Wickenburg in 1870

Henry Wickenburg

In 1870, Wickenburg was a young, booming town. Founded in 1863, it wasn’t officially incorporated until 1909. The boom was largely due to Henry Wickenburg's discovery of the Vulture Mine—“The biggest and richest gold mine yet discovered on this continent [the Vulture] is yielding plenty of ore,” the Weekly Arizona Miner stated. Two mills were running at this time, one of which had a whopping 40 stamps to crush the ore.

Chino Valley in 1870

In 1870, Chino Valley had a handful of ranches, plenty of open space, and occasional visits from fearsome Native Americans.

Rattlesnake Stories of Yavapai County

An Arizona Black Diamond Rattlesnake

Where there are rattlesnakes, there are bound to be some interesting and amazing stories, and Yavapai County is no exception.

Skull Valley's Heyday

Today, Skull Valley is a sleepy little burg, but there was a time when the town had several area mines, a quartz mill, a dairy, a number of saloons, and a 36-room hotel.

1897 Rail Trip to Jerome Vividly Described

It was autumn when a representative of the Arizona Miner made a railway trip from Jerome Junction (today a part of southern Chino Valley), along the narrow-gauge line to Jerome. His description of the journey, published in the October 20th edition of the Weekly Arizona Miner, was delightfully descriptive.

Yavapai County's Wild Fruits & Their Medicinal Uses

 

What did the first pioneers eat? Basically, whatever they could get their hands on! Fortunately, Yavapai County’s diverse ecosystem includes many fruits that grow in the wild. Here is a listing with pictures and the lore surrounding their medicinal uses:

1919: Growth Causes Prescott to Run Out of Water

Old City Dam, 1920s

By the time summer came along, water pressure had consistently fallen so low that everyone was required to boil it. Unfortunately, that did nothing to relieve its foul smell.

The Craziest Dynamite Stories in Yavapai County History

To be precise, these are the craziest stories that did not involve criminal intent. Those deserve telling on their own.

1863: The Indian Raid on Peeples Valley

Abraham Harlow Peeples was one of the true early settlers of Central Arizona. He first arrived at Ft. Yuma in 1863 to prospect in the virgin wilderness of what would become Yavapai County. 

Peeples not only made mining claims, but he also quickly made a homesteading claim in a valley, 35 miles southwest of Prescott, which now bears his name. However, that winter, the Peeples’ ranch would suffer the crippling theft of 29 horses and mules.

Kirkland's Early History

William H Kirkland

Bill Kirkland had a restless spirit, never wanting to stay too long in one place. At the age of 18 he left Missouri to make the long trek to California in 1850. He stayed there only five years before he relocated again, this time to Arizona.

There, the pioneer would be credited with many firsts. However, he is best known for a valley, creek, and town in central Arizona that would end up bearing his name.

Yavapai Co's Astounding Agriculture: 1912

Those unfamiliar with the agricultural past of Yavapai County are sure to be astonished by the variety and success of the crops. Almost anything imaginable was planted, and most did well--for a time.

1912 was a healthy year for both rain and crops with several varieties reaching mammoth proportions...

Famous Harvey Houses Supplied by Del Rio Ranch

"Fred Harvey civilized the west with his '3000 Miles of Hospitality' that consisted of an extensive chain of hotels, shops, and restaurants along the Santa Fe Railway, staffed by a professional, customer service army which included the famous Harvey Girls."

To supply his hotels and restaurants with milk and cream, he had a dairy farm, the Territory's first, in Peach Springs. However, the water supply was problematic at that location, and in 1912, Harvey moved the entire operation to Del Rio Springs, north of Chino Valley.

1871: CB Genung Builds the Old Yarnell Road

Come 1871, the farmers and ranchers of Kirkland and Peeples Valley had a logistics problem. They wanted access to the Wickenburg and Phoenix markets for their products, but no wagon road down the rim was suitable for heavy loads.

"There was a road that could be traveled by light rigs and empty teams, but no (loaded wagon) could be handled over it." Additionally, the old trail was an excessive 60 miles long.

A new, better route was desperately needed, and Charles Baldwin Genung proposed a road that would cut off a whopping 33 miles from the journey.

Story Behind the Names: Dewey-Humboldt

It was December 20th, 2004, when Dewey and Humboldt were wedded through incorporation. Although the two experienced vastly different upbringings, they had always had a symbiotic relationship.

With these two stories lies the account of the two major industries in early Anglo Yavapai County history. Dewey was a ranching town providing the food, while her future husband, Humboldt, was a mining town earning the cold, hard cash.

1912: Come to Prescott's First Chautauqua!

Teddy Roosevelt once said: "Chautauqua is the most American thing in America!" (*1)

"Chautauqua is an institution that began in the late 19th century to provide higher education opportunities through the combination of lectures, concerts, and public events." (*1)

It was also a grand celebration of the freedom of speech, and in 1912, Prescott would climb aboard.

1911: Giant Humanoid Skeleton Unearthed in Yavapai County UPDATED

(Not the skeleton found in AZ)

The 1911 monsoon floods had cut a new wash through the farm that Peter Marx had been working since 1870. By chance, this new cut exposed some bones sticking out of its bank. Marx went to investigate and quickly unearthed a large leg bone about twice the size of a human's.

Puzzled, he wondered what animal it could have come from.

He continued to dig, finding more large bones until, about three feet in, he discovered a giant human skull!