1917, at which point prostitution was outlawed in the state of Arizona.[20] In 1900, a great fire destroyed almost all of the buildings on Whiskey Row, including the 1891 Hotel Burke, advertised as "the only absolutely fireproof building in Prescott".[58] By legend, the patrons of the various bars simply took their drinks across the street to the Courthouse square and watched it burn. At the time of the fire, patrons removed the entire bar and back-bar of the Palace Restaurant & Saloon to the square by the patrons as the fire approached, re-installing it after the gutted brick structure was rebuilt. Whiskey Row runs north and south on Montezuma St. between Gurley and Goodwin St., directly west of the county courthouse.[citation needed] This single city block has been the home of the St. Michael's Hotel (formerly the Hotel Burke) and the Palace Hotel since the late 19th century, along with other colorful purveyors of nightlife. Originally built in 1877, The Palace Restaurant and Saloon was rebuilt after the fire, and is now the state's oldest continuous business.[59][60] Merchant Sam Hill's large hardware store was near Whiskey Row.[61]

 
Whiskey Row
 
Rodeo grounds

Prescott is host to the self-proclaimed "World's Oldest Rodeo", running continuously since 1888. Also known as "Frontier Days", it runs in the days leading up to Fourth of July. It is one of the most famous rodeos in the United States. In the 2010s, it drew over 35,000 tourists a year, nearly doubling Prescott's population for the rodeo week. During the same period, some 45,000 people also attend the Rodeo Parade, which winds through downtown Prescott. Though several other rodeos pre-date Prescott's by decades, Prescott claims it was the first to charge admission and turn it into a spectator sport. This is backed up by a 1985 trademark on "World's Oldest Rodeo". The rodeo was featured in the 1972 film Junior Bonner.[62][63][64][65]

 
Elks Theatre Performing Arts Center (formerly Elks Opera House)

Prescott hosts annual events such as Frontier Days, Easter Egg-Stravaganza, the Bluegrass Festival, Earth Day, July 4 Celebration, Tsunami on the Square, art festivals, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, Navajo Rug Auction, Pumpkin Patch Carnival, World's Largest Gingerbread Village at the Prescott Resort & Conference center (on the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe reservation), Prescott Film Festival, Folk Arts Fair, parades, the Acker Music Festival, The Cowboy Poets Gathering, the Prescott Highland Games, Courthouse Lighting, Whiskey Off Road and Ragnar Relay Del Sol. On New Year's Eve, historic Whiskey Row saw the inaugural Prescott Boot Drop to usher in the 2012 New Year. The illuminated 6-foot (1.8 m) tall cowboy boot with multi-colored stars was lowered from the historic Palace Restaurant rooftop's 40-foot (12 m) flagpole to the delight and cheers of celebrants gathered on Montezuma Street which was closed for the occasion. Also in Prescott is the Heritage Park Zoo.[citation needed]

There are four golf courses within the city limits: Antelope Hills Golf Course, which consist of the City of Prescott South Course and the City of Prescott North Course, Capital Canyon Golf Club (formerly the Hassayampa Golf Club) (private), Talking Rock Golf Club (private), and Prescott Lakes Golf Club (private). More public courses are located nearby in surrounding towns.[66]

Prescott is home to The Arizona Pioneers' Home, a continuing care retirement home, operated and funded by the State of Arizona, originally intended for impoverished Arizona founders from Territorial days. Initially the home was built to house 40 men, but in 1916 an addition of a women's wing was completed to provide for 20 women. Later, in 1929, the home again expanded to include Arizona's Hospital for Disabled Miners (current total capacity is 150 beds). Scenes from the 2008 movie Jolene were filmed in the Pioneer's Home in 2006. The Home has had many colorful residents, including a John Miller, who claimed to be Billy the Kid, and who was exhumed from the Pioneer's Home Cemetery in 2005 in an attempt to identify DNA evidence. Another resident was "Big Nose Kate" Elder, who would also be laid to rest in the Pioneer's Home Cemetery, though not without controversy.[citation needed]

Prescott is home to Prescott College, a small liberal arts college just west of the downtown area that emphasizes environmental and social justice. It is a non-profit organization which has an undergraduate body of roughly 800 students, and an average student to faculty ratio of 7:1 in on-campus classrooms.[67] There are four general programs at Prescott College: the On-campus Undergraduate Program (RDP), Limited-Residency Undergraduate Degree Program (ADP), the Limited-Residency Master of Arts Program (MAP), and a Limited-Residency PhD program in Sustainability Education.[68] Those enrolled in the Limited-Residency programs work with various mentors and Prescott College faculty, usually in their home communities. On-campus students live in Prescott and attend classes at the college itself.

Prescott was at one point a recovery destination, with over 200 sober living homes dedicated to drug or alcohol recovery. However, increased regulation and enforcement has whittled the number down to less than 30 as of June 2018.[69]

The cultures of Prescott's recovery community, the students at Prescott College, and preexisting small town punk subculture have fostered a thriving punk scene. Shows are hosted weekly at house venues, tattoo shops, and bars throughout downtown and the Dexter neighborhood.[70] Prescott has been home to several nationally known punk bands, including Bueno, Life in Pictures, and Hour of the Wolf. Local bands often play shows alongside touring bands, who include Prescott in their tours.[citation needed]

Prescott was the location of Arizona's first Elks Lodge (BPOE). In December 1895 a group of enterprising businessmen in Prescott established the Prescott Elks Lodge #330, known as the "Mother Lodge of Arizona". The Prescott Elks Opera House was built by the lodge in 1905. The Prescott Elks Lodge is in Prescott Valley.[71]

 
A panorama of the Courthouse square in downtown Prescott

Designations edit

Prescott was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in 1989.

Other notable designations include:

2000: Downtown Historic Preservation District (which includes "Whiskey Row") – one of 12 such National Register Historic Districts within the city.

2004: A "Preserve American Community"[72] in 2004 by First Lady Laura Bush.

2006: One of a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations"[73] by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

2008: Yavapai Courthouse Plaza recognized as one of the first ten "Great Public Places"[74] in America by the American Planning Association.

2012: Number 1 True Western Town of the Year[75] for 2011 by True West Magazine and One of the 61 Best Old House Neighborhoods in the U.S and Canada by This Old House Magazine.[76]

Government edit

The City of Prescott operates under a council-manager form of government. The council has six council members and a mayor, all elected at-large by the people of Prescott. Council members are elected to staggered four-year terms, and the mayor to a two-year term. Elections for mayor and council members are held in the first year after the national presidential and mid-term elections to keep national issues from overshadowing local concerns. Mayoral and council elections are non-partisan. There are no term limits for council members or the mayor. The council appoints a professional city manager to oversee the daily administrative operations of city services and their respective departments, including the Prescott Fire Department. The current city manager is Katie Gregory. The current mayor is Phil Goode, elected in 2021. Council members as of June 2022 are Cathey Rusing, Connie Cantellme, Brandon Montoya (Mayor Pro-Tem), Eric Moore, Steve Sischka, and Clark Tenney.[77][78][79]

Education edit

Higher education edit

K-12 edit

Prescott Unified School District operates public schools. There are 18 public schools, including five charter schools, in grades K-12 and four private schools in Prescott.[81] In 2015, due to budget cuts, the Prescott Unified School District closed Washington Elementary and Miller Valley Elementary schools. To make up for the change all elementary schools only went up to fourth grade. Granite Mountain Middle School serves fifth and sixth grades. Mile High Middle School serves seventh and eighth grades and Prescott High School remains unchanged.[80] A district preschool has been operating in the Washington Elementary since the latter's closure. A recent renovation of the building will be completed in 2018 and will also be the home of the Prescott Unified School District Offices.[82]

Transportation edit

 
View of airport from Hwy 89

Prescott Regional Airport, Ernest A. Love Field (PRC) is located seven miles (11 km) north of the downtown courthouse. As of 2021, United Airlines operates commercial flights from Prescott to Denver and Los Angeles.[83]

The three main thoroughfares in and around Prescott are Arizona State Route 89A, Arizona State Route 69 and Arizona State Route 89. State Route 89A connects Sedona and Cottonwood to Northern Prescott and meets with State Route 89 near the Airport eventually turning into Pioneer Parkway where it connects to Williamson Valley Road. State Route 69 connects Prescott with Prescott Valley to the east, eventually curving southeast before reaching Interstate 17 at mile marker 262, about 65 miles (105 km) from downtown Phoenix. State Route 89 travels mostly north–south and connects Prescott with Chino Valley and Paulden to the north, continuing northward until it joins Interstate 40 at mile marker 146, Ash Fork.

In 2016, ADOT realigned Willow Creek Road between State Route 89 and Pioneer Parkway adding a roundabout on State Route 89 with new access to the Ernest A. Love Field Airport.[84] A future Great western Corridor is planned go on the east side of the Ernest A. Love Field Airport and provide an alternative route to the Airport.[85]

Yavapai Regional Transit provides local bus service connecting Prescott and Chino Valley.[86]

Notable people edit

Main article: List of people from Prescott, Arizona

Nearest cities and towns edit

Sister cities edit

As of 2015, Prescott has three sister cities:[87]

See also edit

Further reading edit

  • August, Jack L. (1998). We Call It 'Preskit': A Guide to Prescott and Central Arizona High Country. Arizona Highways. ISBN 978-0916179571.
  • Brody, Richard (October 23, 2017). "The Story That 'Only the Brave' Leaves Out". The New Yorker.
  • Henson, Pauline (1965). Founding a wilderness capital, 1864. Prescott, Arizona: Northland Press.
  • Wildfang, Frederic (2006). Prescott. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-73854858-6.)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Prescott, Arizona
  2. ^ a b Prescott, Webmaster at City of. . Prescott-az.gov. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  3. ^ "City Council". City of Prescott. December 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  5. ^ "Prescott". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.
  6. ^ "Prescott". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins.
  7. ^ "Prescott". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
  8. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  9. ^ a b Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-8165-0176-2.
  10. ^ "Community Profile for Prescott Valley". Arizona Commerce Authority. from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  11. ^ United States Geological Survey (USGS). "United States Geological Survey Topographic Map" December 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. TopoQuest. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  12. ^ Salt River Herald., March 16, 1878, Image 3
  13. ^ Braatz, Timothy (2003). Surviving Conquest. University of Nebraska Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8032-2242-7.
  14. ^ Ruland Thorne, Kate; Rodda, Jeanette; Smith, Nancy R. (2005). Experience Jerome: The Moguls, Miners, and Mistresses of Cleopatra Hill, Primer Publishers, ISBN 0-935810-77-3.[page needed]
  15. ^ a b c d e f Sheridan, Thomas E. (2012). Arizona: A History (Rev. ed.). University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-9954-7.
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  17. ^ Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-8165-0176-2.
  18. ^ Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-8165-0176-2.
  19. ^ Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-8165-0176-2.
  20. ^ a b MacKell Collins, Jan. Wild Women of Prescott Arizona.
  21. ^ "Ancestry.com". Ancestry.com.
  22. ^ Roberts, Gary L. Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend.[ISBN missing][page needed]
  23. ^ "About Us | Museum of Indigenous People".
  24. ^ Santos, Fernanda (July 1, 2013). "Arizona Blaze That Killed 19 Firefighters Rages On". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  25. ^ "Drone operator arrested for interfering with firefighting aircraft". wildfiretoday.com. Bill Gabbert. July 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  26. ^ "Prescott Real Estate". Prescott Real Estate for Sale. from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  27. ^ Prescott, Webmaster at City of. . Cityofprescott.net. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  28. ^ "Goldwater Lake | Prescott Arizona". Arizona-leisure.com. from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  29. ^ "Prescott National Forest – Recreation Area". Fs.usda.gov. from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  30. ^ "Prescott National Forest – Granite Basin Boating Site". Fs.usda.gov. from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  31. ^ "Paying the Price for Cleaner Water". Prescott Creeks. December 17, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  32. ^ Marr, Carrie (June 2008). Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife of Lynx Lake, Arizona (PDF) (Report). Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2. pp. 1–2. (PDF) from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  33. ^ a b . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  34. ^ a b . The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  35. ^ a b c d "NOWData Weather Forecast Office Flagstaff, AZ". NOAA. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  36. ^ (PDF). Wrh.noaa.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 24, 2005. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  37. ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  38. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  39. ^ "Climate and monthly weather forecast Prescott, AZ". Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  40. ^ "North American Monsoon Experiment". www.eol.ucar.edu. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  41. ^ "Monsoon storms bring lightning, ignitions result". Arizona Emergency Information Network. July 10, 2018. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  42. ^ "Prescott, Arizona – Climate Summary". wrcc.dri.edu. from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  43. ^ Conner, Daniel Ellis (2016). Joseph Reddeford Walker and the Arizona Adventure. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0806154077.
  44. ^ "Arizona's mining history: Danger for many, riches for a few". azcentral. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  45. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1965.
  46. ^ Neary, Daniel G.; et al. (December 2012). "Synthesis of Upper Verde River Research and Monitoring" (PDF). General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-291: 24. (PDF) from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  47. ^ Honker, Andrew M. (2002). "'A Terrible Calamity has Fallen Upon Phoenix': The 1891 Flood and Salt River Valley Reclamation". The Journal of Arizona History. 43 (2): 109–132. JSTOR 41696696.
  48. ^ "The worst floods in Arizona in the 20th century..." UPI. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  49. ^ "1983 flood ranks among Prescott's worst". The Daily Courier. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  50. ^ Lucas, Beth (December 31, 2004). "3 deaths linked to Arizona floods". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  51. ^ "Mayer evacuation lifted following flash flooding". KNXV. August 2, 2018. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  52. ^ "Prescott Map Revision". www.ycflood.com. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  53. ^ "FEMA Map Revisions". FEMA. from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  54. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  55. ^ Simpson, Chad (March 10, 2002). "Gateway opens for business – Shoppers rush to welcome regional mall". The Daily Courier. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
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  58. ^ Prescott Area Geological Field Guide, 1999, prepared for Earth Science Week. Copy available at Yavapai College library.
  59. ^ Holland, Catherine (July 1, 2015). "The Bird Cage on Whiskey Row". Arizona Republic. from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  60. ^ Leadem, Rose (January 12, 2017). . Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  61. ^ A volunteer docent statement from the free official downtown Prescott guided historical and architectural tour claims this is the origin of the phrase, "Where in the Sam Hill did you get that?". This may not be accurate, since "Sam Hill" is also a euphemistic reference to Hell predating Prescott, being a polite way of saying "Where in the Hell did you get that?". However, there was indeed a Sam Hill Hardware store, attested to by the bronze letters embedded in the concrete sidewalk spelling out "SAM HILL" inset in the sidewalk at each boundary of the property.
  62. ^ "10 Oldest Rodeos in the World". Oldest.org. December 21, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  63. ^ Canby, Vincent (August 3, 1972). "'Junior Bonner' Is a Rodeo Family Close-Up". The New York Times. 24.
  64. ^ "Rodeo Parade | World's Oldest Rodeo". Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  65. ^ "World's Oldest Rodeo®". Prescott Lliving Magazine. June 26, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  66. ^ . golf link. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  67. ^ http://www.prescott.edu/rdp/index.html[dead link]
  68. ^ . www.prescott.edu. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015.
  69. ^ "Prescott's total of sober-living homes drops below 30". from the original on October 16, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
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  71. ^ "Elks.org : Lodge #330 Home". www.elks.org. from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  72. ^ "Preserve America Community: Prescott, Arizona". Preserveamerica.gov. from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
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  74. ^ "Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza: Prescott, Arizona". American Planning Association. from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  75. ^ Meghan Sarr / by the Editors. 2012, Feb. "Top Ten True Western Towns". True West. p. 78.
  76. ^ Pandolfi, Keith (February 9, 2012). "Pine Crest Historic District, Prescott, Arizona | Best Old House Neighborhoods 2012: The West | Photos | Home & Real Estate". This Old House. from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
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  79. ^ "City Council – City of Prescott". www.prescott-az.gov. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  80. ^ a b c "Celebration marks 99 years at Miller Valley school". Dcourier.com. from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  81. ^ "AZ Dept of Education". Ade.state.az.us. from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  82. ^ Hutson, Nanci (February 1, 2018). "Oldest school in Arizona gets a major makeover: Prescott's Washington School gets touch of the new, while respecting its past". The Daily Couriers. from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  83. ^ "Air Carrier Announces Additional Non-Stop Denver Flight to/From Prescott, AZ Beginning June 2021 – Signals AZ". April 21, 2021.
  84. ^ "Overview". azdot.gov. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  85. ^ . Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  86. ^ "Gold and Green Routes – Chino Valley and Prescott".
  87. ^ . Sister Cities International. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.

External links edit

 
Detail, old National Guard Armory
  • City of Prescott website March 7, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
  • City of Prescott tourism website
  • Prescott Arizona Chamber of Commerce
  • Prescott, Arizona at Curlie
  • , by Earl Hoagberg, Sharlot Hall Archive & Library, May 1999.
  • , By Harley G. Shaw, harlot Hall Archive & Library, August 2000.

Sister projects edit

  •   Media related to Prescott, Arizona at Wikimedia Commons
  •   Prescott, Arizona travel guide from Wikivoyage
  • "Prescott, Ariz." . The New Student's Reference Work . 1914.

November 15, 2023
prescott, arizona, prescott, press, kət, city, county, seat, yavapai, county, arizona, united, states, 2020, census, city, population, prescottcitycourthouse, buckey, neill, statuesealwordmarkmotto, welcome, everybody, hometown, location, prescott, yavapai, co. Prescott ˈ p r ɛ s k e t PRESS ket 5 6 7 is a city and the county seat of Yavapai County Arizona United States 8 As of 2020 Census the city s population was 45 827 PrescottCityCourthouse and Buckey O Neill statueSealWordmarkMotto Welcome to Everybody s Hometown Location of Prescott in Yavapai County Arizona PrescottLocation in ArizonaShow map of ArizonaPrescottLocation in United StatesShow map of the United StatesCoordinates 34 32 24 N 112 28 07 W 34 54000 N 112 46861 W 34 54000 112 46861 1 CountryUnited StatesStateArizonaCountyYavapaiIncorporated1881 2 Named forWilliam H PrescottGovernment TypeCouncil manager MayorPhil Goode Mayor Pro TemBrandon Montoya City council members 3 Steve SischkaEric MooreCathey RusingClark TenneyConnie Cantelme City ManagerKatie GregoryArea 4 City45 21 sq mi 117 09 km2 Land44 97 sq mi 116 47 km2 Water0 24 sq mi 0 62 km2 Elevation 1 5 367 ft 1 636 m Population 2020 City45 827 Density1 019 08 sq mi 393 47 km2 Metro129 643 Landscan Time zoneUTC 7 MST no DST ZIP codes86300 86399Area code928FIPS code04 57380GNIS feature ID33189 1 Websitewww wbr prescott az wbr govIn 1864 Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona Territory replacing the temporary capital of Fort Whipple 9 The Territorial Capital was moved to Tucson in 1867 Prescott again became the Territorial Capital in 1877 until Phoenix became the capital in 1889 Prescott has a rich history as a frontier gold and silver mining town Mining and settlers brought frequent conflict with native American tribes in the area including the Yavapai and Apache Prescott was the home to Fort Whipple from its inception which acted as a base for campaigns against natives Prescott was a stereotypical wild west town during the latter half of the 19th century famous residents included Doc Holliday and Virgil Earp of the gunfight at the O K Corral The makeshift wooden town burned to the ground several times in the first decade of the 20th century which finally resulted in the town being rebuilt in brick The modern city subsists on tourism especially around its storied past It is host to the self proclaimed World s Oldest Rodeo running continuously since 1888 The rodeo one of the most famous in the United States draws some 35 000 tourists a year The towns of Prescott Valley 7 miles 11 km east Chino Valley 16 miles 26 km north Dewey Humboldt 13 miles 21 km east and Prescott comprise what is locally known as the Quad City area 10 This also sometimes refers to central Yavapai County in general which would include the towns of Mayer Paulden Wilhoit and Williamson Valley Combined with these smaller communities the area had a population of 103 260 as of 2007 update Prescott is the center of the Prescott Metropolitan Area defined by the U S Census Bureau as all of Yavapai County The Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe reservation is adjacent to and partially within the borders of Prescott Prescott is in the Granite Creek watershed and contains the convergence of Miller Creek and Granite Creek on its north side 11 Contents 1 History 1 1 Notable wildfires 2 Geography 2 1 Climate 2 2 Monsoon season 2 3 Flood risk 3 Demographics 4 Economy 4 1 Top employers 5 Places of interest and culture 5 1 Designations 6 Government 7 Education 7 1 Higher education 7 2 K 12 8 Transportation 9 Notable people 10 Nearest cities and towns 11 Sister cities 12 See also 13 Further reading 14 References 15 External links 15 1 Sister projectsHistory edit nbsp First Territorial Capital and Governor s Mansion 1864 Now part of Sharlot Hall Museum nbsp First Prescott Courthouse circa 1885 nbsp Execution of a soldier of the 8th Infantry in Prescott Arizona 1877 is the caption In fact it is the execution of Private James Malone of Company K 12th US Infantry in Prescott Arizona 15 March 1878 for his part in a January 1876 murder 12 Prescott was originally inhabited by the indigenous Yavapai who had split off from Patayan groups around 1300 AD 13 The first recorded European contact with the Yavapai was made by Spaniard Antonio de Espejo in 1583 who was looking for gold 14 Until the 1860s there was no permanent European presence The territory was explored by the Walker Party in 1862 and 1863 Walker and his men discovered gold at Hassayampa Creek just south of Prescott in 1863 Further gold was struck at nearby Lynx Creek Weaver Creek and Big Bug With the backing of Ohio railroad magnates the Arizona Organic Act establishing the Arizona Territory was pushed through in February 1863 The land was now open to settlers Fort Whipple was established the same year near present day Chino Valley The fort was also made the territorial capital 15 78 79 The fort was moved to more mountainous terrain 20 miles 32 km south the next year 15 78 79 Arizona Territorial Governor John Noble Goodwin selected the site of Prescott following his first tour of the new territory Goodwin replaced Governor John A Gurley appointed by Abraham Lincoln who died before taking office Downtown streets in Prescott are named in honor of both of them Goodwin selected a site south of the temporary capital on the east side of Granite Creek near a number of mining camps citation needed The new town was named in honor of historian William H Prescott during a public meeting on May 30 1864 9 Robert W Groom surveyed the new community and an initial auction sold 73 lots on June 4 1864 By July 4 1864 232 lots had been sold within the new community 16 Prescott was incorporated in 1881 2 The mineral wealth of Prescott included a good quantity of both gold and silver and made the hamlet the most important city in northern Arizona It also escalated the American Indian Wars as pioneers and natives increasingly attacked the other in ever bloodier reprisals Tribes also chose sides against each other with the Maricopa and O odham fighting alongside American and Mexican settlers against the Yavapai and Apache in brutal campaigns 15 79 81 The Hualapai War broke out in northern Arizona in 1865 which brought a period of guerilla warfare though few pitched battles 15 79 81 Not until 1935 were the Yavapai given a reservation in Prescott and at first only a mere 75 acres 30 ha directly adjacent to Fort Whipple An extra 1 320 acres 530 ha were provided in 1956 15 106 The mining camps brought much prosperity but also much racism On July 12 1863 the miners of Lynx Creek passed a resolution banning Asian and Mexican miners Similar resolutions were passed in the other mining districts Since there was no extant Mexican population there was little to temper the racism of new Anglos from the Eastern United States There were also very few women on the frontier at the time an 1864 census found just 40 31 were Mexican which combined with the racism of the territory led to frequent allegations of sexual promiscuity By the 1870s as Prescott became increasingly civilized it took on the values of Victorian society including its sexual standards There were exceptions however Mary DeCrow a white woman arriving around 1863 had a relationship with a black Texan breaking taboos around miscegenation She later married a Mexican blacksmith starting a boarding house with him public opinion calmed down after this and she eventually became much loved Another legendary Prescott woman Mary Sawyer wore men s clothes drank hard swore hard and worked a mining claim Sawyer s breaking of gender norms however resulted in her 1877 institutionalization in an insane asylum in which she remained until her death in 1902 15 156 157 Prescott served as capital of Arizona Territory until November 1 1867 when the capital was moved to Tucson by act of the 4th Arizona Territorial Legislature 17 The capital was returned to Prescott in 1877 by the 9th Arizona Territorial Legislature 18 The capital was finally moved to Phoenix on February 4 1889 by the 15th Arizona Territorial Legislature 19 The three Arizona Territory capitals reflected the changes in political influence of different regions of the territory as they grew and developed Prescott also holds a place in the larger history of the American southwest Both Virgil Earp brother of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday lived in Prescott before their now infamous gunfight at the O K Corral Virgil Earp lived in Prescott starting in 1878 as a constable watchman 20 Doc Holliday was there for a while in the summer of 1880 and even appears in the 1880 census records 21 22 The Sharlot Hall Museum houses much of Prescott s territorial history and the Museum of Indigenous People formerly the Smoki museum 23 and Phippen Museum also maintain local collections Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott boasts many historic buildings including The Palace Arizona s oldest restaurant and bar Many other buildings have been converted to boutiques art galleries bookstores and restaurants Prescott is home to the Arizona Pioneers Home The Home opened during territorial days February 1 1911 After several major fires in the early part of the century downtown Prescott was rebuilt with brick The central courthouse plaza a lawn under huge old elm trees is a gathering and meeting place Cultural events and performances take place on many nights in the summer on the plaza Barry Goldwater the 1964 Republican nominee for president launched his presidential campaign from the steps of Prescott s Yavapai County Courthouse Notable wildfires edit Yarnell Hill Fire Nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots part of the Prescott Fire Department died on Sunday June 30 2013 while battling the wildfire that had ignited two days earlier south of Prescott 24 Goodwin Fire The wildfire ignited in the Bradshaw Mountains south of Prescott on Saturday June 24 2017 The fire eventually led to the evacuations of Mayer and Walker a few days later State Route 69 was partially closed between the towns of Mayer and Dewey Humboldt 25 Geography edit nbsp Thumb Butte and Granite Mountain in Prescott Prescott is 55 mi 89 km west northwest of the State of Arizona s geographic center According to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 41 5 sq mi 107 5 km2 of which 40 7 sq mi 105 4 km2 is land and 0 81 sq mi 2 1 km2 is water Prescott is considered part of North Central Arizona sitting just north of the Bradshaw Mountains and east of the Sierra Prieta range The Granite Dells often called The Dells lies just north of the Prescott city center and is known for its large boulder outcroppings of granite that have eroded into a spectacular appearance of bumpy rock features Within The Dells 26 are Watson and Willow Lakes which are two small man made reservoirs Here a number of hiking trails connect to the Peavine Trail 27 The Peavine National Recreation Trail follows what was the former rail bed of the Santa Fe This railroad traveled from Prescott to Phoenix through the Granite Dells The Peavine got its name from the winding portion of this railroad that twists and curves resembling the vine on which peas grow The Peavine trail connects to the Iron King Trail which was the route of the old Prescott Railroad through the Granite Dells Other lakes include Lynx Granite Basin and Goldwater all surrounding different areas of this rustic community Goldwater Lake 28 by Goldwater Park is 4 miles 6 4 km from downtown Prescott has 15 acres 6 1 ha of water surface and is a popular destination for park recreation and picnic facilities Lynx Lake 29 is another lake close to Prescott in tall ponderosa pines and gets some 125 000 visitors every year This 55 acre 22 ha lake offers visitors recreational activities boating camping fishing hiking mountain biking picnicking and a small seasonal restaurant with a view of the lake Finally there is the smallest of the natural lakes with 5 acres 2 0 ha of surface water at Granite Basin Lake 30 None of these lakes permit swimming due to a history of water quality problems 31 32 however all are popular recreational destinations near Prescott Granite Creek flows generally north from the Bradshaw Mountains through the city the Granite Dells and the Little Chino Valley to the Verde River Climate edit Prescott is in the Bradshaw Mountains of central Arizona at an elevation of 5 400 feet 1 600 m The city has a Mediterranean climate Koppen Csa bordering on a Humid subtropical climate Koppen Cfa however unlike most other locations in this climate class there is a pronounced summer wet season due to the North American Monsoon Average annual precipitation for 1991 2020 was 16 46 inches 418 mm with spring and early summer the driest times of the year 33 34 Snowfall is typically light and snow cover usually melts away quickly the average seasonal total was 10 2 inches 26 cm The largest portion of precipitation falls during the July September monsoon season Average daytime temperatures remain above 50 F 10 C the entire year but diurnal temperature variation is large throughout the year averaging nearly 30 F 17 C annually 33 34 On average temperatures reach 90 F 32 C on 44 days annually though 100 F 38 C readings are uncommon and occur only 1 2 days per year on average much unlike the Sonoran Desert to the south and Mojave Desert to the west The average season for freezing temperatures is October 21 through May 1 citation needed Temperature extremes are fairly widespread The warmest measured temperature in Prescott is 105 F 41 C on two separate occasions 1925 and 2021 35 The coldest low was measured in 1937 and stood at 21 F 29 C 35 Due to the large diurnal temperature variation cold winter days are rare but being far inland causes a variability which occasionally leads to ice days The coldest maximum on record is 20 F 7 C in February 1905 and a normal year between 1991 and 2020 saw the coldest day of the year not rise above 33 F 1 C 35 Warm summer nights are rare due to being on an elevated plain but happen on occasion The warmest on record is 79 F 26 C in August 1904 whereas a normal year has a more modest 69 F 21 C for the highest low 35 There was a severe drought from 1999 to 2009 seen from the lack of snowpack in the Bradshaw Mountains Local creeks do not contain water except immediately after the rare rains Nevertheless at the start of 2007 lakes were reported as full The winter of 2005 06 had less than 3 inches 7 6 cm of snow compared to an average snowfall of 12 8 inches 33 cm 36 Climate data for Prescott Arizona 1991 2020 normals extremes 1898 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 73 23 77 25 83 28 89 32 97 36 105 41 105 41 103 39 98 37 92 33 83 28 78 26 105 41 Mean maximum F C 64 8 18 2 67 8 19 9 73 8 23 2 81 4 27 4 88 5 31 4 96 4 35 8 98 5 36 9 95 4 35 2 91 0 32 8 84 8 29 3 74 7 23 7 65 8 18 8 99 6 37 6 Average high F C 52 6 11 4 55 2 12 9 61 2 16 2 67 8 19 9 76 3 24 6 87 0 30 6 89 6 32 0 87 2 30 7 82 4 28 0 72 9 22 7 61 6 16 4 51 9 11 1 70 5 21 4 Daily mean F C 38 2 3 4 40 8 4 9 46 4 8 0 52 5 11 4 60 7 15 9 70 3 21 3 75 3 24 1 73 5 23 1 67 3 19 6 56 5 13 6 45 7 7 6 37 7 3 2 55 4 13 0 Average low F C 23 8 4 6 26 4 3 1 31 6 0 2 37 3 2 9 45 0 7 2 53 6 12 0 61 0 16 1 59 7 15 4 52 2 11 2 40 1 4 5 29 8 1 2 23 6 4 7 40 3 4 6 Mean minimum F C 11 9 11 2 15 1 9 4 20 5 6 4 26 4 3 1 32 5 0 3 42 3 5 7 52 6 11 4 52 3 11 3 40 8 4 9 28 2 2 1 17 9 7 8 11 8 11 2 9 2 12 7 Record low F C 21 29 12 24 2 17 11 12 20 7 28 2 34 1 32 0 26 3 13 11 1 18 9 23 21 29 Average precipitation inches mm 1 52 39 1 78 45 1 46 37 0 57 14 0 51 13 0 23 5 8 2 69 68 2 78 71 1 64 42 0 96 24 0 87 22 1 45 37 16 46 417 8 Average snowfall inches cm 1 9 4 8 3 1 7 9 2 5 6 4 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 3 1 4 3 6 10 2 26 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 5 6 5 9 5 4 3 2 3 0 1 6 9 9 9 9 5 9 3 9 3 8 5 1 63 2Average snowy days 0 1 in 1 2 1 2 0 8 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 3 5 2Average relative humidity 57 53 42 33 30 23 41 44 42 42 47 58 43Mean daily sunshine hours 6 8 8 8 9 0 10 6 11 8 12 1 11 9 12 0 9 8 8 1 7 3 6 7 9 6Mean daily daylight hours 10 2 11 0 12 0 13 1 14 0 14 4 14 2 13 4 12 4 11 3 10 4 9 9 12 2Average ultraviolet index 3 4 6 9 11 12 12 11 9 6 4 3 8Source 1 NOAA 37 38 Source 2 Weather Atlas UV and humidity 39 Monsoon season edit Prescott is affected each year by the North American Monsoon 40 Monsoon season is June 15 Sept 15 and brings significant rain wind hail thunderstorms and flooding to the area In spite of the dangers of flash floods and wildfires many locals enjoy monsoon season for the relief of cooler temperatures which commonly result from storms during the height of summer heatwaves 41 Arizona receives half of its annual rainfall during monsoon season but this can be misleading Monthly averages in precipitation can give the false impression that rains are confined to monsoon season while single day annual rainfall records have been set far outside of monsoon season repeatedly 42 The area is prone to weather extremes and often monthly rainfall records are actually the result of one or two dramatic rain events citation needed Flood risk edit Prescott area residents have faced the challenges of extreme rain and flash flooding since the first prospectors arrived in search of gold in the late 1800s In 1863 Joseph R Walker s original mining camp on the banks of Lynx Creek was completely swept away in a flash flood less than a year after arriving in Prescott 43 44 In the late 1880s floods destroyed the first dam on Lynx creek near present day SR 69 45 1891 brought the heaviest flooding on record across Arizona a record broken in 1993 carving lasting changes to the Verde river drainage bordering Prescott The Verde which has in some years been completely dry gushed with 4 284 cubic meters per second of water on Feb 24 1891 or about half the size of the Columbia river 46 47 Tropical Storm Octave in 1983 brought 14 5 of rain to parts of Prescott in less than forty eight hours Damages included the Santa Fe Railway which was washed out in so many places it was completely abandoned the following year 48 49 Two Prescott area college students died in Granite Creek during flooding in 2004 which brought an official state of emergency declaration from state governor Napolitano 50 Significant flooding has been recorded as recently as 2018 prompting the evacuation of nearby Mayer in August 51 A large number of homes in Prescott are located within FEMA designated high risk flood zones A and AE 52 The City of Prescott recently updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps in response to increased construction and notable flooding for several consecutive years 53 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 1870668 18801 836174 9 18901 759 4 2 19003 559102 3 19105 09243 1 19205 010 1 6 19305 51710 1 19406 0189 1 19506 76412 4 196012 86190 1 197013 6316 0 198019 86545 7 199026 45533 2 200033 93828 3 201039 84317 4 202045 82715 0 U S Decennial Census 54 As of the census of 2000 there were 33 938 people 15 098 households and 8 968 families residing in the city The population density was 915 6 sq mi 353 5 km2 There were 17 144 housing units at an average density of 462 5 sq mi 178 6 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 92 9 White 0 5 Black or African American 1 3 Native American 0 8 Asian 0 1 Pacific Islander 2 8 from other races and 1 6 from two or more races 8 2 of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race There were 15 098 households out of which 18 1 had children under the age of 18 living with them 48 7 were married couples living together 7 9 had a female householder with no husband present and 40 6 were non families 32 1 of all households were made up of individuals and 15 2 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 11 and the average family size was 2 62 In the city the population was spread out with 15 9 under the age of 18 11 2 from 18 to 24 18 9 from 25 to 44 27 3 from 45 to 64 and 26 8 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 48 years For every 100 females there were 96 9 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94 3 males The median income for a household in the city was 35 446 and the median income for a family was 46 481 Males had a median income of 31 834 versus 22 982 for females The per capita income for the city was 22 565 About 7 4 of families and 13 1 of the population were below the poverty line including 14 4 of those under age 18 and 6 4 of those age 65 or over Economy edit nbsp The Derby Mine mill amp camp one of the many gold and silver mines in Prescott around the turn of the century Taken 1901 Thumb Butte is visible in the far background The Prescott Gateway Mall is an enclosed shopping mall that opened in 2002 replacing Ponderosa Plaza which was Prescott s first enclosed mall when it opened in 1980 55 Downtown Prescott has dozens of independently owned and operated shops 56 nbsp Men from the Derby Mine 1905Top employers edit According to the city s 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 57 the top employers in Prescott are Employer of employees1 Yavapai Regional Medical Center 2 0942 Yavapai County 1 7503 Northern Arizona VA Health Care System 1 3004 Yavapai College 1 2905 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott 6506 Walmart 5757 City of Prescott 5188 Prescott Unified School District 4579 Sturm Ruger amp Co 40010 Polara Health 305Other major area employers include the Yavapai Prescott Tribe the James Family Prescott YMCA and Fann Contracting Places of interest and culture edit nbsp Brinkmeyer House listed on the National Register of Historic Places nbsp Hassayampa Hotel built 1927 Henry Trost architect Prescott has many Victorian style homes Prescott has 809 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places The tallest house in North America Falcon Nest is in Prescott on the slope of Thumb Butte Prescott is home to the downtown historical area known as Whiskey Row Adjacent to Whiskey Row was the red light district which operated until 1917 at which point prostitution was outlawed in the state of Arizona 20 In 1900 a great fire destroyed almost all of the buildings on Whiskey Row including the 1891 Hotel Burke advertised as the only absolutely fireproof building in Prescott 58 By legend the patrons of the various bars simply took their drinks across the street to the Courthouse square and watched it burn At the time of the fire patrons removed the entire bar and back bar of the Palace Restaurant amp Saloon to the square by the patrons as the fire approached re installing it after the gutted brick structure was rebuilt Whiskey Row runs north and south on Montezuma St between Gurley and Goodwin St directly west of the county courthouse citation needed This single city block has been the home of the St Michael s Hotel formerly the Hotel Burke and the Palace Hotel since the late 19th century along with other colorful purveyors of nightlife Originally built in 1877 The Palace Restaurant and Saloon was rebuilt after the fire and is now the state s oldest continuous business 59 60 Merchant Sam Hill s large hardware store was near Whiskey Row 61 nbsp Whiskey Row nbsp Rodeo groundsPrescott is host to the self proclaimed World s Oldest Rodeo running continuously since 1888 Also known as Frontier Days it runs in the days leading up to Fourth of July It is one of the most famous rodeos in the United States In the 2010s it drew over 35 000 tourists a year nearly doubling Prescott s population for the rodeo week During the same period some 45 000 people also attend the Rodeo Parade which winds through downtown Prescott Though several other rodeos pre date Prescott s by decades Prescott claims it was the first to charge admission and turn it into a spectator sport This is backed up by a 1985 trademark on World s Oldest Rodeo The rodeo was featured in the 1972 film Junior Bonner 62 63 64 65 nbsp Elks Theatre Performing Arts Center formerly Elks Opera House Prescott hosts annual events such as Frontier Days Easter Egg Stravaganza the Bluegrass Festival Earth Day July 4 Celebration Tsunami on the Square art festivals a Cinco de Mayo celebration Navajo Rug Auction Pumpkin Patch Carnival World s Largest Gingerbread Village at the Prescott Resort amp Conference center on the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe reservation Prescott Film Festival Folk Arts Fair parades the Acker Music Festival The Cowboy Poets Gathering the Prescott Highland Games Courthouse Lighting Whiskey Off Road and Ragnar Relay Del Sol On New Year s Eve historic Whiskey Row saw the inaugural Prescott Boot Drop to usher in the 2012 New Year The illuminated 6 foot 1 8 m tall cowboy boot with multi colored stars was lowered from the historic Palace Restaurant rooftop s 40 foot 12 m flagpole to the delight and cheers of celebrants gathered on Montezuma Street which was closed for the occasion Also in Prescott is the Heritage Park Zoo citation needed There are four golf courses within the city limits Antelope Hills Golf Course which consist of the City of Prescott South Course and the City of Prescott North Course Capital Canyon Golf Club formerly the Hassayampa Golf Club private Talking Rock Golf Club private and Prescott Lakes Golf Club private More public courses are located nearby in surrounding towns 66 Prescott is home to The Arizona Pioneers Home a continuing care retirement home operated and funded by the State of Arizona originally intended for impoverished Arizona founders from Territorial days Initially the home was built to house 40 men but in 1916 an addition of a women s wing was completed to provide for 20 women Later in 1929 the home again expanded to include Arizona s Hospital for Disabled Miners current total capacity is 150 beds Scenes from the 2008 movie Jolene were filmed in the Pioneer s Home in 2006 The Home has had many colorful residents including a John Miller who claimed to be Billy the Kid and who was exhumed from the Pioneer s Home Cemetery in 2005 in an attempt to identify DNA evidence Another resident was Big Nose Kate Elder who would also be laid to rest in the Pioneer s Home Cemetery though not without controversy citation needed Prescott is home to Prescott College a small liberal arts college just west of the downtown area that emphasizes environmental and social justice It is a non profit organization which has an undergraduate body of roughly 800 students and an average student to faculty ratio of 7 1 in on campus classrooms 67 There are four general programs at Prescott College the On campus Undergraduate Program RDP Limited Residency Undergraduate Degree Program ADP the Limited Residency Master of Arts Program MAP and a Limited Residency PhD program in Sustainability Education 68 Those enrolled in the Limited Residency programs work with various mentors and Prescott College faculty usually in their home communities On campus students live in Prescott and attend classes at the college itself Prescott was at one point a recovery destination with over 200 sober living homes dedicated to drug or alcohol recovery However increased regulation and enforcement has whittled the number down to less than 30 as of June 2018 69 The cultures of Prescott s recovery community the students at Prescott College and preexisting small town punk subculture have fostered a thriving punk scene Shows are hosted weekly at house venues tattoo shops and bars throughout downtown and the Dexter neighborhood 70 Prescott has been home to several nationally known punk bands including Bueno Life in Pictures and Hour of the Wolf Local bands often play shows alongside touring bands who include Prescott in their tours citation needed Prescott was the location of Arizona s first Elks Lodge BPOE In December 1895 a group of enterprising businessmen in Prescott established the Prescott Elks Lodge 330 known as the Mother Lodge of Arizona The Prescott Elks Opera House was built by the lodge in 1905 The Prescott Elks Lodge is in Prescott Valley 71 nbsp A panorama of the Courthouse square in downtown Prescott Designations edit Prescott was designated Arizona s Christmas City by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in 1989 Other notable designations include 2000 Downtown Historic Preservation District which includes Whiskey Row one of 12 such National Register Historic Districts within the city 2004 A Preserve American Community 72 in 2004 by First Lady Laura Bush 2006 One of a Dozen Distinctive Destinations 73 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation 2008 Yavapai Courthouse Plaza recognized as one of the first ten Great Public Places 74 in America by the American Planning Association 2012 Number 1 True Western Town of the Year 75 for 2011 by True West Magazine and One of the 61 Best Old House Neighborhoods in the U S and Canada by This Old House Magazine 76 Government editThe City of Prescott operates under a council manager form of government The council has six council members and a mayor all elected at large by the people of Prescott Council members are elected to staggered four year terms and the mayor to a two year term Elections for mayor and council members are held in the first year after the national presidential and mid term elections to keep national issues from overshadowing local concerns Mayoral and council elections are non partisan There are no term limits for council members or the mayor The council appoints a professional city manager to oversee the daily administrative operations of city services and their respective departments including the Prescott Fire Department The current city manager is Katie Gregory The current mayor is Phil Goode elected in 2021 Council members as of June 2022 are Cathey Rusing Connie Cantellme Brandon Montoya Mayor Pro Tem Eric Moore Steve Sischka and Clark Tenney 77 78 79 Education editHigher education edit Yavapai College Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott Prescott CollegeK 12 edit Prescott High School Mile High Middle School serves seventh and eighth grades 80 Granite Mountain Middle School serves fifth and sixth grades 80 BASIS Schools Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy Tri City College Prep High SchoolPrescott Unified School District operates public schools There are 18 public schools including five charter schools in grades K 12 and four private schools in Prescott 81 In 2015 due to budget cuts the Prescott Unified School District closed Washington Elementary and Miller Valley Elementary schools To make up for the change all elementary schools only went up to fourth grade Granite Mountain Middle School serves fifth and sixth grades Mile High Middle School serves seventh and eighth grades and Prescott High School remains unchanged 80 A district preschool has been operating in the Washington Elementary since the latter s closure A recent renovation of the building will be completed in 2018 and will also be the home of the Prescott Unified School District Offices 82 Transportation edit nbsp View of airport from Hwy 89Prescott Regional Airport Ernest A Love Field PRC is located seven miles 11 km north of the downtown courthouse As of 2021 United Airlines operates commercial flights from Prescott to Denver and Los Angeles 83 The three main thoroughfares in and around Prescott are Arizona State Route 89A Arizona State Route 69 and Arizona State Route 89 State Route 89A connects Sedona and Cottonwood to Northern Prescott and meets with State Route 89 near the Airport eventually turning into Pioneer Parkway where it connects to Williamson Valley Road State Route 69 connects Prescott with Prescott Valley to the east eventually curving southeast before reaching Interstate 17 at mile marker 262 about 65 miles 105 km from downtown Phoenix State Route 89 travels mostly north south and connects Prescott with Chino Valley and Paulden to the north continuing northward until it joins Interstate 40 at mile marker 146 Ash Fork In 2016 ADOT realigned Willow Creek Road between State Route 89 and Pioneer Parkway adding a roundabout on State Route 89 with new access to the Ernest A Love Field Airport 84 A future Great western Corridor is planned go on the east side of the Ernest A Love Field Airport and provide an alternative route to the Airport 85 Yavapai Regional Transit provides local bus service connecting Prescott and Chino Valley 86 Notable people editMain article List of people from Prescott ArizonaNearest cities and towns editChino Valley Groom Creek Iron Springs Highland Park Yavapai County Arizona Prescott Valley Wildwood Estates Yavapai HillsSister cities editAs of 2015 update Prescott has three sister cities 87 nbsp Caborca Sonora Mexico nbsp Suchitoto El Salvador nbsp Zeitz Saxony Anhalt GermanySee also edit nbsp Arizona portalList of historical markers in Prescott ArizonaFurther reading editAugust Jack L 1998 We Call It Preskit A Guide to Prescott and Central Arizona High Country Arizona Highways ISBN 978 0916179571 Brody Richard October 23 2017 The Story That Only the Brave Leaves Out The New Yorker Henson Pauline 1965 Founding a wilderness capital 1864 Prescott Arizona Northland Press Wildfang Frederic 2006 Prescott Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0 73854858 6 References edit a b c U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Prescott Arizona a b Prescott Webmaster at City of Prescott History Timeline City of Prescott Arizona Prescott az gov Archived from the original on April 30 2017 Retrieved November 19 2017 City Council City of Prescott December 18 2022 2020 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 29 2021 Prescott Merriam Webster com Dictionary Prescott The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 5th ed HarperCollins Prescott Dictionary com Unabridged Online n d Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 a b Wagoner Jay J 1970 Arizona Territory 1863 1912 A Political history Tucson University of Arizona Press p 36 ISBN 978 0 8165 0176 2 Community Profile for Prescott Valley Arizona Commerce Authority Archived from the original on July 13 2016 Retrieved June 12 2019 United States Geological Survey USGS United States Geological Survey Topographic Map Archived December 1 2017 at the Wayback Machine TopoQuest Retrieved March 17 2013 Salt River Herald March 16 1878 Image 3 Braatz Timothy 2003 Surviving Conquest University of Nebraska Press p 27 ISBN 978 0 8032 2242 7 Ruland Thorne Kate Rodda Jeanette Smith Nancy R 2005 Experience Jerome The Moguls Miners and Mistresses of Cleopatra Hill Primer Publishers ISBN 0 935810 77 3 page needed a b c d e f Sheridan Thomas E 2012 Arizona A History Rev ed University of Arizona Press ISBN 978 0 8165 9954 7 Wagoner Jay J 1970 Arizona Territory 1863 1912 A Political history Tucson University of Arizona Press pp 36 38 ISBN 978 0 8165 0176 2 Wagoner Jay J 1970 Arizona Territory 1863 1912 A Political history Tucson University of Arizona Press p 70 ISBN 978 0 8165 0176 2 Wagoner Jay J 1970 Arizona Territory 1863 1912 A Political history Tucson University of Arizona Press p 113 ISBN 978 0 8165 0176 2 Wagoner Jay J 1970 Arizona Territory 1863 1912 A Political history Tucson University of Arizona Press p 245 ISBN 978 0 8165 0176 2 a b MacKell Collins Jan Wild Women of Prescott Arizona Ancestry com Ancestry com Roberts Gary L Doc Holliday The Life and Legend ISBN missing page needed About Us Museum of Indigenous People Santos Fernanda July 1 2013 Arizona Blaze That Killed 19 Firefighters Rages On The New York Times Retrieved July 1 2013 Drone operator arrested for interfering with firefighting aircraft wildfiretoday com Bill Gabbert July 2017 Retrieved December 2 2021 Prescott Real Estate Prescott Real Estate for Sale Archived from the original on April 28 2016 Retrieved April 27 2016 Prescott Webmaster at City of Trails City of Prescott Arizona Cityofprescott net Archived from the original on April 28 2016 Retrieved April 27 2016 Goldwater Lake Prescott Arizona Arizona leisure com Archived from the original on April 21 2016 Retrieved April 27 2016 Prescott National Forest Recreation Area Fs usda gov Archived from the original on May 13 2016 Retrieved April 27 2016 Prescott National Forest Granite Basin Boating Site Fs usda gov Archived from the original on May 13 2016 Retrieved April 27 2016 Paying the Price for Cleaner Water Prescott Creeks December 17 2010 Retrieved September 10 2019 Marr Carrie June 2008 Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife of Lynx Lake Arizona PDF Report Department of the Interior U S Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 pp 1 2 Archived PDF from the original on July 6 2017 Retrieved September 10 2019 a b Data Tools 1981 2010 Normals National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Archived from the original on July 14 2014 Retrieved August 26 2014 a b Monthly Averages for Prescott Arizona The Weather Channel Archived from the original on June 29 2013 Retrieved August 26 2014 a b c d NOWData Weather Forecast Office Flagstaff AZ NOAA Retrieved August 6 2022 Climate of Prescott Arizona PDF Wrh noaa gov Archived from the original PDF on October 24 2005 Retrieved November 19 2017 NOWData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 29 2021 Summary of Monthly Normals 1991 2020 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 29 2021 Climate and monthly weather forecast Prescott AZ Retrieved August 15 2022 North American Monsoon Experiment www eol ucar edu Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 Monsoon storms bring lightning ignitions result Arizona Emergency Information Network July 10 2018 Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 Prescott Arizona Climate Summary wrcc dri edu Archived from the original on April 16 2019 Retrieved December 14 2018 Conner Daniel Ellis 2016 Joseph Reddeford Walker and the Arizona Adventure University of Oklahoma Press ISBN 978 0806154077 Arizona s mining history Danger for many riches for a few azcentral Retrieved December 26 2018 U S Geological Survey Professional Paper U S Government Printing Office 1965 Neary Daniel G et al December 2012 Synthesis of Upper Verde River Research and Monitoring PDF General Technical Report RMRS GTR 291 24 Archived PDF from the original on August 14 2017 Retrieved December 14 2018 Honker Andrew M 2002 A Terrible Calamity has Fallen Upon Phoenix The 1891 Flood and Salt River Valley Reclamation The Journal of Arizona History 43 2 109 132 JSTOR 41696696 The worst floods in Arizona in the 20th century UPI Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 1983 flood ranks among Prescott s worst The Daily Courier Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 Lucas Beth December 31 2004 3 deaths linked to Arizona floods East Valley Tribune Retrieved December 14 2018 Mayer evacuation lifted following flash flooding KNXV August 2 2018 Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 Prescott Map Revision www ycflood com Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 FEMA Map Revisions FEMA Archived from the original on December 15 2018 Retrieved December 14 2018 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2016 Simpson Chad March 10 2002 Gateway opens for business Shoppers rush to welcome regional mall The Daily Courier Retrieved February 14 2020 Directory Search Results Chamberorganizer com Archived from the original on September 11 2016 Retrieved August 30 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report PDF City of Prescott Arizona 2021 Prescott Area Geological Field Guide 1999 prepared for Earth Science Week Copy available at Yavapai College library Holland Catherine July 1 2015 The Bird Cage on Whiskey Row Arizona Republic Archived from the original on July 6 2015 Retrieved January 13 2017 Leadem Rose January 12 2017 These Are the Oldest Businesses in Every State Entrepreneur Archived from the original on January 16 2017 Retrieved January 13 2017 A volunteer docent statement from the free official downtown Prescott guided historical and architectural tour claims this is the origin of the phrase Where in the Sam Hill did you get that This may not be accurate since Sam Hill is also a euphemistic reference to Hell predating Prescott being a polite way of saying Where in the Hell did you get that However there was indeed a Sam Hill Hardware store attested to by the bronze letters embedded in the concrete sidewalk spelling out SAM HILL inset in the sidewalk at each boundary of the property 10 Oldest Rodeos in the World Oldest org December 21 2017 Retrieved January 10 2022 Canby Vincent August 3 1972 Junior Bonner Is a Rodeo Family Close Up The New York Times 24 Rodeo Parade World s Oldest Rodeo Retrieved January 10 2022 World s Oldest Rodeo Prescott Lliving Magazine June 26 2017 Retrieved January 10 2022 Prescott Arizona Golf Courses golf link Archived from the original on March 22 2014 Retrieved June 10 2015 http www prescott edu rdp index html dead link An education for adventurous engaged learners www prescott edu Archived from the original on April 3 2015 Prescott s total of sober living homes drops below 30 Archived from the original on October 16 2018 Retrieved October 16 2018 Do DIY Arizona Dodiy org Retrieved August 11 2016 permanent dead link Elks org Lodge 330 Home www elks org Archived from the original on September 27 2018 Retrieved September 27 2018 Preserve America Community Prescott Arizona Preserveamerica gov Archived from the original on December 2 2016 Retrieved November 19 2017 Dozen Distinctive Destinations Prescott AZ http www preservationnation org travel and sites sites southwest region prescott az 2006 html Archived March 31 2012 at the Wayback Machine Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza Prescott Arizona American Planning Association Archived from the original on September 11 2017 Retrieved November 19 2017 Meghan Sarr by the Editors 2012 Feb Top Ten True Western Towns True West p 78 Pandolfi Keith February 9 2012 Pine Crest Historic District Prescott Arizona Best Old House Neighborhoods 2012 The West Photos Home amp Real Estate This Old House Archived from the original on April 4 2012 Retrieved August 17 2012 Leadership Council Cityofprescott net Archived from the original on May 6 2018 Retrieved July 31 2014 Prescott Webmaster at City of City Leadership City of Prescott Arizona Prescott az gov Archived from the original on August 11 2016 Retrieved November 19 2017 City Council City of Prescott www prescott az gov Retrieved June 15 2022 a b c Celebration marks 99 years at Miller Valley school Dcourier com Archived from the original on February 26 2017 Retrieved February 26 2017 AZ Dept of Education Ade state az us Archived from the original on March 29 2018 Retrieved November 19 2017 Hutson Nanci February 1 2018 Oldest school in Arizona gets a major makeover Prescott s Washington School gets touch of the new while respecting its past The Daily Couriers Archived from the original on February 1 2018 Retrieved February 2 2018 Air Carrier Announces Additional Non Stop Denver Flight to From Prescott AZ Beginning June 2021 Signals AZ April 21 2021 Overview azdot gov Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved November 19 2017 Archived copy Archived from the original on April 7 2017 Retrieved May 2 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Gold and Green Routes Chino Valley and Prescott Prescott Arizona Sister Cities International Archived from the original on June 10 2015 Retrieved June 10 2015 External links edit nbsp Detail old National Guard ArmoryCity of Prescott website Archived March 7 2018 at the Wayback Machine City of Prescott tourism website Prescott Arizona Chamber of Commerce Prescott Arizona at Curlie 135 Years Ago Today a Capital is Born Named Prescott by Earl Hoagberg Sharlot Hall Archive amp Library May 1999 Many Prescott places take their name from 1850s surveyor By Harley G Shaw harlot Hall Archive amp Library August 2000 Sister projects edit nbsp Media related to Prescott Arizona at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Prescott Arizona travel guide from Wikivoyage Prescott Ariz The New Student s Reference Work 1914 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prescott Arizona amp oldid 1185201755, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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