Early Days | The Inn | Notable Guests | Architectural Treasures | Haunted History | Prescott History

Mountain men and trappers first came to the area in 1830, followed by miners, lumberjacks and cowboys. As the Civil War began, Mountain Man Joe Walker found gold along the banks of the Hassayampa River, and Easterners came to settle what became the Arizona territory in 1863. In 1864 Prescott became the first territorial capital.

The advent of the railroad in the 1880's connected a growing Prescott to the rest of the nation.  By the 1920's the advent of the automobile and the growth of a national highway system, turned Prescott into a tourist destination. Famous names in the culture of the Southwest visited the beauty of the area, names such as Georgia O'Keefe, Alfred Stieglitz, Mabel Dodge, John Collier, and D.H. Lawrence helped to make Prescott well known. With this growth, the need for first class accommodations became apparent. In 1919, Grace Sparkes, the secretary of Yavapai County's Chamber of Commerce, first noted the need for a landmark hotel. In June 1925, the Prescott Kiwanis club selected a committee to raise funds for the new project, with Mayor Morris Goldwater urging citizens to invest in the project. Listed in a place of honor outside the hotel's Arizona room is a list of the 400 different stockholders who purchased thousands of shares for a $1 a piece, making the Hassayampa Inn from its start a Prescott institution.

The Inn is named after the Hassayampa River north of Prescott, derived from an Apache word for a "river that loses itself"; fitting for a mysterious stream that often sinks beneath earth's surface and reappears along the way. From the beginning of its time, the river's namesake Inn has had the same effect on its guests who often come for a chance to lose the tensions of hectic urban life, and to emerge with their balance and bearings restored.

The Hassayampa Inn was built as a four story, 78 room hotel and was completed in only 10 months for a cost of $200,000 and $75,000 for furnishings. Designed by the distinguished Southwestern architect Henry Trost, the initial Pueblo design did not suit many of the investors who hailed from the Midwest and preferred brick over adobe. The final result was a mix of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Italianate exterior red brick, trimmed in white and topped by a bell tower.

From November 1927 until this day the Hassayampa has had a future of colorful guests and memorable occasions.  From the era of its youth where the Hassayampa hosted guests such as Tom Mix and Will Rogers, Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, as well as General John "Blackjack" Pershing, the Hassayampa has hosted a variety of noted guests. And the tradition continues on until today, with a list including Tom Selleck, Steve McQueen, Sam Elliott, Joan Rivers, Kim Basinger, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Downs, The Beach Boys, Tom and Dick Smothers, as well as politicians such as John McCain, Barry Goldwater, and George W. Bush.

As a guest enters through the elegant Porte cochere, the Hassayampa Inn offers a rare opportunity to step into the past. The hand painted wood beamed ceiling is unforgettable, as is the 1927 vintage elevator. The hotel's 1985 renovation installed modern amenities, but left intact the property's Talavera tile fireplace, Castilian walnut furniture, embossed copper panels, chandeliers and etched glass.   

"Through the heavy double doors into a small vestibule, up a few tile steps, does one enter the lobby, there to be greeted by an almost overpowering color combination, at once rich, soft, and luxurious?  The mass impression is one of subdued brightness..with cream brocade, dignified wrought iron chandeliers, and a rafter ceiling effect. Infinite planning and real artistry have been employed to making the color effect in the lobby blend perfectly. To achieve this end nothing has been overlooked, from the tile coloring in the spacious fireplace and the wall borders to the tiffanied, golden hued walls themselves."

- Prescott Evening Courier - Saturday, November 19, 1927

 

Fittingly, the Hassayampa Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a member of Historic Hotels of America, due to its historic character, architectural quality, and the preservation efforts of generations of hoteliers who have come to cherish "the grand jewel of Prescott."

A recent discovery... click above to see the (1MB pdf file) of the Progress Edition.