As an almost-native of Prescott...
We moved to Prescott in about 1971 when I was in 5th grade.
Our moving there was probably a major influence on Prescott becoming a gun mecca because when we moved there we brought Wolfe Publishing with us.
Dad was Editor and Publisher of "Rifle" and "Handloader" magazines and was a partner in the business. At that time I think Joe DeSay had already relocated J&G there from Havre Montana (though I'm not positive) and there were a couple of excellent gunsmiths in town including Paul Marquart, Bill Atkinson, and Fred Wells. The presence of two major gun magazines and several prominent gun writers - including Neal Knox, Jim Charmichael, and Rick Jamison - meant that the local guys got some international exposure and became rather famous.
One gunny visits another gunny and likes the neighborhood and next thing you know you've got a major gunsmithing program at the local community college (that's spelled Yavapai by the way and rimes with have a pie), Jeff Cooper buys a bunch of land just north of town and calls it Gun Site, that brings in all kinds of instructors and students which exposes more gunnies to the beautiful town and climate of Prescott, and you eventually end up with a very gun oriented town - though the town and town-folk are pretty oblivious to the thriving gun-culture under their noses.
As I run it through my head, here's the list that I come up with:
Wolfe Publishing
J&G Sales
Davidson's Distributors
Gun Site
Ruger (they make all of their autoloaders there - it's where I met my wife)
Yavapai College Gunsmithing Program
Paul Marquart (mostly Olympic style small-bore these days I think)
Bill Atkinson (Chief designer for Ruger now)
The Stidworthy high-power rifle dynasty (a family of national champions)
Chuck Taylor
Vang Comp Tactical Shotguns
Bob Corbin (former President of NRA)
Sandy Froman (former President of NRA)
Jeanelle Cooper (Jeff's widow)
Rachel Wells (world-class engraver and widow of master rifle builder Fred Wells)
and a bunch of top-notch gunsmiths and firearms trainers that I can't keep track of as they spin-off from the establishment.
There are probably some other gun interests that I missed.
Property around Prescott is relatively expensive, beginning to rival the costs in California where most of the current residents came from. You can probably still find a small house for $200k, but it will be small and in a run-down neighborhood.
I hope to get back into the area myself some day.
When I was in College at Yavapai I worked at J&G and lived in rooms in the back of Bucky O'Neil's gun shop. I got employee discounts in both places, had full use of reloading presses and shop equipment, and got first dibs on trade-ins. I ran with the guys from the gunsmithing program and instructors or former instructors from Gun Site. We shot combat-style competition at least twice a week and spent hours sitting around listening to Chuck Taylor and other experienced trainers wax prolix about effective techniques with rifle, pistol, shotgun, and sub-guns. Man, what a life!
Emory Riddle Aeronautical University also has a campus there so there were always a couple of trust-fund guys with plenty of money to make sure the noise and smoke continued...
Boy, now you've got me all nostalgic and homesick.
It is a beautiful area. Be sure to visit if you ever get the chance.
Jeff
