By Stan Brown 

George Crook turned forty-three years of age three months after taking command of the Military Department of Arizona on June 4, 1871. He came with almost twenty years' experience, having graduated from West Point in 1852, fought Indian Wars in Oregon and California, and led Union troops throughout the Civil War. During these years he had risen through the ranks to become a Major General. Upon arriving in Arizona his concern was to confine and defeat the Apache bands that were causing havoc throughout the Territory.

By A.E. Ensign of the Federal Writers Project c.1935 

Editor's Note: continuing our series of articles written by the Federal Writers Project in depression-era America, 'Law and Order' is an exaggerated recount of a courtroom melée during the 1880s. Although many of the hard facts are wrong, the excitable description of this gruesome and almost humorous encounter is an entertaining read and is an example of how an historical event, when told at a certain angle or by a certain person, can become mythical. Please find the original Courier article (which contains most of the correct facts) following the story.

By A.E. Ensign, Federal Writers Project, Yavapai County c. 1935 

"Note: The following is from the pen of Sharlot M. Hall, historian, writer, and curator of Sharlot Hall Museum. Its value rests upon the fact that she is the only living writer who can tell, from first-hand knowledge, the more intimate details of the history of Arizona's first 'Gubnatorial Mansion.'"

By Nancy Burgess

This article first appeared in the Prescott Herald in 1903, and was later reprinted in the December 23, 1949, Prescott Evening Courier.

Christmas was celebrated by the people of Skull Valley and the Kirkland section Friday night by a big ball given in the school house two miles below the eating house at Skull Valley.  People were there from all over that section and the affair was one of the most pleasant we have ever attended. Our readers have doubtless heard of "hog-killing times" well, that was one, if there ever was one.

By Arthur Ensign - Federal Writers' Project, 1935

The following account continues our series of stories written by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration of depression era Arizona. The story was based on an oral history interview of Skull Valley "old timer" Joe Farrell (as is noted later in the text) as told to the FWP workers.

Skull Valley's old-timers tell, with much gusto, of an incident, which emphasizes the inadvisability of too close questioning, particularly when the one questioned happens to be of Hibernian extraction. As the story goes, William Howard Taft, while campaigning for the Presidency, addressed the citizens of Skull Valley from the rear platform of his special train.

By Arthur Ensign & H. G. Grey - Federal Writer's Project

As told by Mrs. Lillybelle Morshead to Arthur Ensign and H.G. Grey of the Federal Writer's Project 

When Governor Goodwin proclaimed Arizona a Territory of The United States and established its capital at Prescott, my father opened a store there, which gave the newly made capital a total of two well-made buildings. The other was the Governor's Mansion. 

By Ann Hibner Koblitz 

When people think of mining, typically they conjure up images of the large enterprises of Virginia City in Nevada or Jerome and Globe in Arizona where prospectors and miners could become rich almost overnight, and millions of tons of high grade ores were extracted and processed during the course of decades-long operations.

By Tom Collins

Despite the numerous events, Bashford at one point seemed to have given up on the concept of a profitable theatre. After more than a year without performances of any kind, Bashford announced through the Miner that he was having the "old opera house" put in thorough repair, for use solely as a hall. "He will not rebuild the stage again. The south wall has been rebuilt and the interior of the place thoroughly renovated" (Sept. 17, 1890).

By Tom Collins

On the southeast corner of Cortez and Goodwin streets, the current site of the City of Prescott building, there once stood Howey's Hall, the cultural center of Prescott.

For some fifteen years, citizens gathered there for theatrical performances, orchestral concerts, socials and balls, lectures, magic shows, skating parties, graduation exercises, and even church services. Built in 1876 by E. I. Roberts for local blacksmith James Howey, it originally housed the Goldwater & Brothers Mercantile business on the first floor, and soon the Masonic Lodge on the second floor. It was one of the first brick buildings in town, a classically designed structure, 60 feet long and 33 feet wide, each story rising 14 feet between the joists.

By Elisabeth Ruffner and Karen Carlisle

On November 13, on the floor of the State House of Representatives at the Capitol building in Phoenix, Patricia McGee will be inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame. Born July 9, 1926 in Holbrook, Arizona, Patricia Ann Vaughn was raised by her grandmother, Viola Jimulla, Chieftess of the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe from 1940 to 1966. (Viola Jimulla is also honored in the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.) Patricia McGee's grandmother taught her the values of integrity and self-reliance, along with the importance of service to her tribe. McGee served on the Yavapai-Prescott tribal board from 1966 to 1972 and, as President of the tribe for twenty years, from 1972 to 1988 and 1990 to 1994.