2025: Present Day: Population and Culture (1 Jan 2025 Jahr – 29 Apr 2025 Jahr)

Beschreibung:

Prescott’s current population and culture show how the environment and history of the area are connected. Originally home to the Yavapai and Apache tribes, which were forcefully removed through settler colonization and genocide, is reflected in current population demographics. 47,000 people live in Prescott, many of which are older and white, and have been drawn to the area because of its dry climate and scenic landscape. This continues a long trend of people moving here for health, escape, or opportunity in a desert landscape. Local traditions like Frontier Days keep the image of the old west alive. However, these events often ignore the environmental and cultural costs of settlement. The effects of mining, ranching, and deforestation are still visible on the land today.

One example cited by the US Forest service states, “Operations in the Cherry Creek Mining District began in the 1880s and stopped about 1942, said Ernesto Maldonado, the acting Arizona statewide on-scene coordinator at the Tonto National Forest. It produced about 3,500 tons of gold, silver, and copper. These past mining operations left about 20,300 cubic yards of uncontained waste rock. To picture that, it’s about six Olympic-sized swimming pools.”

“The Forest Service began sampling the soil and rocks for toxic metals in 2015. From these investigations, we found that these sites did indeed pose a risk to human health and the environment, so we developed a plan of action to address these issues at these abandoned mines. Arsenic and lead were among the toxic metals found in the waste. Because the waste rocks were exposed, humans could’ve been harmed by inhaling or ingesting the polluted dust. Animals could’ve been harmed by eating contaminated plants.”

As more people move in, the pressure on water systems (from wasteful water practices and urban sprawl), fire risks, and natural ecosystems continue to increase. However, there are more efforts by the current community to support sustainability and ensure Indigenous voices are heard. How Prescott moves forward with these issues will depend on how seriously its residents take its history.

Image 1: Promotional graphic for Frontier Days
Image 2: Image of a Frontier Days parade.
Image 3: Clean up work being done by the Forest Service of an abandoned mine in Prescott after a toxic waste incident (2021).

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