PRESCOTT

Granite Creek is identified as an "intermittent stream" on U.S. Forest Service maps. Yet, former Governor John Goodwin thought its eastern bank the perfect place for the Territorial capital. There it stayed for a while, until it was moved to a new site near Fort Whipple and named for historian William Prescott on May 30, 1864.

Today, you'll find your fair share of nostalgia in Prescott's historic downtown, including John Olvera's Barber Shop (pictured here). Pop in for a crew cut or to look around — the shop's walls are covered with Western memorabilia.

Although Prescott is no longer Arizona's capital (it eventually moved to Phoenix), it is a hub of Arizona history. It's home to museums, Pueblo ruins, petroglyphs, Whiskey Row, countless miles of hiking and biking trails, the Granite Dells, Watson Lake and a few intermittent streams.

 

— Kelly Kramer

FOUNDED 1864		AREA 41.5 square miles		ELEVATION 5,400 feet		COUNTY Yavapai

Information: City of Prescott Office of Tourism, www.visit-prescott.com; John Olvera's Barber Shop, 928-445-9093

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