1868-71: The Last Indian Raids on Kirkland Valley

One method used by Native Americans during the Indian Wars could be described as "guerrilla attrition"--sudden, stealthy strikes aimed at absconding with the very things the settlers needed to survive.

Kirkland Valley was not immune.

Highway 79 (89A): the Prescott to Jerome "Shortline"

When it first opened on August 1st, 1920, it was declared "Yavapai's Greatest Attraction." (*1)

"Members of the National Geographic Society...proclaimed [Highway 79] as 'the most beautiful drive in America.'" (*2)

To cynics (and the carsick), the curvy, mountain road might seem to have been designed by a carnival-ride engineer, a drunk, or both. In fact, Highway 79 would be considered an engineering marvel even by today's standards. It cut the travel time and distance between the two cities nearly in half.

While some history is buried under the sands of time, Highway 79 was eventually buried under a ribbon of asphalt and given a new number: 89A. Still, the twists and turns of this roadway only mirror the odyssey taken to construct it.

The Findings at the Fitzmaurice Indian Ruin

The Fitzmaurice Indian Ruin today.

Most of the commuters who go up and down Stoneridge Drive each day probably have noticed a peculiar zig-zagging fence surrounding a hilltop east of the road.

They might wonder: "What is this fence guarding?"

Answer: Perhaps the most significant, undeveloped tourist attraction in all of Yavapai County!

The Fitzmaurice Ruin is far more than a few scattered rock formations. The 27-room main pueblo and its several satellite structures encompass the largest Indian ruin in the Prescott region.

Entrepreneur Joseph Mayer & His Town

Joseph Mayer

It was with a small amount of irony that Joseph Mayer's funeral was held in Prescott. For it was a fateful trip to that city that unexpectedly ended 30 miles short that would define his life and his legacy.

"He was loved and mourned by all who knew him. People came from all over the state, rich and poor alike, hundreds of them. They said among themselves, 'There will never be but one Joe Mayer'" (*1)

An Apache chief who lived across the creek came to pay his last respects. "My people have lost their Big Chief," he said, "our brother and best friend." (*1)

"Tears were shed by both men and women as the remains were lowered into their last resting place." (*2)

As both an entrepreneur and a kind-hearted man, Joseph Mayer brought a great deal to both his town and Yavapai County.

Prescott's 1st Ordinances Reveal the Charm of a Small Village

It was May 12th, 1873, when the Village of Prescott's Council met to pass its first two ordinances.

The two simple and quaint laws offer an interesting insight into the everyday life of the early, small settlement.

The first ordinance dealt with the job descriptions of the four primary city workers. The second dealt with criminal laws concerning "Breaches of the Peace."

The Legend of Burnt Ranch

The Burnt Ranch house that replaced the burned cabin.

It was 1961 when plastics manufacturer Arthur Edison bought the 160 acres for future development. He paid $150,000--less than $1000 per acre for the land located west of Williamson Valley Drive between Iron Springs Road and Pioneer Parkway. (*1)

By then, the property had been known as "Burnt Ranch" for nearly a century.

This is the tale of the Apache-Mojave (aka "Date Creek") Indian raid that gave the ranch its name.