Prescott and its surrounding area offers an unsurpassed quality of life enhanced by a favorable climate, Southwestern culture and environment.

Prescott’s recreational facilities include major golf courses, parks, hiking, resorts, plus a variety of fine dining and shopping. For a combination of Victorian and historic pioneer charm in a pristine mountain setting, Prescott becomes an adventure worth living.

Prescott is the county seat of Yavapai County and is the center of commerce and trade for the tri-city area which includes Prescott Valley and Chino Valley.

Recreational opportunities abound in central Yavapai County.  The Prescott National Forest, which surrounds the city on three sides, contains  parks, picnic areas, camp sites, hiking trails and hunting. Five area lakes within 10 miles of downtown Prescott provide  boating and fishing.

Centrally located, Prescott is a perfect starting point for day trips and weekend getaways to the many natural wonders of the state of Arizona.

With four gentle seasons, Prescott is a prime location for the outdoor adventurist. From rock climbing to bird watching, Prescott has it all.

Famous state-wide, the Courthouse Plaza which is located in the center of the downtown, is the town's focal point for festivals, crafts fairs, antique shows, art shows and community activities.

Photo by Tom Check

__________________________________ 

Photo by Tom Check

__________________________________ 

Governor John Noble Goodwin selected the original 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 each of them. Goodwin selected a site 20 miles (32 km) south of the temporary capital on the west side of Granite Creek near a number of mining camps. The territorial capital was later moved to the new site along with Fort Whipple, with the new town named in honor of historian William H. Prescott during a public meeting on May 30, 1864. Robert W. Groom surveyed the new community, and an initial auction sold 73 lots on June 4, 1864. By July 4, 1864 a total of 232 lots had been sold within the new community.

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. The capital was returned to Prescott in 1877 by the 9th Arizona Territorial Legislature. The capital was finally moved to Phoenix on February 4, 1889 by the 15th Arizona Territorial Legislature.

The Sharlot Hall Museum houses much of Prescott's territorial history, and the Smoki and Phippen museums also maintain local collections. Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott boasts many historic buildings, including The Palace, Arizona's oldest restaurant and bar, and many other buildings that have been converted to boutiques, art galleries, bookstores, and restaurants. The City is named after author William H. Prescott, whose writings were popular during the Civil War.

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 good gathering and meeting place. Cultural events and performances take place on many nights in the summer on the plaza.

Photo by Tom Check

Photo by Tom Check

Prescott has many Victorian style homes and, perhaps because of that, has been remarked to be the most Midwestern-appearing city in the Southwest. Prescott has 525 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Prescott is home to the historical area known as "Whiskey Row", until 1956 a notorious red-light district. In 1900, a great fire destroyed most of the buildings on Whiskey Row. As legend has it, 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, the entire bar and back-bar of the Palace Hotel was removed to the square by the patrons as the fire approached, re-installing it after the gutted brick structure was rebuilt. (The size of the back-bar is impressive, and appears not easily moved, even by many hands.) Whiskey Row runs north and south on N. Montezuma St. between Gurley and Goodwin St., directly west of the county courthouse. This single city block has been the home of the St. Michael's Hotel and the Palace Hotel since the late 1800s along with other colorful purveyors of night-life. Merchant Sam Hill's hardware store was located near Whiskey Row, famous for its extensive stock in its downtown location and out of town warehouse. There are six golf courses within the city limits: Antelope Hills Golf Course, City of Prescott South Course, City of Prescott North Course, Hassayampa Golf Club, Prescott Lakes Golf Club, Talking Rock Golf Club. More courses are located nearby in surrounding towns.

__________________________________