[Arizona Central] -- Jody Drake, a Prescott native, has won many awards over the past 10 years for her portrayal of Sharlot Hall. The Sun Cities Area Historical Society is pleased to bring her to Sun City West through a grant from the Arizona Humanities Council. Drake will perform at 1p.m. Friday March 28th at Heritage Traditions, 19303 New Traditions Way, Sun City West. The public is invited to this free presentation. Sharlot Hall was an unusual woman of the frontier. Her family moved to Arizona when she was 12, and she grew up on an isolated ranch. She had a knack for poetry and a keen interest in collecting stories of other pioneers. Her interest in history led to her being appointed territory historian in 1909. In 1927, Hall moved her extensive collection of artifacts and documents into the Old Governor's Mansion and opened it as a museum. After her death in 1942, a historical society continued to build the museum complex in Prescott that bears her name.
Drake has performed as Sharlot Hall for Gov. Janet Napolitano, former Gov. Jane Hull and retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, among others. She has been nominated for the Governor's Art Award six times, and is honored to be one of 10 Arizona Culture Keeper award winners for 2007. For more information, call the historical society at 623-974-2568 or 623-975-1815.
