Anecdotes of Prescott History Brought to Life From the Pages of Old Newspapers and Other Sources.
The White Spar Road is the portion of Arizona State Route 89 that is located within the boundaries of the Prescott National Forest. And for that reason, it was the US Forest Service that paid for the entire 18-mile stretch of the road, committing $145,000 in 1922 (worth nearly $3 million today) for the project, but much more money and over two years would be required to finish construction.
The northbound Santa Fe passenger train No. 42 left Phoenix at 6:10 p.m. on March 7, 1924, heading toward Prescott. Little did they know that this train was bound for disaster.
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| Brand New Masonic Temple, 1908 |
“Provided present plans are carried out, within another year Prescott Masons may well claim to have the grandest and best appointed Masonic Temple in the Territory,” the Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner reported, “and another substantial building will be added to the many that now adorn both sides of North Cortez Street.” The Lodge, it was said, got “tired of paying rent and worrying with landlords…”
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| Gail Gardner around the time of the incident. |
“Saturday, April 25, 1885, 3:40 PM: The town of Ash Fork is now on fire,” the Albuquerque Evening Democrat proclaimed. “So far nine buildings are in ashes…”
“A telegram was received at Fort Whipple announcing the almost entire destruction of the town of Ash Fork,” the Tulare County (California) newspaper pronounced.
“The greater part of the town was destroyed,” the Sacramento Union declared.
Before the arrival of the railroad on January 1, 1887, prices for groceries, travel, and nearly everything else were astonishingly high, and travel times were lengthy.
Here are some staple food items and what they would cost at today’s (2026) prices:
