Melissa Ruffner, Board Member

Melissa Ruffner, whose pioneer ancestor arrived in the Prescott area in 1867, has been an historical storyteller for the Arizona Jamboree for almost 15 years. She is the founder and operator of Prescott Historical Tours since 1981.

Ruffner is author of Prescott: A Pictorial History; Arizona Territorial Sampler: Food and Lifestyles of a Frontier, and other publications.

She is the recipient of the Sharlot Hall Award, Al Merito Award (Arizona Historical Society – Tucson) and was honored as one of only one hundred Arizona Culturekeepers for the state's Centennial. Melissa performed at Best Fest, helping to celebrate Arizona's 100th year of statehood.

Melissa is the founding president and member of the Prescott Victorian Society and member of the Arizona Pioneers' Home Foundation Board. In addition, she serves on the Prescott Western Heritage Foundation Board, the Elk's Opera House Guild, and as an "onery" – not honorary, member of the Prescott Regulators and their Shady Ladies. Currently Melissa serves on the steering committee for Prescott's Sesquicentennial (150th) celebration as Arizona's first territorial capitol...where it all began.