The Palace Restaurant and Saloon was built soon after the town of Prescott began to build structures for its downtown area, in 1877. What was needed was an upscale saloon that was decorated “tastefully and lavishly.”

It became the most popular watering hole for all classes of folks in Prescott. Miners who came to town to relax and spend their earnings, enjoyed the beer, the gaming opportunities at the tables, a good meal, and a roll-in-the-hay with a pretty prostitute.

Job boards in the Palace Saloon posted employment openings in Prescott. Local and national news was also available to read via the newspapers.

For area businessmen, the finest “liquors from exotic locations” from world-wide destinations were offered. Many a deal was made in the mining business at the bar.

In the 1870s, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holiday came to drink at the Palace Saloon while they rested in Prescott, before making the journey to Tombstone. Wyatt and Holliday saw some action in Prescott, a precursor to what they would experience in Tombstone, such as the O.K. Corral.

Wyatt Earp was involved in several gunfights behind the saloon, killing two men. Holliday also killed a man in the saloon during a knife fight. Of course, it was a rough era in a rough part of town, before strong lawmen had control of the rowdies.

Disaster hit in 1883, when a raging fire burned down the saloon. Not to be defeated, the owner, Robert Brow, made lemons out of lemonade and built a grander version of The Palace Saloon in a smarter way to deter fires. This grander, new saloon had a stone foundation, as well as brick walls to help prevent another burn-down.

What was added was a magnificent hand-carved solid oak and cherry wood long bar and back bar that was a glorious piece of furniture and a really magnificent addition. “Built in New Jersey, the bar was freighted around the tip of South America to San Francisco, from where it was transported by pack mule to Prescott, then the territorial capital of Arizona.”

The Palace Saloon became even more admired and loved by the drinking community, though no self-respecting woman would enter. It was the ultimate drinking-man cave!

In the basement, there were dens for those who enjoyed smoking opium. The basement was connected to tunnels that ran under the street. These contributed to illegal vices banned above ground.

In 1901, another fire raced down the street, damaging but not destroying the Palace Saloon. Patrons carried out the long bar, the alcoholic inventory, other furniture and set up the bar in the courthouse plaza where they continued to consume their favorite drink.

The saloon was once again remodeled into an even grander version than before. This time, a neo-classical style of architecture was chosen, rebuilt with non-flammable materials: iron, granite and ornamental bricks. Once again, it became the place in town to drink, gamble and enjoy carnal pleasures.

Eventually, prostitution was outlawed and stopped, and mining ceased, but the people who ran the Palace Saloon found that tourists and vacationers made up for the financial slack. Tourism dollars supplemented the financial support the business received from the locals, who still loved this place.

During Prohibition, the traditional bar on the first floor stopped serving alcohol, but people could still get a meal.  A speakeasy was set up in the basement for people who wanted their beer and to gamble in a card game, thank you very much!  A mob representative may have been present to enforce the rules when they were broken. Violating the rules set down in stone were met with severe punishment.

The Palace Saloon and Restaurant soldiered on through the years: the Depression, WW2, the ‘50s, ‘60s to the present day 2021. Filmmakers and TV producers discovered what a great place the Palace Saloon and Restaurant would be to use as a location for their projects. Films like “Wishmaker,” “Billy Jack,” “Wanda Nevada” and “Junior Bonner” as well as MVD Ghostchasers, and Ghost Adventures have filmed here.

By the time former owner Dave Michelson bought this property it had slipped a bit and wqs a fixer-upper. It became his mission to completely restore this property to what it looked like inside in 1877.

He spent a boatload of money over the years to fully restore the Prescott Palace Saloon. He accomplished this goal in 1996 by completing the last planned project where “the saloon underwent a retrograde renovation, restoring the interior to better reflect the time frame in which it was created, including swinging doors, hardwood floors, oak wainscoting and leaded-glass windows.”

In 2018, Michelson sold this property to Dennis McCormick, Derry McCormick, Scott Stanford, and Martha Mekeel.  They are in love with this property and are enthusiastic about their prospects here, keeping their goals in tune with those of the former owners. They knew what they were getting into, and whom they would be sharing this special building with; spirits that have connections to this place.

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon was built soon after the town of Prescott began to build structures for its downtown area, in 1877. What was needed was an upscale saloon that was decorated “tastefully and lavishly.”

It became the most popular watering hole for all classes of folks in Prescott. Miners who came to town to relax and spend their earnings, enjoyed the beer, the gaming opportunities at the tables, a good meal, and a roll-in-the-hay with a pretty prostitute.

Job boards in the Palace Saloon posted employment openings in Prescott. Local and national news was also available to read via the newspapers.

For area businessmen, the finest “liquors from exotic locations” from world-wide destinations were offered. Many a deal was made in the mining business at the bar.

In the 1870s, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holiday came to drink at the Palace Saloon while they rested in Prescott, before making the journey to Tombstone. Wyatt and Holliday saw some action in Prescott, a precursor to what they would experience in Tombstone, such as the O.K. Corral.

Wyatt Earp was involved in several gunfights behind the saloon, killing two men. Holliday also killed a man in the saloon during a knife fight. Of course, it was a rough era in a rough part of town, before strong lawmen had control of the rowdies.

Disaster hit in 1883, when a raging fire burned down the saloon. Not to be defeated, the owner, Robert Brow, made lemons out of lemonade and built a grander version of The Palace Saloon in a smarter way to deter fires. This grander, new saloon had a stone foundation, as well as brick walls to help prevent another burn-down.

What was added was a magnificent hand-carved solid oak and cherry wood long bar and back bar that was a glorious piece of furniture and a really magnificent addition. “Built in New Jersey, the bar was freighted around the tip of South America to San Francisco, from where it was transported by pack mule to Prescott, then the territorial capital of Arizona.”

The Palace Saloon became even more admired and loved by the drinking community, though no self-respecting woman would enter. It was the ultimate drinking-man cave!

In the basement, there were dens for those who enjoyed smoking opium. The basement was connected to tunnels that ran under the street. These contributed to illegal vices banned above ground.

In 1901, another fire raced down the street, damaging but not destroying the Palace Saloon. Patrons carried out the long bar, the alcoholic inventory, other furniture and set up the bar in the courthouse plaza where they continued to consume their favorite drink.

The saloon was once again remodeled into an even grander version than before. This time, a neo-classical style of architecture was chosen, rebuilt with non-flammable materials: iron, granite and ornamental bricks. Once again, it became the place in town to drink, gamble and enjoy carnal pleasures.

Eventually, prostitution was outlawed and stopped, and mining ceased, but the people who ran the Palace Saloon found that tourists and vacationers made up for the financial slack. Tourism dollars supplemented the financial support the business received from the locals, who still loved this place.

During Prohibition, the traditional bar on the first floor stopped serving alcohol, but people could still get a meal.  A speakeasy was set up in the basement for people who wanted their beer and to gamble in a card game, thank you very much!  A mob representative may have been present to enforce the rules when they were broken. Violating the rules set down in stone were met with severe punishment.

The Palace Saloon and Restaurant soldiered on through the years: the Depression, WW2, the ‘50s, ‘60s to the present day 2021. Filmmakers and TV producers discovered what a great place the Palace Saloon and Restaurant would be to use as a location for their projects. Films like “Wishmaker,” “Billy Jack,” “Wanda Nevada” and “Junior Bonner” as well as MVD Ghostchasers, and Ghost Adventures have filmed here.

By the time former owner Dave Michelson bought this property it had slipped a bit and wqs a fixer-upper. It became his mission to completely restore this property to what it looked like inside in 1877.

He spent a boatload of money over the years to fully restore the Prescott Palace Saloon. He accomplished this goal in 1996 by completing the last planned project where “the saloon underwent a retrograde renovation, restoring the interior to better reflect the time frame in which it was created, including swinging doors, hardwood floors, oak wainscoting and leaded-glass windows.”

In 2018, Michelson sold this property to Dennis McCormick, Derry McCormick, Scott Stanford, and Martha Mekeel.  They are in love with this property and are enthusiastic about their prospects here, keeping their goals in tune with those of the former owners. They knew what they were getting into, and whom they would be sharing this special building with; spirits that have connections to this place.

Owners, staff and patrons have all had paranormal experiences in this very haunted building for years, especially after it was fully restored as a labor of love by Mr. Michelen.

Ghost Adventures filmed an episode here and had their hands full catching hard evidence of the spirits who reside here. They had a scary time in the basement and caught proof of the nasty entity who makes it’s nest there. This investigation is  Season 16, episode 3. I reviewed it on Discovery Plus, a website well worth the fee to join.

Spirits are here for a variety of reasons: to try to find peace for their restlessness, to enjoy their good memories, or to relive their nightmares. Some may take it out on the living to varying degrees, though basically they are well-behaved in the saloon and restaurant.

The spectral brute/evil presence in the basement may still be a hindrance to staff who don’t like going down there to be his/her/its victim.

The spirits in the Palace Restaurant and Saloon area are accepted as being part of the building by the owners, staff and patrons. The nasty one in the basement is here to stay unless an experienced exorcist is called in to get rid of it. Perhaps the new owners did so and it is gone.