Arizona Territory capitals

The bill passed in March 1862 by the United States House of Representatives to create Arizona stipulated that the capital would be in Tucson, located in the southern part of the territory.

[1] Territorial officials, en route to Arizona in 1863 to establish its government, arrived at Fort Union in New Mexico after a ten-week journey over the Santa Fe Trail.

There they discussed a location for the Arizona capital with post commander General James Henry Carleton who argued against Tucson.

Carleton felt that although Tucson was the most populous city in the territory, it suffered from strong Confederate and Mexican influences and recommended that the capital be located in the northern Union-controlled area.

He suggested the geographic center of the territory where a gold rush was attracting miners to the Walker Mining District.

The prior month, Carleton sent troops there to protect the miners and established Fort Whipple, near present-day Chino Valley.

[2] While the Governor had chosen Prescott as the site of the capital, the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature, which met in September 1864, had the authority to move it and considered doing so.

[3] The capital remained in Prescott for several years until the 4th Arizona Territorial Legislature and Governor Richard C. McCormick moved it to Tucson in 1867.

The move was controversial; Prescott residents were angered and accused several members of the legislature of accepting bribes and Governor McCormick of selling his support for the bill in exchange for assistance in his election to become the Territorial Delegate to Congress.

Prescott, although a prosperous mining community, was far from the population centers of the territory (Phoenix and Tucson), was difficult to reach without railroad access, and had harsh winter weather.

Tucson argued that Pima County was the ideal location because it had a large population, much mining wealth, was on the Southern Pacific Railroad, and had a favorable climate.

The Prescott and Tombstone representatives agreed to support each other as well as to jointly fight a bill that would rescind the "Bullion Tax" on mined ore that provided significant revenue to those towns.

Prior to the legislative session, a group of Tucson businessmen had raised a $5,000 slush fund to lobby for the return of the territorial capital.

A subsidy for construction of $292,000 was approved by the legislature, with the backing of Jerome mining interests including Governor Frederick Tritle.

There were many rumors about delegations making deals, such as Tucson supporting moving the capital to Phoenix in exchange for receiving an insane asylum.

In addition, supporters said Phoenix had better restaurants and hotels, and the City Hall had space to temporarily house the capital functions.

[7] Phoenix sought to exchange support with other areas for such things as additional funding for the Yuma prison and Tucson university ($50,000), and the separation of northeastern Yavapai County.

Tucson newspapers noted that the issue had been a "disturbing and corrupting element in territorial politics" and should be permanently settled.

The prostitute eventually persuaded a friend with a glass eye to loan it to Warren, who then cast the tie-breaking vote to secure the capital for Phoenix.