By Laura Clonts

(Days Past Editor’s note: Many Arizonans do not know what a long and arduous struggle Arizona had in order to go from "Territory" to "State." Way back in 1877, then Territorial Governor A. P. K Safford predicted, "Arizona will soon be a state." Little did he realize it would take another 35 years! This ambition to be a state did not even attract attention of the U.S. Congress until 1889 when the first bill was proposed and dropped. In 1891, the First Constitutional Convention met in Phoenix and another bill was presented to Congress but, again, no action was taken. In 1901, a delegation from Arizona Territory was sent to Washington to lobby for statehood and another bill was introduced, debated, amended, and then defeated. A delegation from Washington had come to inspect Arizona – from their Pullman train car – and reported, "Arizona is not yet ready for statehood." Other bills were proposed in Congress each year from 1902 to 1906. Congress then proposed, in 1906, that Arizona and New Mexico be admitted as one state, but both territories rejected that idea. Finally, a bill, the enabling act, was passed and signed by President William H. Taft on June 18, 1910. It was announced at that time he would officially declare statehood on February 12, 1912. After suffering over three decades waiting for statehood, the people of Arizona were understandably excited and eager. In the meantime, it was planned that a Constitutional Convention be convened immediately in Phoenix to draw up the proposed state constitution to be submitted to Washington. So, in effect, Arizona celebrated its upcoming statehood for nearly two years before Taft signed the final proclamation of statehood on February 14, 1912…two days later than originally scheduled for the 12th.)

It is believed that as early as 1865, one year after Prescott’s founding, Lucian Bonapart Jewell organized a brass band in Prescott as the nationwide brass band movement quickly spread throughout the territory. Within a few short years, the regimental bands from Fort Whipple began to dominate the music scene on the Courthouse Plaza. Prescott’s original bandstand was built around 1880 after construction of the first courthouse on the Plaza. When the soldiers at Fort Whipple left for Tampa, Florida in 1898 to prepare for the Spanish-American War, the bands also departed.

The original bandstand survived the great fire of 1900 and was used as a barber shop with baths set up in a tent nearby after the business district had been devastated by the fire. Sometime prior to 1908, the structure was removed; how, when and why is unknown.

Prescott was gearing up for the annual Fourth of July celebration in 1908 and, with the approval of the County Board of Supervisors, a local contractor constructed a temporary bandstand for the celebration. The platform consisted of twenty "Republican" planks, each sixteen feet in length and stout enough to hold up any heavyweight politicians who might deliver campaign addresses. It was a presidential election year. After the fall campaign, the platform was dismantled and the lumber was used in the repair of culverts on the county roads.

That same month, a committee was appointed to interview the Board of Supervisors with the intent of securing permission to erect an ornamental, permanent bandstand on the Plaza. The recently reorganized Prescott Concert Band wanted a permanent home on the Plaza for concerts. Nearly two years later, on May 28, 1910, the Board of Supervisors met to discuss bids for construction of the bandstand. Henry Rockmark was awarded the contract for construction for the sum of $1,150. With the exception of being painted, the new bandstand was to be completed for the Fourth of July celebration. The design included a twenty foot high flagpole with twelve feet actually exposed and crowned with a gold ball.

By June of 1910, town businessmen were busy preparing for a good old fashioned July 4th celebration when announcement of the pending statehood reached Prescott. President Taft had signed the preliminary bill (enabling act) with two special pens: "Approved William H." signed with a solid gold pen with silver and copper trim and, "Taft" written with an eagle quill with a large gold band. It was June 18, 1910. All of Arizona was celebrating the victory and great plans were made to continue the celebration on July 4th in Prescott.

(Next week, the celebration continues, the bandstand is completed and a tree is planted.)

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(pb008-i76-292p) Reuse only bypermission.

The newly reorganized Prescott Band, in early spring of 1910, was still waiting for a permanent home on the Courthouse Plaza. The proposed bandstand was approved and scheduled for completion for the Fourth of July celebration that year. That bandstand is 100 years old next week.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(bug503pb-crop) Reuse only bypermission.

Looking SE across the Plaza toward Cortez Street, c.1880, a crowd surrounds the newly built first bandstand with the original courthouse on the right. This bandstand remained on the Plaza until sometime around 1907 when it was removed.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(citn113p) Reuse only by permission.

The original bandstand on the Plaza, built c.1880, shown here in 1890 has always been a center of activity and special occasions for Prescottonians and visitors alike.