Prescott Valley, a Brief History

  As recent as 1966, this land was still ranch land. Not just any ranch land, but ranch land owned
by the largest rancher in the history of the Central Arizona Territory; The Fain Family. This valley
was known as Lonesome Valley.
Prescott Valley Old Town is not just a journey of growth, but also a story of how a family
friendly community evolved, always meeting the needs of a changing population through changing
times.
In 1966, Prescott Valley Incorporated began selling property in Lonesome Valley. Representatives
traveled throughout the United States offering a steak dinner to people who
would attend a program introducing them to ‘their place in the sun”.
Since property was sold sight unseen, PV Inc. invited the prospective owners to visit their
new home. The Prescott Valley Motel was built to accommodate these new residents.
While viewing their property, residents stayed at the motel and were fed in the company
dining room. Later some of the residents were employed to work in these accommodations.
Visitors were taken on tours of the area, especially the City of Prescott, the National
Forest, area lakes, and ranches.
Prescott Valley Incorporated was intent on reassuring these visitors that their investment
in Lonesome Valley was well advised. Some property owners responded by purchasing
additional properties. Ten thousand lots were sold in about six or seven years.
To keep the new residents happy and follow the intent of P.V. Inc, the company then
built a gas station. This Richfield Station was leased to Lon Stevenson, one of the residents.
Since the new community was seven miles from the nearest stores, P.V. Inv, next began
building locations for the necessities of life. This resulted in the erection of a series of
shops or a strip mall along a Frontage Road.
The first of these buildings housed a grocery store. A resident, Al Cox, opened a market
in 1969. Other shops soon followed. Among them was a Laundromat , a Beauty Salon,
an Antique Shop, the Fantasy Shop and a Western Wear Shop. The Mall took on the appearance
of a Western Village, complete with rustic posts and hitching posts. Since the
Company had provided stables, horses were welcome to visit also.
In 1969, Prescott Valley showed such signs of growth that a Post Office was established.
Christie Hansen, a resident became the first Postmaster. A tack room from the
stables was moved to the corner of Robert Road to accommodate this office.
A Library was installed in the Post Office building and later moved to the Mall.
At about the same time, an A-Frame was erected behind the Motel to serve as an Activity
Center for the new residents. Pot luck suppers, barbecues, club meetings and church
services were conducted in this building. It’s purpose was to provide a place for the new
residents to meet. A swimming pool and park was also provided.

Prescott Valley had evidently attracted the attention of the business world. In 1970,
Great Western Bank opened its doors at the west end of the mall.
Prescott Valley was well on its way to becoming a town and all of this within its first ten
years. It was, therefore, deemed an appropriate time to consider incorporation. This was
accomplished in 1978. Thus the new town continued to grow to the present well established
town of 38,000 residents which we see today.
It would seem incumbent on us to preserve our roots - these being the original buildings
which were the beginnings of our community. An Old Town Committee was formed in
2006 to do just that. Please join us in our effort to preserve our Old Town.