By Jody Drake

Two years ago, I was doing research for a play I was writing for the Riordan State Historic Park in Flagstaff. During that research, I discovered that the Riordan Mansion was a famous example of an Arts and Crafts home. Now, at best, I had a vague understanding of Arts and Crafts architecture. Since Blue Rose Theater is producing the play, "A Table in the Forest", I thought it would be a fine time to share this tidbit of interesting side research.

By Ryan Flahive

On the 23rd of February, the Sharlot Hall Museum Archives opened a new photographic exhibit. This eclectic group of historic images is focused around the subject of early elementary schools of Prescott, and is entitled, "Good Morning Mr. Rogers: Early Prescott Schools." You might ask yourself, who is this Rogers fellow, and why is he, and not the other great pioneer teachers of Prescott, chosen for the title? In the following historical article, I would like to explain who Samuel Curtis Rogers was, and why the exhibit bears his name.

By Marjory J. Sente

The year was 1932. Prescott had a population of slightly more than 5500 (one of six cities in the state of Arizona with a population of 5 to 10 thousand people). The United States was in the depths of the Great Depression, but nothing was going to keep its citizenry from celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington (February 22, 1732), the nation's first president and the Father of Our Country. In fact, nearly 4.8 million programs were presented through out the country during the Washington Bicentennial year.

By Parker Anderson

Someone recently asked me what Prescott's historic Elks Opera House did to mark Statehood Day on February 14, 1912, when Arizona was officially admitted to the Union as the 48th state in America. 

As remarkable as it may seem today, there is no record of the Elks doing anything significant that day. In 1912, the Elks operated as a vaudeville house, hosting small-time traveling vaudeville acts and showing short movies - all movies were shorts at this time. On February 14, 1912, a vaudeville act called. . . .

By Al Bates

Love stories are supposed to be happy endings. This one from Arizona's territorial days did not.

This story begins like a romantic novel of the old West - think of Zane Gray at his most florid. First, Apache traders carry away an innocent Hispanic child. Then, after two years of privation as a captive she runs away to a militia camp and finds a home in a small mining town. Soon after this she becomes the wife of one of the most powerful men of the new territory.

By Al Bates

Now we come to the controversial part - Woolsey's role in what has various been called the "Battle at Bloody Tanks" or the "Pinole Treaty Massacre." There aren't any photos, but we do have three first-hand reports recorded soon after the event. The rest of this presentation comes from these accounts.

By Al Bates

Who was King S. Woolsey?  He was at times a mule driver, a farmer, a miner and military guide.  He was also a colonel of militia, road builder, miller, merchant, legislator, and oh yes, a famed Indian fighter.

By Katherine J. (Gernand) Nicolay

I have never read anything about tuberculosis (TB) or tubercular patients in Prescott, even though I grew up here. I feel drawn to tell you how remarkable and brave these people were.  My father, Perry Gernand, developed full-blown TB as a result of having flu and pneumonia in France during World War I. In 1922 I was a year old, when my father had a bad hemorrhage while threshing grain at harvest time on our Illinois farm. In less than two years, he was advised to go to Prescott, Arizona to Whipple Barracks for care. My mother and I followed in a few months. He received excellent care at Whipple, and this is where my story of influence begins.

By Parker Anderson

Local fans of the Elks Opera House are aware that the star of the very first show in that theater was Florence Roberts.  Many have wondered, however, exactly who Florence Roberts was.  Her name is largely forgotten today, but in 1905, when she came to Prescott and the Elks, she was one of the most prominent professional touring actresses in the nation.

By Tom Collins

A horse! A horse!

My kingdom for a horse!

When those words rang out from the stage of Patton’s Opera House on March 10, 1896, Prescottonians knew that the villainous King Richard III was about to meet his doom on the battlefield. They also knew that they were probably witnessing one of the farewell performances of America’s greatest living tragedian Thomas W. Keene. It was a truly momentous occasion.