Prescott Valley

Pronghorn antelope still roam on the grassy plains and hills of Prescott Valley. Located about 80 miles northwest of Phoenix, this community lies between the Bradshaw and Mingus mountains 5,100 feet above the desert plains. Since 1990, Prescott Valley, one of Arizona's fastest growing communities, has gone from a population of 8,858 to more than 20,000. Nearby developments outside the town limits increase the population to 66,000, according to Prescott Valley Officials.

Overlooking the width and breadth of Prescott Valley, Glassford Hill has seen civilizations come and go. Archeological evidence of early man goes back as far as 800 A.D. Ancient Indian villages were settled around Glassford Hill in 1400. In 1582, Spanish explorers were in this vicinity as evidenced by the signs of Spanish mining efforts in nearby Badger Springs. In 1864, gold was discovered in nearby Bradshaw Mountains and the U.S. Cavalry established Fort Whipple five miles away. The cavalry used Glassford Hill as a heliograph site using signal mirrors to communicate with other army units in the war against the Apaches.

Prescott Valley Campus offers top-notch education and training for public safety professionals through the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy and Fire Science Academy. Professionals with the Workforce and Economic Development Department and the Community and Professional Education Center develop programs and courses that benefit business owners and attract new business and industry to the region.