Let's Visit 1870 Prescott

Diana Saloon on the left, Gurley St. on the right,
(Thumb Butte in the Middle).

When the capital moved to Tucson in 1867, many scoffers believed Prescott would wither away. Instead, in just three years, the town would be in the midst of its first big growth spurt.

Gurley: The Man Behind the Street Name

 

A year following John Addison Gurley’s untimely death on August 19, 1863, the first edition of the Arizona Miner wrote: “Be it ours to erect to him a lasting monument, by giving his name to one of the loftiest hills, or to a district glistening with the brightest gold.” Instead, the downtown main street of Prescott, Arizona’s first territorial capital, would be named in his honor.

The story of why is most compelling.

Railroad's Arrival Brought a Gala Day in Prescott

Prescott's 1st depot for the Prescott & Central Arizona RR

As the last month of 1886 began, anticipation in the young capital of Arizona had never been higher. The Prescott and Central Arizona Railroad was inching its way south from the main Atlantic & Pacific line. It would open up Prescott to the world.

Arizona's First Masons Helped Steer Early Prescott

Charter for Aztlan Lodge No. 1

It is difficult today to understand the social gravity and importance of fraternal organizations in the 19th century. These were the places where "networking" occurred. Generally, each fraternal organization represented a particular group of socio-economic class or trade.

The Masons were the business owners, lawyers, doctors, and politicians.

Indeed, organizing a Masonic Lodge in Prescott (the Territory's first) was considered so important that one was quickly established before the appearance of a denominational church!

Early Descriptions of Prescott: 1864-'71

Several early visitors to Prescott were well impressed with the young settlement. For these sojourners, the buildings were secondary compared to the inspiration they felt from the spirit of her citizens and the wonderment the area bestowed.

Their accounts in the years 1864, 1867, and 1871 offer insight into how Prescott grew from little more than a mining camp to an all-American community.

1867: Territorial Capital Departs for Tucson

Governor's Mansion

When word first came out that there was a movement to relocate the capital from Prescott to Tucson, most of Yavapai County thought the idea to be both unfathomable and impossible.

Traditionally, American capitals had always been located near their geographic center. Even Washington, DC, now far to the east, was centrally located in relation to the 13 original colonies.

But now there was a movement to relocate the capital hundreds of miles away from the majority of the population, close to the Mexican border, where it's so hot that "one can fry a rattlesnake without a fire."

In the end, it was politics that made the unthinkable become reality.