In the late 1800s, today’s Flagstaff was just another rough and tumble railroad settlement, set up to meet the needs of the hundreds of rail workers passing through. There were more saloons and gambling halls than homes, and the new town attracted hordes of desperate characters. That all changed when E.E. Ayers opened his lumber mill inAugust, 1882. As increasingly more families settled in the cool mountain pines, it was apparent that the riffraff and the outlaws would have to give way to the churches and schools. Despite interventions by the town council, it took more than a decade of bickering and legal maneuvering to reach a compromise that pushed the “red light” district
south of the tracks, where it was allowed its space.
Join local author Susan Johnson for a fascinating walk down Flagstaff’s wild side and learn how these fractious individuals finally reached a compromise and became a town.
Community Talk, Interactive, Outdoors, Photography, Society + Culture, Storytelling
Event Venue
23 South W.C. Riles St., 23 SWC Riles Dr, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, United States,Flagstaff, Arizona
