May 9, 1911: Two Capital Murders in One Afternoon

As the 20th century dawned, Prescott was much more of a "law and order" town than her early years. However, May 9th, 1911, would see two unrelated, shocking, cold-blooded murders on the same afternoon!

Both suspects would face the gallows as the newborn State of Arizona grappled with the question of the death penalty.

Story Behind the Names: Dewey-Humboldt

It was December 20th, 2004, when Dewey and Humboldt were wedded through incorporation. Although the two experienced vastly different upbringings, they had always had a symbiotic relationship.

With these two stories lies the account of the two major industries in early Anglo Yavapai County history. Dewey was a ranching town providing the food, while her future husband, Humboldt, was a mining town earning the cold, hard cash.

1912: Come to Prescott's First Chautauqua!

Teddy Roosevelt once said: "Chautauqua is the most American thing in America!" (*1)

"Chautauqua is an institution that began in the late 19th century to provide higher education opportunities through the combination of lectures, concerts, and public events." (*1)

It was also a grand celebration of the freedom of speech, and in 1912, Prescott would climb aboard.

"Prescott's Original Whiskey Row" by Bradley G. Courtney

A review.

Knowing that Prescott's Whiskey Row is central to her history, it's surprising that it took until the 21st century for such an important subject to be addressed thoroughly in a book.

Bradley G. Courtney not only brings this significant story to light, but he does so in a cohesive and entertaining narrative commensurate with the professionalism of an author holding a master's degree in history and a doctorate in education.

1911: Buffalo Bill Cody Comes to Prescott to Invest & Reminisce

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a superstar recognized by nearly everyone. So when the people of Prescott noticed him walking their streets, they were both surprised and excited.

However, Buffalo Bill did not come with his "Wild West Show." Instead, he came with his mining engineer, and they meant business.

Mayer Onyx Was Unique, Beautiful, World Famous (Updated)

As Professor Price sat on the train, he looked again at the sample of onyx sent to him from Mayer, Arizona. So impressed was he by the beautiful sample and the accounts of its source that he was now on his way from San Francisco to see the deposit for himself.

When the train pulled into the station at Mayer, he looked out the window and was astonished at what he saw. Previously, all known deposits of onyx had come in the form of boulders and smaller rocks and were mined. However, this Mayer onyx was part of the natural strata of the earth! It could be cut into blocks of nearly any size, like sandstone or granite! (*1)

Indeed, this was no boulder of onyx. This single deposit covered nearly two-thirds of a square mile and ran from 10 to 20 feet deep! It was more factual to call Mayer an onyx quarry. Nothing like this had ever been found before.

Before departing, Prof. Price found an onyx-rich tract of land that had not yet been claimed and quickly procured it for himself.