By Dr. Ted Finkelston

(Recently, one of the most active volunteers at the Sharlot Hall Museum, Art Park, passed away. Art was the foremost expert on the Transportation Building. In tribute to his fine work over the years at the Museum we are publishing this two-part article by Ted Finkelston.  The second part is titled, "Modoc Stage at Museum Saw Loss of Life, but the Money awas Saved.")

The campus of the Sharlot Hall Museum contains some of the most interesting early architectural styles found in Central Arizona. A visitor to the museum can visit the log-hewed Governor's Mansion, a frontier schoolhouse, an early trading post, and a representative ranch house. Also on the grounds is an elaborate Victorian home and a modest frame home that was once the residence of the John C. Fremont family. 

Although sometimes overlooked by visitors to the museum one other example of Arizona architecture exists on the campus. This is the Transportation Building. The building is a fine example of mid-twentieth century small town industrial architecture and currently houses the museum's transportation exhibits. It has a colorful and utilitarian place in the history of Prescott. 

The present building stands on property that was vacant land until 1895. From then until 1936 various houses were built, torn down, or renovated on the site that became 108 McCormick Street. Among the early tenants were a laundress, then a telegrapher and his family, and finally a repairman and his family. The house became vacant in 1931, and fell into disrepair. In 1936, it was torn down to make way for a new structure. 

The present building, with its church-like facade, was constructed on the site in 1937 to house the Jacob Mechanical Service. It was constructed of poured concrete. The rough indentions of the forms can still be seen on the twelve-inch thick exterior walls. Its roof was constructed with wood trusses covered with corrugated iron. Since building permits were nonexistent at the time, it is not known who designed and built the building. 

Bounded on the east by McCormick Street the building measured 59 x 46 feet. The thickness of the walls supporting the roof meant there was no need for any interior posts so the interior space of approximately 2600 square feet could be used in a variety of ways. The exterior and interior walls were left the color of the original concrete pour, and the ceiling was made of sheets of stamped metal squares. This was a very utilitarian building. 

The trade access to the building was from McCormick Street, although there was office access to the back of the building. The McCormick access consisted of two large sliding doors that permitted automobiles and even small trucks to enter. Frank Jacob configured the interior of the building into a number of bays to repair cars and trucks, and rented out part of the new building to Leslie Edson who owned the Edson Electric Service. While Jacob repaired mechanical problems in his part of the building, Edson dealt with whatever electrical problems were brought in. As advertisement they had two large signs "JACOB'S MECHANICAL SERVICE" and "EDSON'S ELECTRICAL SERVICE" painted on the roof which were very visible from Gurley Street. 

From 1937 on, the building became a fixture in the automotive life of Prescott. Frank Jacob occupied the building until 1941, when it was bought by Amos Kindt, the local distributor for Signal Oil Company. Mr. Kindt had a successful service station on the corner of Gurley and McCormick and he used the newly acquired building as a repair garage for automobiles. Milligan Brothers Motor Company bought the building in 1948. 

Walter and Eugene Milligan used the building for auto repairs, steam cleaning of engines, new tires and batteries, front-end alignments, and auto parts. In 1960, Milligan Bros. also advertised themselves as a Nash automobile "authorized sales and service dealer." They also painted over the old signs of the roof and added their own sign "MILLIGAN BROS." in large red letters to identify their business. They also painted "Milligan Bros." in large red letters on the roof. In 1969, Milligan Bros. sold out and the building became the 4 Seasons Rental and Sales Company. Frank Schlener leased the building where he rented and sold such items as air compressors, chain saws, power hand tools, and pumps. 

About this same time the Prescott Historical Society Board of Trustees concluded that the museum needed more room to grow and house its expanding collections, so in 1970 the Society petitioned the Arizona Legislature for funds to expand the Sharlot Hall Museum. In early 1971, after a successful lobbying effort by the Society and various statewide friends of the museum, the Legislature agreed to budget the money for the expansion. The Legislature appropriated $150,000 for the purchase of the land and buildings between Capitol and McCormick Streets. At that time County Records state that 108 McCormick was owned by Clark Cline of Prescott and Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Homestead formerly of Prescott. With the Legislature's approval the entire property between 
McCormick and Capitol was purchased by the Arizona State Parks Board in mid 1971. 

In turn, the Parks Board sold the property to the Prescott Historical Society for the sum of $10.00 on August 30, 1971. As part of the agreement the 4 Seasons Rental and Sales Company, housed in what had by then become known as the "Milligan" building, would pay rent to the Historical Society until the museum was ready to move into its new quarters. 

In June 1973 the Board made plans to renovate the Milligan building for the Museum's transportation exhibits. They budgeted $10,600.00 for the work. A committee of the Board also suggested that the McCormick side of the building be remodeled to look like a Wells Fargo Station and the campus side be renovated as an old firehouse with a cupola on the roof for a fire bell. Presumably the bell would be rung for special events at the museum. The 4 Seasons tenants were notified of the plan and were informed that they had to vacate the building. Finally, in December 1973 the building stood empty. 

Next week, the insides of the Transportation building. 

(Ted Finkelston is a volunteer at the Sharlot Hall Museum) 



Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(bub8241pa). Reuse only by permission.
Looking across the southeast corner of Gurley and McCormick in the mid 1940s, one can see Jacob and Edson's automotive shop with the roof painted to advertise to cars going by on Gurley Street. Today this building houses early cars, wagons, and bicycles for the Sharlot Hall Museum.