1873: The Bloody Basin Massacre. (mar 1, 1873 – mar 1, 1873)

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Many historians argue how Bloody Basin received its name. Some argue it is because of sheep slaughter during the range wars, others argue that it came from a sacrifice of seven Navajo virgins, while others argue that a battle occurred there, leading to the massacre of members from the Tonto Apache tribe.

The traditional story states that troops came across the Tonto Apache tribe cooking and preparing a celebration. The troops were ordered to position themselves near a cave where the tribe was living. They were to wait until given a signal to shoot into the cave. After the battle, female Apache captives "confessed" that their warriors had just returned from a raid that killed three white men. In the early settler-colonial years of the Arizona Territory, it was common to "shoot any native people first and ask questions later," resulting in the much-desired outcome of a fast racial cleansing. It is unclear if the confession was true, as it was reported to be a convenient excuse to slaughter every native person on the mountain.

Yavapai oral history contests the traditional story that many historians still cling to. The location where the Bloody Basin massacre occurred is actually on "Atasquaselhua," meaning "Sycamore with yellow leaves in the fall" (known today as Turret Peak), which has been a part of Yavapai ancestral lands for generations.

The theme that is quite prevalent in Prescott's history is that of American soldiers, settlers, and modern historians mislabeling the Yavapai people as Apache people. Calling the massacre of "Bloody Basin" a battle also suggests that both sides showed aggression. However, Yavapai's oral history states that the tribe had gathered peacefully for a celebration and was attacked for no reason by the troops, meaning that this was a planned genocide.

"Three tribes of Yavapai got together at Bloody Basin. Kewevkepaya, Wipukpa, and Yavepe. Get together and eat, dance and have a good time. They gathered to cook mescal and deer. It was a springtime celebration. They called the festival "boom," which means "in the spring." But the soldiers met them there and killed them. Then the White people called the place Bloody Basin. Called it after our blood."

"Some of the people had gone out to the hills to gather more food. These were the ones who were still out when the soldiers stated shooting. They watched the soldiers from the hills, and when they left, they came down."

"The mescal heaps are still there. When I was working in Bloody Basin at the ranch, I went to that place matkama. The mescal heaps were still covered with dirt. The people had left it when it was still cooking. Now all is covered with weed and grass." -Yavapai Elder (Oral History of the Yavapai).

To the troops and the settlers living in Prescott, it did not matter who the victims of the massacre were. It was considered a major victory as many settlers had been calling for governmental action to be taken on the area's indigenous populations. The local newspaper voiced approval, stating, "Cheering News From Gen. Crook's Troops" and relates that "Major Brown's command...captured eight women. The women said their warriors had just returned from a raid in which they had killed three white men. This, undoubtedly, was a portion of the band which killed (the 3 men)." Some of the men that participated were rewarded with metals for their "bravery and good deeds."

Image 1: A petroglyph located in the perimeter of Atasquaselhua ("Bloody Basin") signifying the cultural and spiritual significance of the area. Petroglyphs are a form of rock art created by removing rock surface through different techniques.

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