Volume 16, Number 22 Thursday, June 8, 2000 Prescott—Everybody’s Home Town by Paula McHugh d. note: This is the final installment in a series of articles about Paula’s spring journey to Arizona. Since original plans to spend a week- end at a cabin on top of Mingus Mountain were dampened by four feet of snow, a visit to Prescott was in order. There are two ways to get to Prescott from Cottonwood. One can drive the interstate and take a turnoff, or, for a much more interesting drive, scale the curvy, scenic mountain road out of Jerome through Mingus Mountain. We took the high road, I and my friend Maya, who did driving duty so I could enjoy the awe-inspiring views. While balmy temperatures prevailed in the valley, kids donned snowsuits to rollick in the white stuff atop Mingus Mountain. Balmy Below, Cold on Top At a resting spot at 7,000 feet above sea level, snowy lit- tle hills beckoned children with sleds. In the valley below, the temps were warming to the low 70’s, and here on the mountain kids donned their snowsuits to frolic and play in the rare white stuff. We stayed and watched awhile, dodged a few slushy snowballs, and drove on. Less than fifteen minutes later, we had descended on the other side of the mountain and found ourselves on the wide-open buff-colored range. And so it was, peering at tall firs one minute, encountering dry tumbleweeds a few minutes later. Antelope grazing near the road only added to the authenticity of romancing the west. I am not certain why Prescott is called “everybody’s home town.” Maybe because the downtown area appears strangely similar to any town in the Midwest, complete with “real” trees and streets lined with Victorian homes. Prescott Continued on Page 2 Page 2 June 8, 2000 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/Beacher/ Published and Printed by THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $26 6 months $14 3 months $8 1 month $3 Prescott Continued from Page 1 But I am getting ahead of myself. After passing Prescott Valley where much new home construction is happening, we traversed an area known as the boul- ders—soft, round juttings of beige rocks that were fas- cinating to observe. With a little imagination we could see dozens of faces on them. A Soulful Discovery Just for the heck of it, we veered off onto a dirt road. The spirits of the rocks must have been with us, because we discovered what appeared to be an aban- doned outdoor church just up the rutted dirt road. We just had to get out and explore. More boulders outside of Prescott to contemplate. We found that the boulders just off route 89 were easy to climb. We came upon a semicircular outdoor seating area, unkempt with broken glass and weeds and below us a carved rock pulpit. Inside a small cave, someone had printed, in whitewash calligraphy, scrip- ture from the Bible. As our eyes perused the area, we saw three crosses jutting out from the top of a boul- der. This, we decided, was the perfect setting for the passion play, and we wouldn’t have been surprised that this little area was used for just such a production. Unlike the Church of the Holy Cross in Sedona, it was obvious that few tourists had found this particular spot. Finding an abandoned outdoor church off a dirt road was It was a magical discovery, despite the broken glass. a magical discovery. Obviously abandoned, the outdoor church grounds included a cave Taken from a semicircular stone sitting area, this photo with whitewashed scripture written inside. shows where worshippers looked down onto the pulpit. June 8, 2000 Page 3 Open ‘til 7 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel 1/2 PRICE Not on any tourist map, this wonderful scene was found by following an unmarked back road. SALE After lingering awhile, we headed to downtown Prescott, extremely crowded at noon on this partic- ular Saturday. Prescott was the first territorial cap- MIX & MATCH ital of Arizona and is the seat of Yavapai County. The courthouse sits proudly in the middle of the Coordinates town square, surrounded by mostly souvenir shops and its famous Whiskey Row. We learned that in 1900, a and raging fire burned most of the old buildings sur- rounding the courthouse. Prescott carries the romance Dresses of a rootin’ tootin’ cowboy town, now all grown up and catering to the many tourists and retirees who fall in Buy One love with its homey atmosphere. at the Regular Price, Get 2nd at 1/2 Price (of equal or lesser value) The Yavapai County Courthouse occupies the center of the business TENT SALE district. Prescott was the first territorial capital of Arizona and attracted gold miners in the 1860’s. 75-80% off At a somewhat higher elevation than Cottonwood, Prescott’s temperatures are usually cooler. On this Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show Saturday, temps soared into the 70’s, so we figured THURSDAY, JUNE 8 - ROSKOE’S, LA PORTE that back in Cottonwood, people were basking in 80- degree sunshine. When one visits this part of Arizona, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 - HANNAH’S, NEW BUFFALO it’s wise to pack a coat or jacket and always dress in 409 Alexander Street LaPorte, IN 326-8602 layers, which can be shed when necessary. On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Turn Right on Alexander Monday - Friday 9:30 to 7 Saturday 9:30 to 5 Prescott Continued on Page 4 Page 4 June 8, 2000 Prescott Continued from Page 3 Whiskey Row and the Palace Bar The aroma of burgers wafting from somewhere led us on a hunt down Whiskey Row to find them. Unusual for Maya, who is a vegetarian, but this day she succumbed to her olfactory senses and opted to chase the tantalizing end of the beef rainbow. We chose to turn in to the Palace Bar, rich with his- tory and one of the many Prescott establishments on the National Register of Historic Places. Whiskey Row—at one time the wildest part of town, housing saloons, gambling halls, and hotels. The massive, original Brunswick Bar at the Palace was saved from a devastating fire by patrons who carried it across the street. Now I digress a moment to reveal that when I was six or seven, I wanted to be a cowgirl when I grew up. Yes, I was mesmerized by all the cowboy movies on t.v. And the Palace Bar fulfilled the fantasy of walking through those marvelous swinging doors into a high tin-stamped ceilinged saloon. We almost expected a rag- ing gunslinger to come charging through, but the cavernous bar and dining room beyond was merely filled with other gawkers like our- selves. We opted to dine near a set of stairs that obviously once led to rooms under the super- vision of a gal similar to Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. The mas- sive mahogany back- bar just inside the swinging doors fit the western bar image per- fectly. Miss Kitty may be missing, but one can imagine where What would the oldest saloon in Arizona be without these stairs near the rear of the Palace Bar once led. those famous swinging doors? June 8, 2000 Page 5 On the grounds of Courthouse Square sits a memorial plaque for Prescott’s “Community Dog.” Those are Maya’s dog Gaia’s paws posing in respect for her fellow canine. Our Palace Bar waitress, Heidi, filled us in its the historical background. Behind her, a large movie poster from the Steve McQueen western, Junior Bonner, filmed right there. Our waitress Heidi provided some history of the place for us. The Palace Bar first opened its doors in the autumn of 1877. Unlike many of the other saloons along Whiskey Row, the Palace clientele used it for more than a watering hole. They came to check work notices, it served as a local election central, and mineral claims were bought and sold over the bar. The Palace is the oldest frontier bar in Arizona and also the best known in the state. Bar Patrons to the Rescue In the summer of 1900, this great bar was destroyed in the Whiskey Row fire, but patrons managed to carry the massive Brunswick Bar across the street to the Courthouse Square, so it was spared. One year later, the Palace Hotel and Bar resumed operations, complete with a Chinese restaurant and barbershop in the back of the building. The western movie Junior Bonner, starring the late Steve McQueen, was filmed in part at the Palace Bar. A huge movie One of several bronze sculptures in Courthouse mural sits in a corner of Square. This particular one is dedicated to the dining room to inform the area’s ranchers. visitors of its Hollywood connection. As a former frontier town, prospectors flocked to the area dur- ing the Civil War after gold was discovered in the nearby hills. Although we did not visit the place, the Sharlot Hall Museum just west of the courthouse contains the 1864 Governor’s Mansion built of logs.