[Source: Cindy Barks, Prescott Daily Courier] -- Within months of a turn-of-the-century fire that destroyed much of Prescott's business district, a vigorous rebuilding effort was under way. Indeed, history shows that downtown Prescott owes its unique architectural look in large part to the July 14, 1900 fire that burned eight blocks of the community. The 1900 fire the third in Prescott's then-relatively brief history caused local builders to re-evaluate their materials. While the pre-fire frontier town consisted mostly of false-front wooden buildings, the new downtown that sprang up featured more "fireproof" materials of brick, poured concrete and stone. That is one of the points in the City of Prescott's recent application for designation of a new historic district. The post-fire era is the focus of the North Prescott Townsite Historic District, which would commemorate a large chunk of Prescott's commercial district.
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Les Stukenberg, Daily Courier]
