A fire of frightening magnitude was not a question of “if” but “when” in young Prescott, and on July 14, 1900, the feared conflagration found its spark.

After several years of drought, a candle slipping from its holder was all it took to utterly destroy Prescott’s business district, red-light district and famous Whiskey Row. People grabbed what they could to rescue it from the flames, but the party didn’t stop. Even the piano from one saloon was moved to a new location, and people continued to play.

Author Bradley Courtney explores the conditions leading up to the disaster, the surprising details of its effects and the amazing recovery that shapes the town today.