By Brenda Cusick
Many Prescott residents know of Kate T. Cory, the painter who lived with the Hopi from 1905-1912 in Northern Arizona and then moved to Prescott. Recently two of her paintings were found that were in danger of being lost during the razing of our old city hall buildings. On a tip from a retired city employee, this writer (a living history presenter of Kate Cory) worked with several city employees and found two of Cory’s paintings, hidden from view, high on a shelf in the former City Council Chambers.
These paintings are approximately 18” x 24” and depict historic buildings that were demolished long before Kate Cory painted them. The first painting is of Prescott’s second courthouse in the center of the Plaza, (the first structure used as a courthouse was a wooden building on North Cortez St. that was not owned by the county and was also used for other purposes). The second courthouse was constructed of locally made red brick. This poorly constructed building had to be demolished in 1916 due to deterioration. The courthouse we now know, made of more sturdy granite, replaced it in 1918. It’s speculated that Kate Cory (a well-known photographer) had pictures of the second courthouse with its bell tower, community well and wooden fences. She recreated a colorful painting from her memories, referencing her black & white photographs with oil paints.
The second painting is of Prescott Free Academy - Arizona’s first graded public school. It was built in 1876 and financed with the first usage of savings bonds known in the territory. As an interesting side note, the school had a large bell tower. The bell was purchased from Baltimore Bell Foundry and later was installed in the Washington School’s belfry and then the St. Luke's Episcopal church on South Marina Street. Kate Cory couldn’t have taken a photograph of this building, as it was replaced by today’s Washington School building in 1903 (predating Kate Cory’s travels to the Arizona Territory). The Washington School building is currently used as Prescott Unified School District's administrative offices.
Kate Cory developed her talents for oil painting and photography while attending The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City and she was a prolific artist who created more than just oil paintings. Her background in Manhattan also reveals that she was an accomplished potter and co-owner of the Volkmar & Cory studio as of 1895 in the Bronx. Kate Cory’s Pueblo-style house near Thumb Butte, which still stands today, features hand-painted tiles that highlight her diverse artistic interests. This writer has visited Kate Cory’s house and was given a tour by the current owners and noted the beautiful tiles with Hopi Kachina images embedded in the walls.
The Sharlot Hall Museum contains numerous other Kate Cory paintings - including a sensitive portrait that may be Sharlot Hall herself. While Kate Cory is most famous for her portraits of Native Americans, the museum holds over 35 other pieces of her artwork and some are currently on display during March. One such oil painting is U.S. Army Biplane Flying Across the Hills (c.1935), which may connect to Kate Cory’s experience designing camouflage equipment for Standard Aircraft of Newark. Another is titled Pioneer Mother (c. 1930) and was modeled after Ida Genung, an actual Yavapai County pioneer. How many other paintings, photos, pottery, poems and other works exist out there and what works of Kate Cory will be found next?
Join us on March 10 at 5:00 pm at Sharlot Hall Museum’s Education Center Auditorium, for Twilight Tales – “Kate Cory: From Manhattan to the Mesas” presented by Brenda Cusick. Visit https://sharlothallmuseum.org/event-calendar/ for details.
“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.