By Andrew Somerville, and Bailey Cacciatore
Human and canine companionship dates back thousands of years. In North America, a recent University of Arizona study suggests that the first human and canine companionship began forming 12,000 years ago, based on archaeological evidence found in Alaska. For generations human and canid relationships were more utilitarian, as canids performed a variety of tasks for people, which can still be true today.
In Arizona archaeological evidence shows the first possible human and canid connections along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson dating between 1200 to 800 BCE. These early relationships between dogs and Indigenous Peoples in Arizona were potentially both spiritual and pragmatic compared to modern counterparts today. Dogs were revered in many Native American cultures and were seen as guides to the spirit world.
As westward expansion grew in the United States during the 19th century, pioneers brought not only their families and essential belongings, but also their dogs and livestock. When Sharlot Hall and her family moved from Kansas to Arizona, her father brought some of their livestock with them to earn some income as they settled in the territory. During Sharlot’s time in Arizona she looked after various pets, including a dog named Watch and two cats, one named Zeb and another named Major Brown.
During Arizona’s territorial days, dogs were not the only companion for people. Memorialized by a statue on Prescott’s Courthouse Plaza, the first United States Volunteer Cavalry (nicknamed the Rough Riders) was raised in 1898 to fight in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. A mountain lion named Josephine was given as a regiment mascot upon their departure. Trooper George Allan, Josephine’s caretaker, was apparently the only person who she would allow to pet her. After the war and George’s passing, the mountain lion went missing while being shipped through Chicago en route back to Arizona. Pinkerton detectives found her and sent her back to Prescott, where, after her death, she was displayed in the Palace Bar.
During the mid-twentieth century, Mike the Dog became Prescott’s community companion. There are at least two accounts of how, in the late 1940s, Mike arrived in Prescott. A December 14, 1960 Prescott Evening Courier article states he was left behind in the Hotel St. Michael by a guest and, despite various people attempting to adopt him, he always found his way back to that establishment. Another story from a 1996 Daily Courier claims he arrived as a pup on a Santa Fe train with injured or bleeding feet. He spent nights sleeping in the Hotel St. Michael on a corner of the lobby stairs. During the day, he greeted tourists and locals alike along Whiskey Row. He reportedly protected a Prescott resident from threatening wild dogs that were frequenting the plaza. The 1996 Daily Courier article asserts he came “running across the plaza snarling and barking. He gave a few well-placed bites to the ear of the pack’s leader and chased the rest of the dogs away.” This is impressive for a dog the same article describes as being “spaniel-like --- medium size with black and white medium length hair” with “small eyes and floppy ears.” After Mike the Dog passed away in 1960, funds were raised for a small memorial plaque to be placed at the Courthouse Plaza which can still be seen today.
Canines still form impactful relationships with their human companions to this day. Although dogs still perform essential tasks, their emotional connection is what continues to bring humans and canines together. You can learn more about the history of pets in Arizona at Sharlot Hall Museum’s lecture presentation on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 2:00pm in partnership with the Yavapai Humane Society “The History of Man’s Best Friend.” For more information see https://sharlothallmuseum.org/event/the-history-of-mans-best-friend/
“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.