Prescott, from Ogdensburgh Harbour.

Title

Prescott, from Ogdensburgh Harbour.

Description

View from the harbour of Ogdensburg to the town of Prescott in Arizona, USA.

c. 1840

Artist

Bartlett (1809-1854)

William Henry Bartlett (1809 – 1854) was a British artist, best known for his numerous steel engravings. The finely detailed steel engravings Bartlett produced were published uncolored with a text by Nathaniel Parker Willis as American Scenery. Bartlett made sepia wash drawings the exact size to be engraved. His engraved views were widely copied by artists, but no signed oil painting by his hand is known. Engravings based on Bartlett's views were later used in his posthumous History of the United States of North America, continued by Bernard Bolingbroke Woodward and published around 1856.

Historical Description

The first recorded European contact with the indigenous, Yavapai, was made by Spaniard Antonio de Espejo in 1583, who was looking for gold. Until the 1860's, there was no permanent European presence. The territory was explored by the Walker Party in 1862 and 1863. Walker and his men discovered gold at Hassayampa Creek, just south of Prescott, in 1863. Further gold was struck at nearby Lynx Creek, Weaver Creek, and Big Bug. With the backing of Ohio railroad magnates, the Arizona Organic Act establishing the Arizona territory was pushed through in February 1863. The land was now open to settlers.