Prescott Arizona, is a city of around 40,000,  and located about 90 miles northwest of Phoenix. We enjoy a four-season climate with both mild winters and summers. While we do experience snow here, we like to call it "play snow". Traditionally, our annual snowfall amounts are between 18" to 24" beginning on October with a trace and ending in May with a trace. Like most of the West, we've been experiencing a lot of much needed moisture this year so far. All the lakes are full!

In 1864, the town site of Prescott was surveyed and laid out along Granite Creek where gold had been found by the Walker party. The town was designated the capital of the new territory of Arizona after Arizona was separated from New Mexico. President Lincoln wanted the territorial capital in the northern part of the territory, far away from the Confederate sympathizing cities to the south. The first Federal Troops were posted at Fort Whipple. The troops are long gone, but old Fort Whipple remains and is now a Veterans Hospital. In fact. old Officers Row still overlooks the city with several stately three story homes that were once used to house the senior officers.

Lincoln also decided to settle this new capital with Northerners and Midwesterners and this decision resulted in Prescott being the most Midwestern-looking city in Arizona. Victorian homes and peaked roof homes were built, a far cry from the adobe structures that were more common in the Southwest. This style seems to account for the comfortable reaction newcomers have when first driving into Prescott. Over in the West Historic District, you'll find lovely cottages that have been carefully restored to their 1920's charm. Prescott features several designated Historic Districts.

Prescott lost the capital to Tucson in 1867, regained it in 1877 and lost it again for the final time in 1889 to Phoenix. Arizona politics were a little unsettled then, to say the least. In recent years, Arizona found itself in the spotlight again when it's Governor went on trail.

The frontier spirit of the Prescott residents may have been best exemplified when a devastating fire destroyed the entire downtown business district in 1900. Within hours, make-shift shelters were erected on the Courthouse Plaza and businesses began rebuilding. The old-timers tell us that when the fire started, the patrons in the Palace Saloon drug the the massive bar across the street to the Courthouse Plaza. When the Place was rebuilt, the old bar was re-installed and remains there today. The Palace is now one of Prescott's better eating establishments.

Today, Prescott continues to be the county seat of Yavapai County and is the center of commerce and trade for the tri-city area that includes Prescott Valley and Chino Valley. About 123,500 people call the tri-city, and surrounding area home. The new County facilities were constructed near the Worlds Oldest Rodeo Grounds in 1995 and most county business is conducted from there. The fairgrounds and horse racing have relocated to moved to Prescott Valley, but The Worlds Oldest Rodeo is still in town. It comes just in time for the 4th of July Holiday.

The Courthouse Plaza, located in the center of the downtown. It's the focal point for most activities, including crafts fairs, antique shows, art shows and band concerts. The Historic Yavapai County Courthouse is really the jewel of Prescott. Every year, thousands gather there for the Christmas Lighting Ceremony held on the first Saturday of December. It's also the center piece for the annual Christmas Parade, The Christmas Electric Light Parade and of course, the 4th of July Parade.

Recreational opportunities are in abundance in our area. Five area lakes within 10 miles of downtown Prescott provide boating and fishing. The 1.2 million-acre Prescott National Forest, which surrounds the city on three sides, contains wonderful hiking trails and camp sites. Prescott is said to have the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines in the world! You are going to love "Preskitt"!

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