By Andrew Somerville
As early as 1881, Arizona had an Immigration Commission tasked with encouraging people from across the country to settle in the territory. This task was later the responsibility of individual counties. In 1914 the Yavapai Chamber of Commerce acquired funds to publish a magazine for “the purpose of advertising,” and Yavapai Magazine was born. Each magazine issue contained statements like one in the March 1914 publication proclaiming, “Published… in the interests of Northern Arizona and the Yavapai County Chamber of Commerce.”
Attracting potential rodeo contestants to the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo was one of the magazine’s first promotional assignments. According to the March 11, 1914, issue of the Weekly Journal Miner, Yavapai Magazine was distributed to “all parts of Arizona where riders can be interested and to contestants who took part in the great 1913 shows at Pendleton, Winnipeg, Cheyenne, Dewey, Muskogee, Los Angeles and Calgary.”
The Wichita Kansas publication, The Price Current from July 8th, 1916, announced that “No other publication contains so much information of the natural resources and of the native attractions of the scenery of northern Arizona, in a single number as Yavapai.” Articles from early issues, such as May 1914’s “Mines and Prospects” and August 1914’s “How the Verde Valley Has Made Hundreds Prosperous” boast of Yavapai County’s natural resources. Titles in the magazine promoting tourism included the March 1914 article “Drives and Boulevards (—) Some of the Scenic Features that Make the Good Roads of Yavapai a Delight" or September 1916’s “Montezuma’s Castle.”
Aaron H. Powers was the first editor and publisher credited in Yavapai Magazine in 1914. According to his obituary, he was a Prescott attorney who was “active in political affairs.” The secretary of the Prescott Businessman’s Association, he assisted in creating the Winslow Business Men’s association and proposed similar organizations for Holbrook, St. Johns, Flagstaff and Kingman. A proponent of the State Business Men’s Association of Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix, he apparently wanted Arizona businesses to have greater influence on the Arizona State Legislature.
Alfred B. Carr was the city editor of the Prescott Courier from 1920 to 1921 and edited and published Yavapai Magazine from 1921 to 1922. He became an attorney and served in the House of Representatives of the Arizona State Legislature from 1929 to 1931. Grace Sparkes became secretary of the Yavapai Chamber of Commerce in 1913. Her duties included writing to people across the country and answering their questions about Yavapai County. She was credited as Yavapai Magazine’s editor from 1924 until 1932. An announcement of her information service ran in the magazine during this period. A known promoter of everything Yavapai County, she didn't just edit and write about topics in the publication, she lived them. The magazine regularly printed the “News of the Mines.” Her father had been a miner, and she managed his mine after she retired. Yavapai Magazine advocated for Yavapai County’s excellent climate and natural beauty, and Grace Sparkes led efforts to build the Hassayampa Hotel to boost travel and tourism. She produced the Prescott Frontier Days rodeo for 30 years and helped write its “Prescott Rules.” Yavapai Magazine heavily promoted rodeo events.
Published from 1914 to 1932, Yavapai Magazine enthusiastically boosted the wonders of Yavapai County all over the country and invited people to come here. For us, it recounts the actions of businessmen, ranchers, miners, farmers and more as they began to build Yavapai County into what it is today. J.S. Acker, the magazine’s first subscriber, wrote in the April 1914 issue, that he considered it “one of the most important steps in the progress of Yavapai County.”
Yavapai Magazine is now digitized. Attend our professional panel discussion “History for All: Expanding Access through Digitization” October 11, 10am-12pm at the Education Center Auditorium.
“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.