The Ghosts of Whiskey Row
Prescott poet Gail Gardner once wrote of "Whiskey Row": "Oh they starts her in at the Kaintucky bar, At the head of Whiskey Row, And they winds up down by the Depot House, Some forty drinks below." Nestled in Yavapai County, Arizona, is the quaint little city of Prescott. The locals will tell you that it is pronounced Pres-kit and not Pres-cott. In 1864, Prescott became the capital of the Arizona Territory. In 1867 the capital was moved to Tucson, then back to Prescott in 1879, and finally to Phoenix in 1889. Prescott is rich in history, h ousing one of the most famous red-light district areas known as “Whiskey Row”. This area on Montezuma Street had many saloons, with the most famous being the Palace Saloon. The Palace Saloon opened in September of 1877 and was filled with the highest standard of liqueur and decorated with the most impressive furniture from all over the world. The Palace wasn’t just a place to get a meal or have a drink, many men would chec...