Prescott Valley, Arizona

Prescott Valley, Arizona
—  Town  —
Historic Prescott Valley Motel, built about 1966
Seal
Location in Yavapai County the state of Arizona
Coordinates: 34°36′8″N 112°19′19″W / 34.60222°N 112.32194°W / 34.60222; -112.32194Coordinates: 34°36′8″N 112°19′19″W / 34.60222°N 112.32194°W / 34.60222; -112.32194
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Yavapai
Incorporated (town)	1978
Government
– Mayor	Harvey C. Skoog
Area
– Town	38.7 sq mi (100.1 km2)
– Land	38.7 sq mi (100.1 km2)
– Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	5,026 ft (1,532 m)
Population (2010)[1]
– Town	38,822
– Density	1,004.4/sq mi (387.8/km2)
– Metro	103,260 (Tri-City Area), 212,635 (Yavapai County Total)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	86312, 86314
Area code(s)	928
FIPS code	04-57450
Website	http://www.pvaz.net/

The 1895 Massicks house on Lynx Creek in Fain Park

Prescott Valley is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, just east of Prescott. Prescott Valley was the seventh fastest-growing place among all cities and towns in Arizona between 1990 and 2000. According to 2010 Census, the population of the town is 38,822.^[2]

Geography

Prescott Valley (locally, PV) is located in central Arizona approximately 85 miles north of Phoenix at 5100 ft. elevation. PV has good access to Arizona State Route 89, SR-89A and SR-69 , connecting to Interstates I-17 and I-40. Air service is available at Ernest A. Love Field, about 8 miles west.

One of PV’s landmarks, Glassford Hill (elevation 6,177 feet) was once an active volcano between 10 and 14 million years ago. Colonel William A. Glassford traveled the area in the 1880s and helped build a system of 27 heliograph stations to monitor the movements of Apache Indians, U.S. military troops and civilians. Glassford Hill was a part of that early communications system.

History

Prescott Valley’s Fitzmaurice Ruins contain artifacts from the early Mountain Patayan people who inhabited the area some 14,000 years ago.

The Walker party discovered gold along Lynx Creek in 1863. The Lynx Creek placers went on to produce a recorded 29,000 troy ounces (900 kg) of gold. Estimates of actual production range up to 80,000 troy ounces (2,500 kg), which would be worth about $85 million at 2011 prices.^[3]

Prescott Valley, formerly known as Lonesome Valley, was settled by ranchers in the 1880s, raising beef to supply the miners and new settlers. The Fain family, pioneer ranchers, still ranch in the valley.^[4]

Thomas Gibson Barlow-Massicks arrived in the area in the early 1890s and built the historic "castle" that still stands in Fain Park. Massicks had a hydraulic gold mining operation in Lynx Creek Canyon and built the company mining camp of Massicks, Arizona just east of his Victorian home, the Castle. The fireplace with chimney just inside the Castle's fence is all that remains of the Massicks store. Massicks accidentally shot himself and died in April 1899 at the age of 37. In the 1930s, there was a gold dredging operation, the Doodle Bug Diggings, farther east in Lynx Creek Canyon.^[5]

In the mid 1960s, Prescott Valley Incorporated, a real-estate company from Phoenix, purchased land in an area 10 miles east of Prescott known as Lonesome Valley. In 1966, representatives from Prescott Valley Inc. began traveling to the Midwest to sell home lots. By 1978, more than 1,500 residents were living in the unincorporated area now known as Prescott Valley. In 1978, 80% of the voters of Prescott Valley voted for incorporation as a town.^[4]

Economy

PV's economy consists of industrial, manufacturing, retail and service businesses. PV also serves as a bedroom community for Prescott. Many retirees live here due to relatively inexpensive housing and the mild climate. Recent major community additions include a $61M regional medical center and a $15M regional rehabilitation hospital.^[6]

Attractions

Prescott Valley is located within 10 minutes of the Prescott National Forest, with lakes, fishing, hiking and camping. The Entertainment District is located downtown and offers a variety of restaurants, a 6,000-seat events center, a multi-screen movie theater, and retail shops. Fain Park preserves remnants of early 20th century gold mining along Lynx Creek.

The Arizona Sundogs Hockey Team has called Prescott Valley its home since 2006. The team won the Central Hockey League championship in 2008.

The Arizona Adrenaline Football team plays in the Tim's Toyota Center

Notable residents

• Sharlot Hall's family had a ranch between present-day PV and Dewey. She lived there from 1890 to about 1925. The site is now the Orchard Ranch trailer park.^[7]

See also

• King Woolsey

References

1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Arizona". United States Census Bureau. 2008-07-10. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-04.csv. Retrieved 2008-07-14. 
2. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arizona" (CSV). 2010 Census Summary file 1. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1&prodType=table. 
3. ^ Prescott Area Geological Field Guide, 1999, prepared for Earth Science Week. Copy available at Yavapai College library.
4. ^ ^{a b} Jean Cross, 2009, Images of America: Prescott Valley, Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738570702
5. ^ Sharlot Hall Museum
6. ^ Prescott Valley profile at Arizona Department of Commerce
7. ^ Orchard Ranch history

External links

• Town of Prescott Valley
• Prescott Daily Courier – Newspaper
• Lonesome Valley Newspaper - Newspaper