Yavapai County

About

Yavapai County is one Arizona's original territorial counties formed in 1864. The County encompasses 8,122 square miles and 5 square miles of water. For comparison, the area is about the same size as the State of New Jersey. Thirty-eight percent of the land is administered by the U.S. Forest Service, 9% by the U. S. Bureau of Land Management, 27% by the State of Arizona, 26% is held privately by individuals or corporations, and less than 0.5% is held in trust as Indian Reservation. There are three Indian reservations located in the county -- the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Reservation, the Clarkdale, and the Camp Verde Indian Reservation.

The first territorial government in Arizona was established 20 miles north of present day Prescott in 1863 and moved to the site of Prescott in 1864. Prescott was the center of gold mining activity and one of the most productive areas of the Southwest. The principal industries today include tourism and recreation, ranching, manufacturing, and mining.

Yavapai County raises cattle, alfalfa, and has numerous vineyards.