By Worcester P. Bong
In September 1864, when the First Legislature of the new Arizona Territory convened in Prescott, the legislators created Yavapai County, as well as Mohave, Pima and Yuma. These counties were named after prominent Native American tribes in the region. Yavapai (pronounced Yav-uh-pie) was named for a group of Upland Yuman-speaking people. The name derives from Enyaeva meaning “sun” and Pai meaning “people” or “The Sun People”.
At the time, Yavapai County covered over 65,000 square miles, the largest county ever created in the U.S. The town of Prescott was designated its county seat. The other Arizona county seats at that time were Mohave City in Mohave County, Tucson in Pima County and La Paz in Yuma County. The formation and rights of these counties were published in the November 23, 1864 issue of the Arizona Miner.
As the population of the Arizona Territory grew, additional counties were created. Yavapai County was nicknamed “Mother of Counties,” as the following counties were carved out of it: Maricopa on February 14, 1871; Apache on February 24, 1879; part of Gila in 1881; Coconino on February 19, 1891; and Navajo on March 21, 1895. Interestingly, in the February 20, 1913 issue of the Prescott Journal-Miner, an article noted that rumors were circulating about dividing Yavapai County to create Clark County, with Jerome as its county seat. An article titled “No Intention to create a County” was published the following day, confirming this idea was just a rumor.
The original seal for Yavapai County was adopted from the 1964 Prescott Centennial Celebration logo. In a contest sponsored by the Prescott Centennial Commission, Mr. Sam Samalik was the centennial logo design winner from 43 entries. At the conclusion of the centennial celebration, Yavapai County officials requested permission from the Prescott City Council to use the logo for the county seal. Upon receiving approval, the logo was modified to add the words “Yavapai County, Arizona” around the outer circle and “1865,” the year that the Yavapai County Council first convened.
The current Yavapai County seal was re-designed in 1974 by local resident, Kit Carson – no relation to the famous Kit Carson. The seal depicts the Rough Rider statue, Thumb Butte, a ponderosa pine tree and the former Governor’s Mansion. Each of these elements represents a historical feature in the county’s history. Arizona volunteers nicknamed the “Rough Riders” departed from Prescott to fight in the 1898 Spanish-American War. Thumb Butte is a prominent geological feature west of Prescott, which served as a landmark for miners and government officials. The pine tree represents the world’s largest stand of ponderosa pine trees, located in north-central Arizona. Lastly, the Governor’s Mansion, built in the summer of 1864 in Prescott, was the home and office for the first two territorial governors. It’s the oldest building of the Arizona Territory still standing on its original location.
Today, Yavapai County encompasses around 8,125 square miles. In fact, its land area is larger than each of these six U.S. states - Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Other interesting facts about Yavapai County include oil drilling in Chino Valley, an onyx mine in Mayer, the first public road in the state (Fort Whipple to Fort McDowell) and the oldest summer camp in Arizona (Iron Springs). Much of this information can be found in a historical publication titled “Yavapai, a Monthly Magazine.” The magazine’s first issue was March 15, 1914. In February 1924, the name changed to “The Yavapai Magazine.” Owned and published by the Yavapai Chamber of Commerce, the magazine ended publication in 1932.
Even though Yavapai County is currently smaller in area, it still retains the grandeur of its varied history and scenic beauty for visitors to see.
“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.