Thursday, September 04, 2008

Street scenes

The setting is downtown Prescott, recently. The time: whenever. The theme: whatever. Pictures accumulate; their stories, though slight, should be told. For example, the state of the economy as seen near the Square. Above, Brian's Irish Pub; below, a sign at the corner of Gurley and Cortez Streets that I seem to have missed forever and a day.

Then there's the one-time wonderful bookstore location, more recently a sales office for a big, subdivided ranch. Now empty for several months. I'm sure that there's no hope for a return of The Satisfied Mind, but pressing my nose against the glass I noted what looked like a few decor items. Plus two coonskin hats on a coat rack. Huh?

However, if you're looking for diversity in stuff, the place to pause is in front of Batterman's Auction House where currently the Gurley Street doors open and out come: The $690 pig. The bar chairs. The garden tools. The marine dress uniform. The household cement mixer. No telling what'll be next.

Not as nearly as diverse -- elements of somebody's move from place 1 to place 2. Probably not to pricey 325 McCormick Place, however. Though, you never know. With the morning newspapers still outside the door (lower left corner), perhaps an overstuffed sofa next the sidewalk will soon follow. Maybe chickens on the balconies?


Further up the street: I didn't know these olive drab postal relay boxes were still in use in this day of motorized mailfolk. Perhaps mail to the shops on the Square is delivered on foot; it would certainly make sense. And it would require a holding pen for a lot of the mail.

One by one, they snuck up on me, these runners did, and accumulated at the corner. Stop. Then go. The time was after school hours. These are kids who aren't spending all their time playing computer games.

This crew of downtown walkers is a lot more deliberate. A few of the self-styled Buscaderos, who show up at the Square of a Saturday to add a different kind of color to our downtown. Impresses the tourists, it does. The Chamber of Commerce loves the act and the guys get a kick out of playing dress-up, Old West style.

There's always a reason to bring your chairs to the Square. Usually it involves music or dancing or both.

On weekends, you can count on a variety of vehicles downtown. Here this cute little two-seater gets its tires kicked...

...while this guy prepares to leave his Harley to join musicians on the Square.

A Harley wannabe. When I was much younger, that style of handlebar was called an ape hanger.

Of course, I am an obsessive when it comes to pictures of motorcycles. This chap, a visitor from Malaysia, wanted me to include him in, so I obliged. He was amazed that I had actually heard of Malaysia; he and his buddies are involved in a training short course down in The Valley.

Across the street from the yellow bikes was the troubadour. I don't know if he's a regular or not. Wouldn't surprise me.

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:21 AM

    Is the business side of Prescott getting worse? I guess I should as if more places are closing than opening?

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  2. I note that there don't seem be any fatties dressed in red having a trot--too bad.

    The snazzy maroon 3 wheeler looks like a contemporary version of the old Morgan three wheeler, except that the Moggy had two wheels in front and one at the rear.

    Hermano

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  3. The mail carriers do indeed walk the downtown area to deliver mail, pushing a lockable cart with a hand-brake, and often sporting a set of headphones. :) The relay boxes are definitely useful for them.

    The gentleman with the banjo is a fairly regular figure on the Bashford block. Generally I see him down there 3-4 times a week.

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  4. steve -- I suspect there's been a general slow-down, tho I've not seen any numbers. One of my favorite new spots, the Spaghetti Western coffee house on Sheldon has been shuttered.

    bro -- folks here seem to come in two varieties: the runners/joggers/walkers and the roly-polies. As for the trike -- don't think I've ever seen one with the two wheels up front.

    tombo -- thanks for the info. I'm always interested in banjo players, as my LH was one excellent picker.

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  5. Anonymous6:30 PM

    Is the slow down good for Prescott in some ways. It seems to just keep exploding with growth...
    and
    I loved your blue flower post, as did my wife.
    Mark

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  6. Anonymous7:31 PM

    GJ, finally, at end of day, instead of with breakfast, I get to your post. What a nice tour!

    Interesting about Talking Rock Ranch. They really figured they'd cash in on Baby Boomers near or at retirement.

    There's a HUGE development down in the Wickenburg area that has scraped the hillsides. It's a Talky Rocky type of western-themed development.

    Wonder if it's stalled? If yes, those unique Wickenburg hills are lost to our memories. Sigh.

    ~Anon in AV.

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  7. mark -- Prescott is rushing pell mell into a water confrontation with the mighty Salt River project Real Soon Now. The entire area has been expanding much too fast. Yes,things have slowed, but I'm sure that the population is just growing a slight bit slower.

    anon av -- oh, they're still in business at Talking Rock (which incorporates the Inscription Canyon petroglyphs, you know.) But they economized by moving the offices out to the site. I recall talking to one of the old ranchers who had inherited a part interest in the Morgan ranch, which became Talking Rock. The problem, he said, almost wiping a tear from his eye, was that none of the kids in the families wanted to ranch, leaving a sale to the developers as the main option. He hated doing it.

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  8. Hi Granny J,
    I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your blog! I had the wonderful opportunity live in Prescott for 5 months and fell in love with it...now I make Tucson my home...it's different, but I love it too. Your tour brought back fond memories of the town. Have you been to the Raven? That is my favorite restaurant...and Prescott Coffee Roaster is delich.

    It is such a catch 22. With the economy slowing down, I think its forcing people to slow down just a bit, which in my opinion is a good thing. Of course there are those whom it really hurts. Personally, I'm glad to see more people riding bikes or buses...or walking, by golly!

    I'm in school for landscape architecture and had to help design a master-planned community near Wilcox last semester. It tore at my heart to have to even think about being part of a development, but our client was torn too. He was a rancher who said the same thing...none of his kids want to ranch...and as new generations are born, the land gets more and more subdivided, making it impossible to ranch on that size property anyway. It's really sad. I at least hope that we made that development the best it could be...but is it ever enough? I'd much rather see the land preserved.

    Well, I hope to read more of your blog in the future...I love the flowers also...you must have a pretty amazing garden.

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  9. kimmus -- welcome to this blog -- and do return, since you no longer live in Prescott. Maybe I can help you relive it! And, yes, it is a Catch 22 for ranchers. Let's face it, life is a helluva lot easier in the city. Not nearly as lonely, either.

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  10. Anonymous11:27 AM

    Wow, the last two posts really get to me. My dad's people were ranchers, but I wasn't raised around them.

    But, deep inside me I have the DNA of a rancher. I love the outdoors, doing outdoor projects, and I always wanted horses but couldn't afford them.

    I wish cattle and sheep ranchers across the US could organize co-ops like the citrus growers have done, and the dairy ranchers.

    Small ranching co-ops are springing up and helping the Central Valley ag families in CA. Maybe they can do that in AZ? Replaces the children who don't want to ranch.


    Well, at least the lot sizes in Talking Rock are large, so it's not the Valley of the Sun subdivisions.

    ~Anon in AV.

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  11. I did enjoy that walk, you find so much to interest and amuse in Prescott.

    I noticed the kids in red looked pretty slim and fit, nice to see.

    I liked the blues post too.

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  12. anon av -- as a person who made a reasonably good living off abstractions, I ever in awe of people who master the Real World productively. Unfortunately, machinists, engineers, farmers & ranchers, and others who deal directly with things do not get the respect we reserve for people who run off at the mouth.

    lucy -- I'm always surprised at what I see on the next walk around Prescott. Aren't those blues wonderful?

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