Sedona, AZ and The Palace Saloon

We spent three days exploring with extended family in the Prescott area. Wednesday we visited with my cousins Ron and Linda Ross and had a great lunch at Rosa's Italian restaurant in Prescott, AZ. After lunch we added a quick visit to see my cousin Barbara's widow Bob Rose in Chino Valley, AZ just north of Prescott. Sadly, we lost my cousin Barbara (Ron's twin sister) back in December 2021 and it was important for us to stop by and see Bob.

Thursday, January 19 would be our last full day, so Kim, Karen and I took a 2 hour road trip to Sedona, AZ to do some sightseeing. Kim got married to Bob Switzer in Sedona but hadn't been there for 10 years. She drove us in her Audi Quattro "Mafia Car" so we could enjoy the views. Sedona is as beautiful as advertised. We drove to the visitor center to get some information then to the Sedona Airport to have lunch at the Mesa Grill restaurant. We took photographs and drove around gathering information for a future trip to stay longer in Sedona and the Verde Valley.

We headed back to Prescott for a dinner date with Kim's sister Stacy, her niece Dori and her three grand nephews Cayden, Everett and Ronin at the historic Palace Saloon on Whiskey Row. Although Whiskey Row was known for its many saloons, The Palace opened in 1877 and was much more than a fancy "watering hole". Men came in to check for notices of work available; it served as an election central for several political races and cattle spreads; and mineral claims were bought and sold over the bar.

The Palace is still the oldest frontier saloon in Arizona and the most well-known and historic restaurant and saloon in the state. In the late 1870s, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday were patrons of the Palace. Virgil and his wife Allie lived in Prescott where Virgil owned a saw mill at Thumb Butte and was Town Constable. Wyatt and his other brother, Morgan, visited Virgil in Prescott before they left for Tombstone. Doc was on a winning streak on Whiskey Row (possibly at The Palace) where he won $10,000 playing poker. He joined the Earps eight months later in Tombstone. On July 14th, 1900, The Palace was destroyed by the Whiskey Row fire. The ornately carved 1880s Brunswick Bar, which is still in use, was carried to safety across the street to the plaza by patrons.