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​The Truth About the Origins of Prescott’s Famous Palace Saloon

120 S. Montezuma Street (map)
​
The Truth About the Origins of Prescott’s Famous Palace Saloon

➢    The original Palace Saloon was established on Goodwin Street in 1883, that is, in terms of being related to today’s majestic Palace Restaurant and Saloon and the beautiful Jersey Lilly Saloon above. Depicted above left—the building connected just left of J.W. Wilson’s clothing store—is the original Palace.

➢    HOWEVER, although the Palace is today promoted as “Serving rough customers since 1877,” its roots trace back to 1874. The Palace, in truth, began in 1874 as the Cabinet Saloon.

➢    There were three “Palaces” in early Prescott prior to the Great Fire of 1900, but only one is related to today’s Palace. One that was unrelated was on 112 Gurley Street, established in 1877 where today’s Arizona Shoe Box operates today. That Palace lasted perhaps less than a year before shutting down. In 1882, another Palace surfaced, on Montezuma Street even, but it too was short-lived. 

➢    In 1884, the Goodwin Street Palace burned down, and was rebuilt at 118 Montezuma Street, where the Cabinet had operated since 1874 before being blazed in 1883. The Cabinet rebuilt at 122 Montezuma Street. See above right image, circa late 1890s.

➢    After the Great Whiskey Row Fire of 1900, the proprietors of the Palace and Cabinet saloons rebuilt together. The original blueprint bore the name “National Saloon.” Shortly after it was changed to the “Palace-Cabinet Saloon,” which would’ve proved historically accurate. Eventually and appropriately, the Palace was the settled upon name, which it bears today.

➢    Because of this merger, today’s Palace should proudly change its slogan to, “Serving Rough Customers Since 1874”.  And it would be dogmatically true. 

➢    Images Courtesy of Sharlot Hall Museum.

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