Del Rio Springs

 spring, place with historical importance, fort

A century ago, water from this spring filled 4 miles of Little Chino Creek flowing north to the Verde River. It was head water for the Salt and Gila Rivers. "Del río" is Spanish for "from the river". In February 1863, President A. Lincoln signed an order for the Territory of Arizona Territory, which needed a capital for government. In May this site was selected and called Camp Clark, for the surveyor. In December 23, 1863, the capital was established as the Military Post of Ft. Whipple, after Lt. A.W. Whipple. The adjacent creek was called Cienega Creek, now Del Rio Creek. In May 1964 the Fort and capital were moved 14 miles south to the miner's tent settlement called Granite City (also Granite Dells, Gimletville), which was on higher ground, had better access to lumber, and the military could better protect miners. By August 1864 Postle, Brown & Co. squatted 500 acres at Camp Clark for farming. Other homesteaders soon came and established a settlement named Del Rio about 1 mile north, with a cemetery. In 1900 the Del Rio Springs was purchased by the City of Prescott as a municipal water supply, which stopped pumping in 1910 when water disappeared after an earthquake. The new Fort near Prescott was converted to a military hospital and the location is now the Bob Stump VA Medical Center, with a Fort Whipple Museum.
4-part "Del Rio Springs History", Chino Valley Historical Society:
www.cvazhs.org/?page_id=69 Territorial Government
www.cvazhs.org/?page_id=73 First Settlers
www.cvazhs.org/?page_id=75 Prescott Water Works
www.cvazhs.org/?page_id=78 Fred Harvey Farm
vrbp.org/latest-news/150th-anniversary-del-rio-springs/
www.apcrp.org/DEL_RIO_SPRINGS/Del_Rio_Springs_Cem_Mast....
sharlot.org/2000/october/651-del-rio-s-quick-brush-with...
Photos: A.L. Medina, 9/9/2008, p. 47 in www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr291/rmrs_gtr291_019_072.p...
40 photos at Sharlot Hall Archives & Library:
sharlot.org/library-archives/index.php/freetextsearch/s...