Arizona's Downtowns

Downtown Prescott: From Territorial Capital to Community Gathering Place

A birds-eye view of Downtown Prescott.  Photo from the City of Prescott

A birds-eye view of Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott

In the center of Prescott’s picturesque downtown area is the historic tree-lined Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza, around which the town was designed and built.  Known as the “jewel” of downtown Prescott, the plaza is a majestic, man-made urban forest in the heart of a historic commercial district. For more than 140 years it has served as a gathering place for celebrations, commemorations, campaign kick-offs, concerts, movies, and festivals.

Yavapai County Courthouse in Downtown Prescott.  Photo from the City of Prescott.

Yavapai County Courthouse in Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott.

Adjoining the courthouse plaza are fine establishments including a large assortment of locally owned and operated bars, breweries, coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and museums.  The main street in town, Montezuma Street, includes a one block historic area known as “Whiskey Row,” the town’s center of recreation during the early days of the wild west, when cowboys, miners, gamblers and brawlers reigned over the cluster of rustic saloons and put the “wild” in Wild West.

The Wild West will always be part of Downtown Prescott.  Photo from the City of Prescott

The Wild West will always be part of Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott

The City of Prescott's famous Whiskey Row.  Photo from the City of Prescott

The City of Prescott’s famous Whiskey Row. Photo from the City of Prescott