Historical Markers in
Yavapai County, Arizona

"0" Mile Post General Crook Trail A Canyon Retreat: Mayhew Lodge Arizona Pioneers' Home Ash Fork Ash Fork Maintenance Camp #1 Ash Fork, Arizona / The Coming of Route “66” Bagdad Copper Mine Bartlett Hotel Bashford Block Bashford Burmister Company Beale Wagon Road Beaver Head Stage Station Bicentennial Tree Camp Verde Chaves Historic Trail Citizens Cemetery City Jail and Firehouse City Park and Ballfield Clark Memorial Clubhouse Cleator, Arizona Congress, Arizona Cook's Cedar Glade Cemetery Cowboys Del Rio Springs Delgadillo's Snow Cap Early Tourism Early Uptown Elvis Plays Sedona First Assembly of God First Settlers Flagpole & Administration Building Fort Verde State Historic Park Grace M. Sparkes Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs, Arizona Granite Creek Grasshopper Flat Hassayampa Inn Head Hotel Heart of Sedona Historic Audrey Shaft Headframe Historic Bell Trail Historic Site of Orchard Ranch Hotel Connor Hotel St. Michael Hotel Vendome Husband's Alley In Memory of Charles Churchill Small J. I. Gardner Store Jennie's Place Jerome Blast Furnace Jerome Town Hall Jerome's Famous Sliding Jail Jerome, Arizona Jessie "Bear" Howard John Towhey John Wayne & His Sedona Connection Kirkland Bar and Steakhouse Knights of Pythias Building Laura Williams Memorial Park Lifeline / Prehistoric Produce Lincoln School Little Horse Park/Chapel of the Holy Cross Macaw Pen Stone? Main Street Primary School Malvina Lode Claim Mine Museum/Fashion Saloon Mining in Arizona Montezuma Street Movie Productions New State Motor Building Nob Hill Officers’ Row Orchards Our Creeks are Alive! Paul and Jerry's Saloon Pauline Weaver Pecan Lane Rural Historic Landscape Peeples Valley Pioneer Cemetery Pioneer Trail and Monument Plaza Bandstand Prescott Prescott High School and the Yavapai Club Prescott National Bank Prescott National Guard Armory Prescott Public Library Prescott's Beginnings: The First Mining District in Yavapai County Reese and Amster Garage Roads Rocket Shovel and Dragline Ruffner Plaza Stables Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Rectory Santa Fe Depot Sedona Fire & Police Departments Sedona Heritage Museum Sedona Historical Society Sedona Schnebly Simmons, Arizona Site of Curtis Hall/ Site of Goldwater Brothers Mercantile Site of Howey's Hall Site of Married Officers' Quarters Site of Married Officers’ Quarters Site of Territorial Courthouse Site of the O'Neill/Munds House Solon Hannibal Borglum America's First Cowboy Sculptor Statehood Tree / Centennial Witness Tree Sullivan Apartments Surgeon’s Quarters The Arizona Republic The Artist of Sedona The Audrey Shaft and UVX Operations The Bank of Arizona and the Electric Buildings The Carnegie Library The Childs-Irving Project - Construction Challenges The Childs-Irving Project-Hydroelectric Project The Community The Congressional Medal of Honor - Apache Campaign 1872 - 1873 The Day Octagon The Ehle Family and the Montezuma Hotel The Fire of 1900 The First School The Gibson Market The Historic Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza Fountain The Irving Turbine and Generator The Mulvenon Building The Neighborhood / Mysterious Departures The Palace Saloon The People Next Door The Saloon The Sunset Point Rest Area The Svob Family The Way Up / Construction Sequence United Verde Copper Company Smelter Van Deren Cabin VFW Bucky O'Neill Post No. 541 Wales Arnold Washington School Welcome to Prescott Welcome to The Castle Whiskey Row Whitten Printers Wilson Mtn. Trail “The Famous Esclante Hotel”
The Apache Trail was built by prison labor: The Apache Trail is a scenic drive through the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. The road was built in the early 1900s using prison labor from the nearby Yuma Territorial Prison.
Arizona random facts
Yavapai County, located in the central part of Arizona, has a rich and varied history that dates back thousands of years. The region was originally inhabited by Native American tribes such as the Yavapai and Apache. These tribes lived off the land, hunting, gathering, and cultivating crops, leaving behind a legacy of ancient ruins and rock art.

In the mid-1800s, European settlers began to arrive in the area, attracted by the rich deposits of gold and other minerals. This led to the founding of several mining towns, such as Prescott, which became the county seat in 1864. The discovery of gold in the nearby Bradshaw Mountains also led to a surge in population and economic growth. Yavapai County quickly became one of the major mining districts in the Arizona Territory.

However, the mining boom was accompanied by conflicts with the Native American tribes who resisted the encroachment on their lands. The Apache Wars, which lasted from the 1860s to the 1880s, saw intense fighting between the tribes and the US military. Eventually, the tribes were either forcibly relocated or placed on reservations, marking a turning point in the region's history.

In the 20th century, Yavapai County continued to develop and diversify its economy. Agriculture, ranching, and tourism played an increasingly vital role in the county's growth. Today, Yavapai County is known for its beautiful natural landscapes, including parts of the Prescott National Forest and the Verde River. It remains an important hub for outdoor activities, cultural events, and historical tourism, showcasing its diverse heritage and unique blend of Native American and Western influences.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Yavapai County, Arizona.

  • 1864 - Yavapai County is created by the Arizona Territorial Legislature.
  • 1877 - The county seat is moved from Prescott to Ironton, but later returned to Prescott in 1879.
  • 1883 - Jerome is founded as a mining camp, becoming one of the largest copper mines in Arizona.
  • 1891 - Congress establishes the Prescott National Forest, protecting the region's natural resources.
  • 1895 - The Yavapai County Courthouse is built in Prescott, serving as a symbol of local government.
  • 1915 - The Arizona Pioneers' Home is opened in Prescott, providing care for elderly pioneers.
  • 1942 - The Poston War Relocation Center is established during World War II for Japanese Americans.
  • 1975 - Yavapai College is founded, becoming an important educational institution in the county.
  • 1991 - The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe is formally recognized by the United States government.
  • 2002 - The Prescott National Forest experiences the Indian Fire, one of the largest wildfires in Arizona's history.