Popular Preacher Struck Down by Lightning

"His death [was] all the more dramatic for the reason that he held in his hand a bible which he had been reading."

Shocking, isn't it?

Historic News Clips of 1911

As this author researches newspapers for this blog, he finds some stories that are historic or interesting, but individually would be too short for a full blog. So then, here is a pictorial blog presenting these news stories.

1917-1940: Twig Blight Threatens the Prescott National Forest

By 1935, the slow-moving disaster had become genuinely alarming. "The possibility of the absolute destruction of the Prescott National forest through Twig Blight disease is foreseen by officials of the Bureau of Pathology, unless intensive, energetic work is conducted immediately to stifle this deadly disease," the newspaper reported. (*1)

The Bureau reported that: "Since the discovery of the disease on the Prescott Forest in 1917, it has spread from the 400 acres affected to about 38,000 acres on the Prescott National Forest.'" (*2)

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.