When Was Prescott the Capital of Arizona?

Prescott was Arizona's first territorial capital, beginning in 1864. When the Arizona Territory was organized, the capital was first located at Fort Whipple in 1863, then moved to the newly founded town of Prescott in May 1864. It did not stay put: the capital moved to Tucson in 1867, returned to Prescott in 1877, and finally moved permanently to Phoenix in 1889.

The Arizona Territory was created in 1863, and the first territorial governor, John Goodwin, chose a site in the pines of central Arizona for the capital. The town was founded in 1864 and named Prescott, after the historian William H. Prescott. Placing the capital here — rather than in the older, established southern settlements — reflected the priorities of that particular moment in the territory's early years.

The seat of government changed hands several times as the territory grew and its politics shifted. It went to Tucson in 1867, came back to Prescott in 1877, and then moved for good to Phoenix on February 4, 1889, where it remains as the state capital today. For a few decades, in other words, Prescott was at the center of Arizona's story.

That history is easy to visit. The Sharlot Hall Museum preserves the original Governor's Mansion, and the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza still anchors downtown a short walk from Whiskey Row. Knowing a place's story is part of knowing whether it's right for you — and it's part of how we at Home Team Prescott help people decide. When you're ready, explore Prescott.