By Arthur Ensign - Federal Writers' Project, 1935

The following account continues our series of stories written by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration of depression era Arizona. The story was based on an oral history interview of Skull Valley "old timer" Joe Farrell (as is noted later in the text) as told to the FWP workers.

Skull Valley's old-timers tell, with much gusto, of an incident, which emphasizes the inadvisability of too close questioning, particularly when the one questioned happens to be of Hibernian extraction. As the story goes, William Howard Taft, while campaigning for the Presidency, addressed the citizens of Skull Valley from the rear platform of his special train.

By A.E. Ensign, Federal Writers Project, Yavapai County c. 1935 

"Note: The following is from the pen of Sharlot M. Hall, historian, writer, and curator of Sharlot Hall Museum. Its value rests upon the fact that she is the only living writer who can tell, from first-hand knowledge, the more intimate details of the history of Arizona's first 'Gubnatorial Mansion.'"

By Ann Hibner Koblitz 

When people think of mining, typically they conjure up images of the large enterprises of Virginia City in Nevada or Jerome and Globe in Arizona where prospectors and miners could become rich almost overnight, and millions of tons of high grade ores were extracted and processed during the course of decades-long operations.

By Marian Powell 

If you don't recognize the name, Solon Borglum, consider this scene: It's July 3, 1907. A parade with cavalry, a marching band, a troop of Rough Rider Veterans, Civil War Veterans, troops from Fort Whipple, the Territorial Governor, various prominent citizens and military officers, and the fire departments of Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott proceed to the Courthouse Plaza in Prescott. Seven thousand people witness the unveiling of the statue of Prescott's own Buckey O'Neill.

Submitted by Ryan Flahive

The following poem was written by Sharlot M. Hall for Arthur Weslock Upson. The original is located in the Sharlot M. Hall Papers & Photographs Collection, MS-12 at the Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives.

By Tom Collins 

It was Christmas Eve, 1879, and at the Prescott Theatre, a rowdy mix of miners, merchants, lawyers, judges, soldiers, saloonkeepers, and refined ladies were packed shoulder-to-shoulder as conductor Fr. Heydenrich raised his baton and Fort Whipple's12th Infantry Band struck up the opening strains of the overture.

By Tom Collins

On the southeast corner of Cortez and Goodwin streets, the current site of the City of Prescott building, there once stood Howey's Hall, the cultural center of Prescott.

For some fifteen years, citizens gathered there for theatrical performances, orchestral concerts, socials and balls, lectures, magic shows, skating parties, graduation exercises, and even church services. Built in 1876 by E. I. Roberts for local blacksmith James Howey, it originally housed the Goldwater & Brothers Mercantile business on the first floor, and soon the Masonic Lodge on the second floor. It was one of the first brick buildings in town, a classically designed structure, 60 feet long and 33 feet wide, each story rising 14 feet between the joists.

By Tom Collins

Despite the numerous events, Bashford at one point seemed to have given up on the concept of a profitable theatre. After more than a year without performances of any kind, Bashford announced through the Miner that he was having the "old opera house" put in thorough repair, for use solely as a hall. "He will not rebuild the stage again. The south wall has been rebuilt and the interior of the place thoroughly renovated" (Sept. 17, 1890).

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. . . .

Fayrene Martin Hume, referred to as the "gracious keeper of the flame of Ash Fork heritage," is the 2006 recipient of the Sharlot Hall Award. Established in 1984, the award is given annually to a living Arizona woman who has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and awareness of Arizona.