Sharlot Hall
Encyclopedia
Sharlot Mabridth Hall was an American
journalist
, poet
and historian
. She was the first woman to hold an office in the Arizona Territorial
government and her personal collection of photographs and artifacts served as the starting collection for a history museum
which bears her name.
on October 17, 1870. In November 1881, her family followed the Santa Fe Trail
to Arizona Territory
, moving to the Orchard Ranch on the Lynx Creek 20 miles south of Prescott
. During the trip, near Dodge City, she was thrown from her horse and suffered an injury to her back or hip. The pain of the injury would remain with her the rest of her life. Hall was educated in public schools, first near the present location of Dewey, Arizona and later in Prescott. At an early age, Hall demonstrated an interest and talent in poetry. Upon graduation she went to Los Angeles
to attend the Cumnock School Of Expression. In 1921 Hall received an honorary Bachelor of Arts
from the University of Arizona
.
At the age of 20, Hall sold her first article to a children's magazine for US$4.00. By age 22 she was working as a journalist, poet, and essayist. Hall became a regular contributor to Charles Lummis' magazine Land of Sunshine and in 1901, when two other poets were unable to complete their deadline, she wrote the poem which announced the magazine's new name of Out West. In 1906, Hall was promoted to associate editor for the magazine.
In 1905, when legislation to admit Arizona Territory and New Mexico Territory
as a single combined state was proposed in the U.S. Congress, Hall responded by writing the poem Arizona. The poem, which mocked the proposal and made the case for Arizona's independent statehood, was published in several publications and a copy of the poem was given to every member of Congress. In 1909, Hall was appointed Territorial Historian by Governor Sloan
. This was followed the next year with the release of Cactus and pine: songs of the Southwest, her first compilation. In 1911, Hall made a trip to the Arizona Strip
in an effort to raise awareness of the area's potential among Arizona residents and prevent Utah
from obtaining the region as Nevada
had obtained Pah-Ute County in 1866. In 1912 she resigned as Territorial Historian and returned to her family ranch to care for her parents.
Hall returned to the public view in 1923 with the release of an expanded version of Cactus and pine containing a selection of additional poems. This was followed by her selection as a presidential elector, voting for Calvin Coolidge
, in 1925. Hall wore a custom dress made of copper
for the balloting ceremony. She also used her trip to Washington D.C. to visit a variety of museums and learn about their management.
Following the death of her father, Hall acquired the cabin which had served as the "Governor's mansion" for Arizona Territory's first governors. In addition to her living quarters, she used the building to house her collection of artifacts related to Arizona pioneers and pre-historic Yavapai county. This move was followed, in 1928, with her founding of the Prescott Historical Society. The same year she opened what she called the Old Governor's Mansion Museum, now known as the Sharlot Hall Museum
.
Over the following years, Hall oversaw the expansion of her museum through the acquisition of a variety of additional historical buildings. She was also a popular speaker, giving talks on local history and folklore to schools and clubs throughout the state. Hall died on April 9, 1943 and was buried in a family plot in Prescott's Pioneer Cemetery.
Two years after her death, the Prescott Historical Society changed their name to the Sharlot Hall Historical Society. Additionally, Hall was among the first to be inducted to Arizona's Women Hall of Fame. In 1984, the Sharlot Hall Award was established and is awarded annually to "an Arizona woman who has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. She was the first woman to hold an office in the Arizona Territorial
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
government and her personal collection of photographs and artifacts served as the starting collection for a history museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
which bears her name.
Background
Hall was born to James Polk Knox and Adeline Susannah Boblett Hall in Lincoln County, KansasLincoln County, Kansas
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,241...
on October 17, 1870. In November 1881, her family followed the Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
to Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, moving to the Orchard Ranch on the Lynx Creek 20 miles south of Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
. During the trip, near Dodge City, she was thrown from her horse and suffered an injury to her back or hip. The pain of the injury would remain with her the rest of her life. Hall was educated in public schools, first near the present location of Dewey, Arizona and later in Prescott. At an early age, Hall demonstrated an interest and talent in poetry. Upon graduation she went to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to attend the Cumnock School Of Expression. In 1921 Hall received an honorary Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
At the age of 20, Hall sold her first article to a children's magazine for US$4.00. By age 22 she was working as a journalist, poet, and essayist. Hall became a regular contributor to Charles Lummis' magazine Land of Sunshine and in 1901, when two other poets were unable to complete their deadline, she wrote the poem which announced the magazine's new name of Out West. In 1906, Hall was promoted to associate editor for the magazine.
In 1905, when legislation to admit Arizona Territory and New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
as a single combined state was proposed in the U.S. Congress, Hall responded by writing the poem Arizona. The poem, which mocked the proposal and made the case for Arizona's independent statehood, was published in several publications and a copy of the poem was given to every member of Congress. In 1909, Hall was appointed Territorial Historian by Governor Sloan
Richard Elihu Sloan
Richard Elihu Sloan was a United States Republican politician, who held the distinction of being the last Territorial Governor of Arizona....
. This was followed the next year with the release of Cactus and pine: songs of the Southwest, her first compilation. In 1911, Hall made a trip to the Arizona Strip
Arizona Strip
The Arizona Strip is the part of the U.S. state of Arizona lying north of the Colorado River. The difficulty of crossing the Grand Canyon causes this region to have more natural connections with southern Utah and Nevada than with the rest of Arizona....
in an effort to raise awareness of the area's potential among Arizona residents and prevent Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
from obtaining the region as Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
had obtained Pah-Ute County in 1866. In 1912 she resigned as Territorial Historian and returned to her family ranch to care for her parents.
Hall returned to the public view in 1923 with the release of an expanded version of Cactus and pine containing a selection of additional poems. This was followed by her selection as a presidential elector, voting for Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, in 1925. Hall wore a custom dress made of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
for the balloting ceremony. She also used her trip to Washington D.C. to visit a variety of museums and learn about their management.
Following the death of her father, Hall acquired the cabin which had served as the "Governor's mansion" for Arizona Territory's first governors. In addition to her living quarters, she used the building to house her collection of artifacts related to Arizona pioneers and pre-historic Yavapai county. This move was followed, in 1928, with her founding of the Prescott Historical Society. The same year she opened what she called the Old Governor's Mansion Museum, now known as the Sharlot Hall Museum
Sharlot Hall Museum
The Sharlot Hall Museum is an open air museum located in Prescott, Arizona. Opened in 1928 by Sharlot M. Hall as the Old Governor's Mansion Museum, it is dedicated to preserving the history and folklore of Yavapai County, Arizona...
.
Over the following years, Hall oversaw the expansion of her museum through the acquisition of a variety of additional historical buildings. She was also a popular speaker, giving talks on local history and folklore to schools and clubs throughout the state. Hall died on April 9, 1943 and was buried in a family plot in Prescott's Pioneer Cemetery.
Two years after her death, the Prescott Historical Society changed their name to the Sharlot Hall Historical Society. Additionally, Hall was among the first to be inducted to Arizona's Women Hall of Fame. In 1984, the Sharlot Hall Award was established and is awarded annually to "an Arizona woman who has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history."
External links
- Who was Sharlot M. Hall? from Sharlot Hall Museum
- Sharlot Madbrith Hall, Arizona Women's Hall of Fame