First Movie Made in Prescott: The Cringer

The only surviving image from "The Cringer"

There are no known surviving copies of the first movie filmed in Yavapai County. However, a nationwide search of movie reviews and newspaper accounts for “The Cringer” offers a reasonable, albeit general, recapitulation of the film and some of its background.

Prescott's 50th and 100th Anniversary Celebrations

Ironically, Prescott’s 50th anniversary was largely celebrated... elsewhere. It was the Phoenix Board of Trade that had the idea of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the territory, and they would make sure they hosted the event.

Dudley House: First Real Hotel in Prescott

It is the Juniper House that is rightly designated as Prescott's first hotel. However, the Dudley House was the first hotel to offer something more substantial than a canvas roof!

Undercover Detective or Stagecoach Robber?

On May 12, 1877, the California-Arizona Stage left Prescott, ultimately headed to San Bernardino. Stage robberies were far too prevalent in the mid-1870s, and the party was relieved to arrive at Wickenburg unmolested. 

As the driver, Jesus Lujan, pulled out of the station, he couldn’t know that just a few miles down the road his stage would fall victim to a carefully crafted ambush. 

1909: Passenger Train Boiler Explodes

It was nearly 3:30 pm, August 17, 1909, when engineer Joseph Reese put his hand on the throttle, and Engine No. 11 began to pull a heavy six-car passenger train out from the Iron Springs Depot. Little did he know he was a mere two minutes from disaster.

The Old Courthouse Became a Living Wreck

Note: This was originally written as a "Days Past" article in June 2018. However, since the Sharlot Hall Museum website was hacked, it's been unavailable to read. Therefore, it is republished here. 

UPDATE: A week after this post was published, the author received word that the situation had been remedied. However, this article posting is being retained because it includes the sources used. The address for the original article is this: the-old-courthouse-became-a-living-wreck

As Yavapai County grew at the turn of the last century, the Old Courthouse had become too small. For $6000, an addition was constructed, but the old building never had the structural integrity to support it.