Three Cities Fought Over Being Arizonas Capital Before Phoenix Won Out

Phoenix has over 1.8 million residents, making it not only Arizona's largest city, but the most populous capital city in the US. Before Phoenix was made the capital of Arizona, other cities had the government seat. Why did these towns get the boot, and how did the capital city become Phoenix?

a view of a city with tall buildings

Prescott

Prescott was the state capital from 1864 to 1867. When the territory was established in 1863, officials needed a capital located near the territory's population center and mining interests.

Prescott was chosen because it sat near rich gold deposits, and was considered safer and more accessible than southern settlements during this war strucken time.

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A sign for a national forest in the snow

Tucson

As southern Arizona expanded, people wanted the capital to be moved closer to the growing population. In 1867, Tucson briefly became the capital of Arizona. It was one of the territory's oldest developments, with a larger population than Prescott and more developed infrastructure.

Tucson was the state capital for 10 years before residents of northern Arizona debated whether it was fair to keep it there.

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a view of a city with mountains in the background

Prescott, again

In 1877, Prescott became the state capital once again after a long debate. Mining booms in the north strengthened Prescott's political hold. Legislators argued that the capital should be closer to the territory's economic engine, the silver and gold mines.

Despite prescotts economic power, as the years went by, Phoenix's agricultural potential was becoming impossible to ignore.

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silhouette of cactus during sunset

Phoenix

In 1889, the capital was moved from Prescott to Phoenix for a variety of reasons. Phoenix was home to advanced irrigation systems that made large-scale farming possible. Phoenix also had access to crucial railroad lines, making economic transportation a lot easier than in Prescott. There was also a massive influx of people moving to Phoenix at this time, causing large-scale growth and a big city boom.

While the decision was controversial at first, Phoenix proved to be a perfect place to put the government seat, where it still is over a century later.

Read more about Phoenix's ancient irrigation systems: Arizona's Thousand Year Innovation That Made the Desert Livable