Downtown Prescott’s Historical Whiskey Row & Whiskey Row Alley
This virtual tour is satisfactory but not what I had originally imagined as an end result. So it’s temporary until I can get downtown at a better time of day so as not to have super bright spots. I also plan to shoot more images so you can see more of the businesses that live on Whiskey Row.
Founded in 1864, Prescott was the Territorial Capital of Arizona. Phoenix later became the Capital city in 1889.
Some history about the Row: There were several fires in the late 1800’s along the row and on July 14, 1900 the largest fire decimated 4.5 blocks of downtown Prescott. Basically burning the Row to the ground. It was rebuilt quickly after that using brick and stone, much of which still stands today. Then again on May 8, 2012 a fire destroyed 4 businesses, the Bird Cage Saloon, Prescott Food Store, The Grand Highland Hotel, and a BBQ restaurant(where the fire originated). You’ll notice the gated courtyard area in the middle of the Row; that’s where the buildings stood. It was originally supposed to be used as a shortcut from the alley to the row. Unfortunately the town decided it is not for public use but rather reserved for events and rented out for special occasions.
Fun Fact about Whiskey Row: The Palace, which opened in 1877, served the likes of the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday. As a matter of fact, Virgil Earp (Wyatt Earp’s brother) not only lived in Prescott but owned a saw mill near Thumb Butte and he was also the town Constable.
Downtown Prescott, Whiskey Row, and the surrounding streets are rich with history. Many business owners have a story or two to tell about their location.
The Whiskey Row Alley: What used to be an alley that was used as a backdoor/shortcut by downtown employees and locals has been going through some recent revitalization and restoration. Aside from just cleaning it up, the town reduced the number of dumpsters, added a Prescott mural, and are working on atmospheric lighting for walking at night.
Leave a Reply