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Prescott Valley, Arizona
Barlow-Massicks Victorian British Manor "The Castle" built in 1891
Barlow-Massicks Victorian British Manor "The Castle" built in 1891
Flag of Prescott Valley, Arizona
Flag
Location of Prescott Valley in Yavapai County, Arizona
Location of Prescott Valley in Yavapai County, Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona is located in Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona is located in the United States
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Prescott Valley, Arizona
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Arizona
County Yavapai
Incorporated (town) 1978
Area
 • Town 40.47 sq mi (104.80 km2)
 • Land 40.47 sq mi (104.80 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
5,026 ft (1,532 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Town 46,785
 • Density 1,156.18/sq mi (446.40/km2)
 • Metro
218,844 (US: 199th)
Time zone UTC-7 (MST)
ZIP codes
86312, 86314, 86315
Area code(s) 928
FIPS code 04-57450
GNIS feature ID 33193
Website http://www.pvaz.net/

Prescott Valley is a town located in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, approximately 8 miles (13 km) east of Prescott, which it has surpassed in population. Prescott Valley was the seventh fastest-growing place among all cities and towns in Arizona between 1990 and 2000, with a current population in 2019 of about 46,515 residents.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1970 244
1980 2,284 836.1%
1990 8,904 289.8%
2000 23,535 164.3%
2010 38,822 65.0%
2020 46,785 20.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

Prescott Valley is part of the West region of Arizona, including the Mohave, La Paz, and Yuma counties, which collectively increased their population by 25 percent between 2000 and 2010.

According to 2017 census estimates, there were 44,466 people and 16,705 households residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 76.8% non-Hispanic White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander and 2.1% from two or more races. 18.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the census of 2000, there were 8,964 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,341, and the median income for a family was $37,257. Males had a median income of $30,097 versus $21,049 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,248. About 7.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

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.

Economy

Prescott Valley's economy consists of industrial, manufacturing, retail and service businesses. Many retirees live there due to relatively inexpensive housing and the mild climate.

Top employers

According to the Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation, the top employers in the town as of September 2019 are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Humboldt Unified School District 804
2 Yavapai Regional Medical Center East 733
3 MI Windows and Doors 350
4 Walmart 329
5 Town of Prescott Valley 318
6 Ace Hardware Retail Support Center 255
7 Fry's Food and Drug 230
8 Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital 225
9 Home Depot 138
10 PrintPak Inc. 128
11 Superior Industries 125
12 Yavapai College – Prescott Valley Campus 123
13 Safeway, Inc. 122
14 Leidos 115
15 Yampa Precision 95

Transportation

There are three main thoroughfares in and around Prescott Valley which include Arizona State Route 89A, Arizona State Route 69 and Fain Road. Arizona State Route 89A is a four lane divided highway that connects Prescott Valley to northern Prescott and Ernest A. Love Field Airport to the west and to the east Jerome, Cottonwood and Sedona. Arizona State Route 69 is a six lane roadway that connects Prescott Valley to downtown Prescott and Interstate 17. Fain Road is a four lane limited access freeway that links Arizona State Route 89A and Arizona State Route 69 in the east. In 2006 the town of Prescott Valley proposed the Great western Corridor from Arizona State Route 89A to Outer Loop road in Chino Valley, Arizona.

Notable person

  • Sharlot Hall's family had a ranch between present-day Prescott Valley and Dewey. She lived there from 1890 to about 1925.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Prescott Valley (Arizona) para niños

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