What's Prescott like and why isn't it larger than Phoenix due to milder climate? (Tucson: crime, house)

[LarryUSA]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about the Prescott area. I have never been to the area, but from looking at maps and Google Earth, it seems to be anamolous, like Denver perhaps, in being in a very high plateau/valley surrounded by desert at lower elevations and lush and fertile/mediterranean compared to Phoenix or Tucson.

My question is: given southern Arizona's scalding hot climate, why the heck isn't Prescott Arizona's large metropolitan area, while Phoenix the outlier. I mean, mild winters, with relatively little snowfall, and cool (by Arizona standards) summers of like 90 or so, vs Phoenix 111 and with cool snaps of 90 in April (brr), people actually commented on how "cool" that was during a spring visit once.

I don't get people, lol. Am I the only freak in the world who doesn't prefer to be baked and fry an egg on the sidewalk in the evening sun?

At any rate, what's Prescott like? Is it growing? Seems interesting. Been to Phoenix and Yuma and Flagstaff, but not Prescott. Also puzzling that it doesn't seem to be near an interstate?

[Ponderosa]

Why is Phoenix the big dog in Arizona? One word: water. AZ, like most places, was pioneered by farmers. They need water to grow their crops. Phoenix has water in spades compared to Prescott owing to favorable hydrogeology and the efforts of early settlers to dam the Salt River. With the advent of air conditioning, the main impediment to growth in Phoenix, unbearable summer heat, came under control and plentiful water and access to transportation corridors pushed its development much faster than anywhere else in the state.

If you look at a map you see that humans always concentrate in areas where water and trade routes are optimum. Climate is rarely, if ever, a major factor.

[BriansPerspective]

Prescott is also fairly land-locked, which impedes growth. Also, the capitol was moved to Phoenix and that drove population growth down there. Additionally, there are two major highways that cross in Phoenix (I-10 and I-17)

[keninaz]

You must remember that Prescott was the original state capital established long before AC or major highway systems.
There was/is lots of timber here and they also did quite a bit of mining.
If all the people from the snow belts had not come to Phoenix for the mild winters and then just hibernated in the AC in the summers I wonder what Phoenix would really be like.
I am with the OP. The older I get the less I like heat and Prescott in the summers is around 15-22° cooler on any given day than that hot valley.
Yes we get some snow too in the winter along with 4 seasons unlike the valley.
I also don't like large crowds and prefer smaller communities. It's also been my experience traveling around in life in the military and for employment that larger cities just seem to have more crime per capita.
Anyway, for many Prescott reminds them of an older town where they grew up.
We have just enough shopping here that unless you are some kind of mall freak that needs all the big stores you will be happy.
The Phoenix airport is only a couple of hours drive or by shuttle and we do have a local airport but limited service.
About 125 miles to the Grand Canyon and around 250 miles to Las Vegas on less traveled roads. And HWY 40 is only some 55 miles away so it's not as if we are off the beaten path as far as I am concerned.
Visit sometime, but to stay you need a permit~~~kidding~

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by LarryUSA

My question is: given southern Arizona's scalding hot climate, why the heck isn't Prescott Arizona's large metropolitan area, while Phoenix the outlier. I mean, mild winters, with relatively little snowfall, and cool (by Arizona standards) summers of like 90 or so, vs Phoenix 111 and with cool snaps of 90 in April (brr), people actually commented on how "cool" that was during a spring visit once.

There are many factors involved as to WHY Phoenix is the major city but the main ones would be water, airport and location. Phoenix is the hub of Arizona. It is where all major industrial and business development has taken place. You have major interstates cutting through there and other minor highways all over. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is a fairly large airport (9th busiest in the US).

Originally Posted by LarryUSA

I don't get people, lol. Am I the only freak in the world who doesn't prefer to be baked and fry an egg on the sidewalk in the evening sun?

At any rate, what's Prescott like? Is it growing? Seems interesting. Been to Phoenix and Yuma and Flagstaff, but not Prescott. Also puzzling that it doesn't seem to be near an interstate?

The whole egg thing is a wives tale. Even on the hottest day, one cannot cook an egg on the sidewalk, asphalt, concrete or wherever. It has been tested and debunked by many, including Meteorologist Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel. One would have to create a specially designed mirrored cooking area, surrounded by aluminum foil on all sides, and then place it in the sun for hours and then it would cook the egg. But that is a far cry from the claim that an egg would fry on the sidewalk from the sun.

Prescott is a small town (around 50k people) with small towns around it (Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Paulden, Dewey). In totality the population of all those towns combined is around 120k-140k people. As far as "growing", actually, the population DROPPED in Prescott after the RE collapse as people got out of there in search of better pay and lower cost of living. Until the economy changes and Prescott gets some real high paying career jobs, it will only see a slight increase in population, mostly from retired and wealthy people.

Access to Prescott is by Highway 69. It's about a 30-45 minute drive from I-17 to Prescott.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by DellNec

The whole egg thing is a wives tale. Even on the hottest day, one cannot cook an egg on the sidewalk, asphalt, concrete or wherever.

According to Bill Nye, the Science Guy, you CAN cook an egg on a sidewalk
http://www.billnye.com/so-hot-you-could-fry-an-egg/

[wretched wrench]

I saw it done in Ehrenberg. The guy had a concrete stepping-stone that he had dyed black. Ehrenberg has no sidewalks. It was over 120 that day. The yolk was firm, but the white of the egg was not quite as white as we are used to. Apparently it was a deal of his to do that whenever it got really hot.

[keninaz]

We tried in one day at my son's house. I was helped move him into a house they bought in Chandler and it was really hotter than I could take but we did what we could.
Anyway, someone brought it up that it might be a good day to try it so we cracked an egg on the driveway around 2 PM. It took some time, but the egg white did turn color. It may have cooked totally in time, but it was a mess so we cleaned it up.
I have no idea of the accuracy of the outside temperature gauge in my wife's new F-150 but after it stabilized after driving for a mile or so before we hit the highway it was 117° indicated. We were very happy to be on the road headed home to Cochise County at the time.

[Boompa]

Prescott was larger BEFORE AIR CONDITIONING.

[keninaz]

Actually if you look at this you will see that Prescott has grown a little over the years since 1950 with increases in population as it goes.

Community » Abia Judd

The 2010 Census showed us at some 37,000+ people