The First President to Visit Yavapai County

The Weekly Journal-Miner and the residents of Yavapai County were absolutely enchanted. The President of the United States, William McKinley, would be visiting the Arizona Territory, and his first step upon the young territory’s soil would be in Yavapai County!

William Randolph Hearst brings 15 Congressmen to Prescott

(Forgive the typo!)

In 1903, William Randolph Hearst was a 40-year-old newspaper baron and US Congressman from New York who was under serious consideration for the Democratic nomination for President the following year. He desired statehood for the southwestern territories of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona and took a delegation of other congressmen and their wives on a whirlwind trip through those three large land masses to find evidence that they were worthy of statehood to bring back to Washington.

On the 17th of October, the special train would stop in Prescott, and he would be completely surprised at what he found.

Robert Todd Lincoln Visited Prescott Thrice

It was early February 1894 when the announcement was made in the Journal-Miner that Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln, would be visiting Prescott the following month. Accompanying Lincoln were three millionaires from Chicago: Marshall Field, “the many times millionaire” department store mogul; NK Fairbanks, the millionaire meat-packer; and Norman Ream, a manufacturer of agricultural implements.

The trip was extremely important to Yavapai County at a time when capital was needed to develop both mines and railroads, and it would ultimately be the first of three visits by Lincoln.

1878: Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman is Amazed With Prescott

It was Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s first trip to Arizona. He was on the way to inspect the area Army camps. He would visit Camp Verde before Prescott, and then would head “to Yuma and thence to the Pacific,” the Weekly Arizona Miner wrote. It was a trip that he had “been contemplating for a long time past.”

Sherman would traverse a wide portion of Arizona, but his welcome in Prescott would be the one he would remember the best.

1920: Million-Heir Boy Kidnapped Near Drake

A group of three detectives parked their automobile about a mile and a half away from the Puntenney lime mine near Cedar Glade (present day Drake) and began to walk toward the office. It seemed a long way to trudge, but they wanted their story to be believable.

“Our car broke down,” one of them told the office manager. “What kind of mine do you have here? May we look around while we wait for help?” The three began to feign interest in the operations as they set about to look for their real objective—an 11-year-old boy named Willie. 

One of the detectives peered into a building and spied the youngster. The three men left, but that would hardly be the end of it. They were plotting to steal William Hurd Barrett for the third time in less than a year.

The Forgotten Mother-Load at Richenbar, AZ

Many are familiar with the mining riches that came out of Tip Top and Crown King, but there was another mother-load of gold in that area known as Richenbar.

It was 1867 when three miners decided to explore what appeared to be an ancient, worked-out mine. They descended a 45-degree angled shaft into what appeared to be a cave. There were no timber reinforcements to be seen, and the only thing connecting the ceiling to the floor was a single 4-foot pillar in the middle of the expanse. Upon closer inspection, they noticed a pure vein of gold within the pillar measuring 2 inches thick. Two of the miners wanted to extract it, while the third thought it was too dangerous. The two carefully worked the pillar and were successful in extracting a “coffee sack” full of ore, which eventually was found to contain a whopping 937 ounces of gold.

This mine would come to be known as the Aztec Mine when ancient Native American tools were discovered inside. Eventually, the entire surrounding area would have claims, and the town of Richenbar was born. Soon, the gold deposit there became famous, and the famous would invest in an area so rich that one miner thought it would bring "death to gold."

Founder of Lowell Observatory Got High in Prescott

Percival Lowell

Percival Lowell’s life changed after reading Camille Flammarion’s “La Planete Mars.” It was then that he dedicated his life to the study of astronomy. His greatest legacy was building the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. A renowned scientist in his own time, he came to Prescott, AZ, over the Thanksgiving holiday of 1909 to spend time with his friend, Judge EM Doe.

He would also take the opportunity to give a spell-binding lecture to a delighted crowd at Elks’ Theater about the potential of intelligent life on Mars. “It was Prof. Lowell who first offered proof to show that Mars is inhabited,” the newspaper proclaimed, “and because of his achievements has been honored with membership by the highest scientific societies of Europe.”

1932: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Visits Prescott

It was late September 1932, and in a little more than a month, the United States would be choosing a new President. That man would be Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

At this time, he was traveling to Arizona to get a little rest and relaxation at the Greenway Ranch in Williams. Yet his popularity and his position would mix some work with his pleasure. The Arizona Democrats were meeting in Phoenix, and FDR was compelled to attend.

From there, on his way to Williams, Roosevelt’s train would stop in Prescott to meet an exceptionally large, well-wishing crowd.

JFK Recuperated at Castle Hot Springs

After his PT-109 was rammed by a Japanese destroyer in World War II, John Fitzgerald Kennedy fought back problems. During his recuperation, he spent about a year in Arizona and at Castle Hot Springs. It wasn’t JFK’s first trip to Arizona, nor would it be his last.

Hollywood's First Child-Star Was a Prescott Girl

Virginia Lee (born LaVerne) Corbin

On March 2nd, 1910, the Weekly Journal-Miner reported that Mrs. LE Corbin, wife of a wealthy business owner in Prescott, left for Long Beach, CA, to visit relatives there for several weeks. The couple’s parting must have been both cordial and celebrated, for nine months later, on December 5th, a future star was born.

The couple named her Virginia LaVerne Corbin, but outside Prescott, she would become known as Baby Virginia Lee Corbin; “The Dresden Doll,” comparing her fair complexion to the celebrated porcelain-headed playthings. 

Prescott's Plaza Pets

Through the years, Prescott's Plaza has been blessed with a few beloved, exceptional animals that stole the hearts of the entire city. Here are the stories of Old Joe the horse, Stub the cat, and Mike the dog.

Famous Novelist & Statesman Falls In Love With Prescott

Sir Gilbert Parker, M.P. (1862-1932)

Member of the British Parliament, novelist, and Knight, Sir Gilbert Parker landed in Lakewood, New Jersey in December 1911 in hopes of restoring his health from a bout of malaria. Upon hearing this news, the Prescott Chamber of Commerce sent him an invitation to come to "the balmy shades of the pines." Although Sir Gilbert received many invitations, he decided to accept Prescott's.

When Sir Gilbert returned to London, he was armed with many photographs of the area. He would hold lectures about Prescott and Yavapai County to crowds of thousands. "If I had 20 sons," he would tell them, "I would send them to this new world."

Will Rogers Visits the 1933 Frontier Days

The Courier's editor needed to pinch himself. "Will Rogers of Claremore, OK--yes, indeed, THE Will Rogers, gum-chewing humorist whose quips go straight to the mark and have made many a personage in high places flinch--well, he's in town."

"Rogers, who flew to Phoenix [on the 3rd] and drove up yesterday morning [the 4th], spent the day at the grounds, squatting on his heels at the end of the arena for the most part and surrounded almost all the time by a group of contestants,...gals of the range, and young cow waddies: a big gang of admiring small boys."

It was hoped that Rogers might present the rodeo awards that night, or ride in the closing parade, but he had something else in mind for his surprise visit "to see the final events at the fairgrounds of Frontier Days."

1911: Buffalo Bill Cody Comes to Prescott to Invest & Reminisce

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a superstar recognized by nearly everyone. So when the people of Prescott noticed him walking their streets, they were both surprised and excited.

However, Buffalo Bill did not come with his "Wild West Show." Instead, he came with his mining engineer, and they meant business.

POTUS Visits Prescott, Statehood at Stake

The POTUS (President of the United States), William Howard Taft

It was 5:51pm, October 13th, 1909.

President Taft's special train was "drawn by two engines looking as proud as shining machines of brass and steel can look."  As the train pulled into the Prescott depot,  "there was tremendous cheering while the band up the street vigorously played 'Hail to the Chief.'"

Prescott planned long and hard to make it the perfect visit, and the Queen City of Arizona accomplished just that.