Courthouse Plaza

Courthouse Plaza is the heart of downtown Prescott — a square block of lawn, trees, and benches ringed by the historic buildings of the town's commercial district. On one side stands the Yavapai County Courthouse, a Romanesque Revival building from 1916 with a prominent clock tower. On the other sides, the arcaded storefronts of Whiskey Row and the adjacent streets give the plaza an appealing, walkable character.

The square hosts a farmers market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, and is used for various community events throughout the year. Summer evenings bring concerts. The benches under the sycamores are a good place to take stock and people-watch before heading off to explore the surrounding streets.

The entire district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, making this one of the better-preserved 19th-century downtown squares in the American Southwest.

things to do sight
A story
The plaza has been the centre of Prescott life since the town was founded in 1864. On the night of July 14, 1900, a fire broke out at the Hotel Burke and burned down most of the wooden buildings on Whiskey Row. Saloon-keepers reportedly carried their bars out into the plaza and continued serving drinks while the block burned. The next day, the plaza was ringed with glasses and bottles where the bars had stood — and within a year the Row had been rebuilt, in brick.