The quaint mountainside city of Prescott lies within the heart of Arizona and is a unique blend of history, culture and natural beauty. This captivating destination features the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world and endless options for outdoor recreation.
“Prescott, Arizona was founded in 1864 at the behest of Congress and President Abraham Lincoln in an effort to secure the area's mineral riches for the Union forces during the Civil War, the town was named for historian William Hickling Prescott by the settlers.
In 1865, Prescott carved a unique place among early communities in Arizona because it was reportedly built exclusively of wood and was inhabited almost entirely by Americans as a result of the nation's Westward expansion. On Saturday night, July 14th, 1900, fire swept through downtown Prescott with uncontrollable fury, almost totally destroying the business district of the small mining town.”
The city eventually recovered from the devastating fire and is now home to a beautiful Courthouse, downtown shopping centers, restaurants and the historic Whiskey Row. Whiskey Row is full of some of Prescott's oldest history. This street is named Whiskey Row because of the large number of saloons in one place. At one point the block hosted a total of 40 saloons.
This high number of saloons was primarily due to the gold rush culture that drew all kinds of settlers, cowboys, gamblers, and even outlaws to the town. Mining towns were no stranger to shootouts and enjoying the bar atmosphere after a long day of looking for gold, and Prescott is not any different. Present-day Prescott celebrates the history of Whiskey Row with annual shoot-out events on this very block! Nowadays, this street is known for it's art galleries, candy shops, and of course its famous saloons. One stroll around this particular block would show you how full of life and history this town actually is!
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SOURCES: www.prescott.com