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.”

Prescott "Smoker" Events Featured Marijuana

The majority of the material for "Prescott, AZ History" is from reading weeks and weeks and months and months of old Prescott newspapers.

So imagine this author's surprise when he came across this headline:

PLAN BIG TIME AT 
CHAMBER SMOKER

SHORT SNAPPY SPEECHES,

PLENTY OF THE WEED,

LIGHT LUNCH & MUSIC ON PROGRAM

A "Smoker" event with "Plenty of the Weed"???  (*1)

Could it be true? A large, civic, pot-smoking party in Prescott?

This is going to take some further research!...

Back in the early 20th century, not only was cannabis legal, but it was widely used in medicines and had none of the negative stereotypes that it carries today.

But did people actually call it "weed" a century ago?