Prescott Valley, Arizona

Not to be confused with Prescott, AZ.
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Town

Historic Prescott Valley Motel, built about 1966

Seal

Location in Yavapai County in the state of Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona

Location in the United States

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
 • Town Council Mayor Harvey C. Skoog. Councilmembers Stephen Marshall, Mary Mallory, Lora Lee Nye, Michael Whiting, Martin Grossman, Richard Anderson
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
 • Estimate (2015)[2] 42,197
 • Density 1,004.4/sq mi (387.8/km2)
 • Metro 218,844 (US: 199th)
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 with a current population (October 2016) of about 45,500 population in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, and a suburb of Prescott (although Prescott Valley is larger). Prescott Valley was the seventh fastest-growing place among all cities and towns in Arizona between 1990 and 2000. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 38,822.[3]

Geography

Prescott Valley (locally, PV) is located in central Arizona approximately 85 miles (137 km) north of Phoenix at 5,100 feet (1,600 m). elevation. PV has good access to Arizona State Route 89, SR-89A and SR-69, connecting to Interstates 17 and 40. Air service is available at Ernest A. Love Field, about 8 miles (13 km) west.

One of PV’s landmarks, Glassford Hill (elevation 6,177 feet (1,883 m)) 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. Today, it stands as an dormant volcano.

History

Prescott Valley’s Fitzmaurice Ruins contain artifacts from the early Mountain Patayan people who inhabited the area some 1,400 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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6]

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.[5]

In 1985, Prescott Valley got its first licensed radio station. Today, The Mix 106.7 FM brings adult contemporary music to the Prescott Valley area as a proud member of Arizona's Hometown Radio Group. [7]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1970244—
19802,284836.1%
19908,904289.8%
200023,535164.3%
201038,82265.0%
Est. 201542,197[8]8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
2014 Estimate[10]

Economy

Prescott Valley's economy consists of industrial, manufacturing, retail and service businesses. 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, and $22M Public Library.[11] Northcentral University is based in Prescott Valley.

Top employers

According to the Town of Prescott Valley,[12] the top employers in the town are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Humboldt Unified School District 753
2 Yavapai Regional Medical Center 498
3 Walmart 312
4 MI Windows and Doors 288
5 Town of Prescott Valley 254
6 Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital 210
7 Ace Hardware Retail Support Center 206
8 Fry's Food and Drug 180
9 Sam's Club 164
10 Lockheed Martin 140
11 Yavapai College- Prescott Valley Campus 134
12 PrintPak Inc. 131
13 Home Depot 126
14 Superior Industries 110
15 Safeway 106

Culture

Prescott was the location of Arizona's first Elks Lodge (BPOE). In December 1895 a group of enterprising businessmen in Prescott, sturdy products of the early west, charted the original petition for a dispensation and later established the Prescott Elks Lodge #330. "Mother Lodge of Arizona" The Prescott Elks Opera House was built by the lodge in 1905. The Prescott Elks Lodge now located in Prescott Valley and has served the community for over 116 years.

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 Northern Arizona Suns, a minor league basketball team in the NBA Development League, plays out of the Prescott Valley Event Center. In April 2016, the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns purchased their affiliated NBA D-League team, the Bakersfield Jam, and relocated the team to Prescott Valley beginning with the 2016–17 season.

The Arizona Sundogs minor professional ice hockey team called Prescott Valley its home from 2006 to 2014. The team won the Central Hockey League championship in 2008.

The Arizona Adrenaline indoor football team played two seasons in the Tim's Toyota Center.

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  2. ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arizona" (CSV). 2010 Census Summary file 1. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division.
  4. ↑ Prescott Area Geological Field Guide, 1999, prepared for Earth Science Week. Copy available at Yavapai College library.
  5. 1 2 Jean Cross, 2009, Images of America: Prescott Valley, Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-7070-2
  6. ↑ Sharlot Hall Museum
  7. ↑ [www.azhometownradio.com "Arizona's Hometown Radio"] Check |url= value (help).
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  9. ↑ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  11. ↑ Prescott Valley profile at Arizona Department of Commerce
  12. ↑ Town of Prescott Valley
  13. ↑ Orchard Ranch history
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