Prescott 1933: A Story in Pictures

Gurley Street, 1933

It was the poorest of times. It was the richest of times. Despite being in the depths of the Great Depression, Prescott would rise above its trials.

Here now are 24 more images that will give the reader a taste of what it was like to live in Prescott in 1933...

The Amazing Mascots of the Arizona Rough Riders

Arizona Roughrider mascot "Cuba"

The Arizona Regiment of the Roughriders had three different animal mascots. Two were canine, and one was feline. All were extremely popular among the entire army.

1915: 6 Ft. Snow Drove Lions Onto Ranches--Hardly a Colt Survived

The winter of 1915 in Yavapai County was one of the wettest in the area's history.  Wave after wave of heavy moisture came through the Prescott area, stretching all the way down into the Sonoran Desert. (Ultimately, this unusually wet winter would change the ecosystem of the Prescott National Forest forever, introducing the white-tail deer to the area.)

In the valleys, there were copious amounts of rain, with Williamson Valley flooding several times.  Initially, ranchers were excited that "the ground was soaked to the grassroots," and they anticipated "one of the very best ranching seasons ever." (*1) However, this wet abundance would prove to be a two-edged sword.

6 Crypt-id Monsters That Live In Northern Arizona (Part 1: Land Dwellers)

Most locals have heard of the Mogollon Monster, but descriptions of exactly what kind of creature it might be have changed over the years. A rash of sightings of a particular type of creature would make that animal a sort of "Mogollon Monster du jour."

As a result, this author will not give the title of "Mogollon Monster" to any of the forthcoming six.  Instead, it is hoped that people who have seen these strange creatures and are afraid of coming forward might learn that they are not alone in their experience.

Some of these monsters are truly bizarre, but every one of them has been seen in other locations on our planet.

Part 2 of this duet will focus on "The Cave Dwellers." This article focuses on "The Land Dwellers."

Teddy's Rough Riders Originated in Prescott

When news arrived of the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine, William "Buckey" O'Neill was the Mayor of Prescott. Buckey, (that is how O'Neill spelled it,) like most Americans, was infuriated by the disaster and hungry to join the fight.

While discussing the situation with Alexander Brodie and James McClintock, an idea occurred to them to raise a volunteer cavalry from the Arizona territory.  Buckey wanted to raise a regiment of hardcore Arizona frontiersmen. Men who were already able to survive under harsh, dangerous, and deadly conditions would make excellent soldiers.

William "Buckey" O'Neill

They would come to be known as "The Rough Riders." And the men they would recruit would become the origin and core of the First US Volunteer Cavalry, which would win great fame and glory under Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War.