By Fred B. Nelson

Easter of 2004 will mark the 50th anniversary of my first visit to Prescott. At the age of 15, I was a member of the Methodist Youth Fellowship of Alhambra, California. That group contracted with a church in Prescott (Mission San Lucas Iglesia Metodista) to refurbish certain aspects of the building and surroundings of that church during the week before Easter in 1954.

Mission San Lucas was affiliated with the Methodist Church, and catered principally to the Hispanic population of Prescott. It was located at the northeast corner of what are now Campbell and Madison Street (in 1954, Campbell Street was known as Prospect Avenue). The pastor in 1954 was Jose L. Anguiano, who lived in a house just behind the church, on Madison. 

Our group left Alhambra on Saturday evening, April 10, 1954, with twenty-eight people, including adult chaperones, in a large canvas-covered stake truck. We arrived in Prescott in the wee hours of the morning of Sunday, April 11, and set up camping facilities in the recreation room of the recently completed (1953) Prescott Methodist Church at the corner of Gurley & Summit. The Pastor of that church at the time was Hal B. Dallke. I recall that some of the kids stayed at the pastor's home, as well as at the home of neighbors, the Thomas family. 

After a day of relaxing and sightseeing, including a picnic and swimming at Granite Dells, we got down to business on Monday, and proceeded to install new pews, a new altar, new windows, and did some concrete work around the outside of the church. By Thursday of that week, we had finished, and headed back home early Friday morning. 

From information obtained through Sharlot Hall Museum archives, it appears that Mission San Lucas was in existence by at least 1939. The last reference to the church in the Prescott city directory was in 1963. The building was still there in 1971 when I came through Prescott on a vacation, but was gone by the time I moved here in 1983. The property on which the church was located is now a secondary parking lot for the Bethel Assembly of God Church, on Campbell. 

In the Sharlot Hall archives, I found the following letter published in the Monday, April 26, 1954 edition of the Prescott Courier: 

"Open Letter to the people of Prescott: 
"Dear Friends: 
"During Holy Week, 28 people from the First Methodist Church of Alhambra were received so hospitably by the city of Prescott that we felt as if we were honored citizens of your community. 
"It was a privilege to have the opportunity to participate in refurbishing Mission San Lucas Iglesia Metodista, but more than this, it was a pleasure to receive the many expressions of appreciation for the work that these high school people did. So many merchants gave us discounts, so many companies donated food and materials, so many people went out of their way to make us feel welcome, that we wanted your city to know of our gratitude. 
"I think the depth of the reaction of some of us is measured by the fact that several are seriously considering moving to Prescott when their schooling is completed. 
"So we say 'Thank You' to a very friendly city. 
"Sincerely yours, 
The Methodist Youth Fellowship of Alhambra First Methodist Church" 

As far as I know, none of the other members of our group ever moved to Prescott, and it took me 29 years to do so. Many things have changed over the past 50 years: the church property on which we worked is now a parking lot for another church; I have changed my religious affiliation to another Christian faith; Prescott is no longer a stand-alone community of 4,500 people. But the one constant is the friendly nature of the people of this community, still helping one another when occasions arise. Not a bad reason for wanting to move here! 

(The author asks that if anyone happens to know anything about this venture in 1954, he would like to hear from you. His email address is azsnowman0369@yahoo.com.) 



Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(buc1025pb). Reuse only by permission.
In 1954 the author came to Prescott and stayed here at the Methodist Church at the corner of Gurley and Summit. His church group was visiting Prescott specifically to help refurbish the Mission San Lucas Iglesia Metodista at the corner of Campbell and what is now Madison.