In July of 1900, the entire block of Whiskey Row burned down. The popular Frontier Days and its parade still takes place in Prescott during the rodeo festivities. The annual rodeo is still a huge attraction during the entire week beginning just before July 4th. It was a real happening along Montezuma Street when the World's Oldest Rodeo began in 1888. On active nights miners, cowboys, outlaws, gamblers and town folks stirred up the dust on the dirt street trying to decide which saloon or bawdy spot fit the interest of the evening. Most of the "colorful" stories of Prescott's wild west days are centered upon what typically went on in, around and about Whiskey Row. During heavy rains, the "inebriated" would often fall into the creek and a few even drowned. So the story goes, local employers and wives insisted the change because "customers" had to cross the foot bridge over Granite Creek to return home. Prior to 1877, Whiskey Row was rumored to have been located a couple of blocks from today's location. It was where wives would go looking for their men-folk. It was where the men came to drink their whiskey, eat their meals, play poker, visit the brothels above many of the saloons, and get a bit rowdy. It was hard to imagine 40 saloons crowed into this one block.
Whiskey Row became the town's center of recreation during the early days of the wild west. The main street in town, Montezuma Street, included about a one block area which was aptly called "Whiskey Row" since 40 saloons saturated just one block. The settlement grew fast and became the first capital of the Arizona Territory. Settlers, cowboys, bawdy girls, gamblers and even some outlaws followed.
Miners and prospectors came in droves in search of riches. Prescott was founded in 1864 when gold was discovered in the area. Some 40 drinks below." A Quick History of Whiskey Row " Oh they starts her in at the Kaintucky bar,Īnd they winds up down by the Depot House, This poem by Gail Gardner sets the original flavor of Whiskey Row.
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