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.

1877: Early Prescott Super Stores

1877 Goldwater "Super Store" was located
where the Prescott City Hall is now.

There was much talk and excitement when Goldwater & Bro. first started building their new store in 1875.  It would take two years to complete the two-story brick building.  But in a time when most business establishments were 500 to 1200 square feet, this new "mammoth" store was 3600 square feet.

Attached was a frame warehouse for bulk items that provided an additional 1200 square feet, making the 4800sf establishment four times bigger than most other stores!

The Goldwaters were successful general store proprietors for 15 years in Arizona before they opened the new store.  The Arizona Weekly Miner of January 19th, 1877, predicted "the future financial success of this enterprising firm."

Indeed, the Goldwaters would operate a store in Prescott for many decades to come.

The Great Date Creek Train Wreck

The Date Creek Wreck the next day.

It was the night of August 26th, 1915.  Oscar and Frank Pemberton were sitting on their porch watching a violent storm move from the mountains to engulf them and their surroundings.  In the distance, the Santa Fe, Prescott, and Phoenix Railroad train was approaching a bridge three miles south of Date Creek station.  As they were watching the engine make its way, the lights on the engine suddenly disappeared.  More ominously, the steam whistle was left open, sending a scream of mourning across the valley.

The two men quickly saddled up to ride out to the scene at full gallop.  At best, it was a simple derailment; at worst, people were dead and dying.

As the fierce rain pelted both man and horse, the pair rode up upon the worst train wreck to date on the SF, P&P.

1870 Indian Conflicts: Outskirts of Prescott Sit Helpless

After suffering losses going head-to-head with American troops, Native Americans turned to guerrilla tactics of warfare, raiding small parties.  Sometimes these raids involved taking the Anglos' necessities.  Sometimes they meant to kill them outright.

In the summer of 1870, nearby Fort Whipple had an extreme shortage of men.  To keep a skeleton crew guarding the fort, they could only send out around half a dozen soldiers at a time. (*1)

When the local Native Americans learned this, the surrounding settlements around Prescott quickly found themselves in serious trouble.

22 Undiscovered Buried Treasures Near Prescott *UPDATED*

There are at least 22 lost treasures of cash and gold waiting to be found in the Prescott area in Yavapai County.

These could be categorized by four motives: treasure buried by miners for safekeeping; gold reburied by the Indians to keep it away from the whites; the ill-gotten gain of thieves; and those who did not trust banks.

Gold Hidden by Miners:

The Whacky 1910 Prescott to Phoenix Automobile Race

They were racing for the premier awarding of the Arizona Gazette Cup in a contest organized by the Prescott Auto Club.

Nineteen cars would attempt the trip.  When it was all over, only one was able to drive back to Prescott. (*1)