Prescott

 Prescott has a lot going for it. A great summer climate for desert dwellers, many outdoor recreation options and the Yavapai County courthouse square that is the city's focal point.

Visitors can count on a variety of festivals and music on the square virtually every summer weekend. Prescott's temperatures are typically at least 20 degrees cooler than the Phoenix area.

There is a there there in Prescott, unlike many other Arizona towns, such as nearby Prescott Valley, that are saddled with sprawling strip-commercial development stretching for miles.

Established in 1864, Prescott was the Territorial capital and has a rich history full of tales of brawling miners and cowboys in raucous saloons.

Arizona historian Marshall Trimble wrote that in 1900 Montezuma Street -- known as Whiskey Row -- had 47 saloons. The frontier town lost 25 of those saloons and five hotels when the block went up in flames in July 1900.

The story goes that Palace Saloon patrons rescued the Brunswick back bar and its booze,  carried it all across the street to the courthouse square where they resumed drinking while firefighters battled the blaze.

The Palace remains a mainstay of Whiskey Row and its been a movie set for several films, including Junior Bonner (1972) with Steve McQueen, Wanda Nevada (1979) with Peter Fonda and Brooke Shields, and Billy Jack (1971) with Tom Laughlin.
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Prescott's Montezuma Street has other worthy drinking establishments including Matt's Saloon, a cowboy bar, Jersey Lil's, and a rebuilt Bird Cage Saloon. The Bird Cage back bar was also rescued and refurbished from a 2012 fire that destroyed two buildings on the Row.

Merchant William Cole Ashford lived with his family in this 1877 Victorian home that was later moved to the Sharlot Hall Museum site.

Prescott hosts Frontier Days in July with what it claims is the World's Oldest Rodeo. 

One of the town's notable attractions is the Sharlot Hall Museum that includes Arizona's original Governor's Mansion, and other historic cabins and homes. 

Founded: 1864
Elevation: 5,410
Population: 40,520.

The Palace was rebuilt in 1901 after a fire swept through Whiskey Row. Patrons rescued the back bar by hauling it across the street.

Apache Lodge, built in 1946, typifies the type of motor courts common in the United States after World War II.

A statue honoring Spanish-American War hero William "Buckey" O'Neill on the Yavapai County courthouse square.

Motor Lodge on Montezuma Street started as summer cabins in 1910 and is now a boutique motor court with 13 rooms.

John Fremont, fifth territorial governor, lived here with his family 1877-81.

Hassyampa Inn, built in 1927, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Arizona's Governor's Mansion housed John Goodwin, the first territorial governor, on this site in 1864.