By Mick Woodcock
Mention of Easter in early Prescott doesn’t show up in newspapers until 1876, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t being celebrated in town before that. According to the June 15, 1867 Arizona Miner, the Prescott Sunday School had been open for a year. The July 15, 1867 Arizona Miner had the following announcement: “Religious Service. – By an announcement in our advertising columns it will be seen that hereafter, religious service will be held in Prescott every Sabbath, at 11 o’clock, A. M. at the building of Messrs. Blair & Elliott, on Montezuma street. We understand these gentlemen generously agree to furnish the building free of cost, and Rev. Mr. Blake offers to preach upon the same terms….”
The first real mention of Easter was in the March 3, 1876 Arizona Weekly Miner, when the Fort Whipple Dramatic Association advertised “This being the holy season of Lent, there will be no further performances by the Association until after Easter.” In the same edition was this notice, “Church Notice. Services every Sunday, at 10:30, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, on Marina street, Prescott. Sunday school immediately after service. Rev. D. B. Wright, Pastor.”
As different denominations established churches in Prescott, the announcements of their services increased. The April 10, 1885 Weekly Arizona Miner had the following article: “The Easter services at the different churches in Prescott yesterday were largely attended as well by the godly as the ungodly of whom the latter class seem to have an overwhelming majority in Prescott. The musical features of the ceremonies at both the Catholic and M. E. [Meth Episcopal] Churches were particularly fine and did credit to the ladies and gentlemen who assisted in that direction.”
The April 1, 1891 Arizona Weekly Miner had the following article showing the extent churches went to for Easter celebrations: “Easter Services. Services in the Eiscopal [sic] church yesterday were of an extremely solemn and interesting character. The building was beautifully decorated with the choicest flowers, arranged in the most effective manner, and evincing exquisite taste on the part of those who took part in the work and labor of love…To the right and left of this stood vases supporting rich bouquets of Easter lilies, while growing plants, geraniums and hyacinths, flanked these on either side…The building was crowded, and the music excellent and appropriate.”
By 1900 Easter, while still celebrated in the local churches, had moved into the secular realm, as evidenced by the following in the April 5, 1900 Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner: “An Easter Party. Mrs. T. G. Norris and Mrs. J. J. Hawkins entertained a large number of ladies at the home of the latter on Friday afternoon with an Easter party. It was a very unique and interesting affair…Six handed euchre was played...The serving of dainty refreshments closed the afternoon’s entertainment.”
This extended to the younger set, as evidenced in the April 6, 1904 Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner: “Between twenty five and thirty of the little friends and school mates of Sidney, Jamie and Violet Bretherton, gathered at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Bretherton Saturday afternoon in response to invitations sent out by the above children, for an Easter party. Three hours of good solid fun was had by the merry little people in playing games, etc. At the close of the games ice cream, cake, Easter eggs and candy was served to the children to such quantities that nothing more could be asked for. Each child was also given a little Easter chicken as souvenir of the occasion.”
By the end of the Territorial period, Prescott’s Easter observations had become more like today’s.
“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also
available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org
Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.