Drake, Arizona

Drake was a town in the early 1900s, which grew out of a railway work camp for construction of the very high "Big Hell Canyon Railroad Bridge", on high trestles, completed in 1901. It was first known as Cedar Glade, and had a population of 70 in 1909. It was renamed to "Drake" in 1920.{{Cite web |last=Kathy Block |date=November 18, 2011 |title=A Tale of Two Towns: Cedar Glade (Drake) and Puntenney, Arizona |url=https://www.apcrp.org/BLOCK_KATHY/TALE_OF_TWO_TOWNS/A_Tale_of_Two_Towns_Mast.htm |publisher=American Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922035309/https://www.apcrp.org/BLOCK_KATHY/TALE_OF_TWO_TOWNS/A_Tale_of_Two_Towns_Mast.htm |url-status=live }} (Internet version)

In 1912 Cedar Glade "became the junction for the Verde Valley Railroad, which accessed a copper smelter in Clarkdale .... Approximately 20 structures had been built there by the railroad, including a depot, agent's house, water tank, a number of section houses, bunkhouse, and freight warehouses. The railroad kept a small staff in Drake thru the 1950s." Cedar Glade was home to a boarding house and veterinarian, as well as the Swanbeck store.{{Cite news |title=Closing of Road Apt to Boom Cedar Glade |pages=2 |work=Prescott Weekly Journal-Miner |access-date=September 26, 2022 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/prescott-weekly-journal-miner-apr-21-1920-p-2/}}

File:Northern Yavapai County, 1925.png

In 1920, Drake's population was recorded as 18.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WqRRAQAAMAAJ |title=Premier Atlas of the World: Containing Maps of All Countries of the World, with the Most Recent Boundary Decisions, and Maps of All the States, Territories, and Possessions of the United States with Population Figures from the Latest Official Census Reports, Also Data of Interest Concerning International and Domestic Political Questions |date=1925 |publisher=Rand McNally & Company |page=166 |language=en}}

In 1919, the towns of Puntenney and Cedar Glade were placed under quarantine due to a Smallpox outbreak. No resident was allowed to leave either community, although passengers on the Santa Fe Railroad were still allowed to change cars at Cedar Glade.{{Cite news |date=April 29, 1921 |title=Cedar Glade and Puntenny Are Quarantined |pages=7 |work=The Coconino Sun |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/flagstaff-coconino-sun-apr-29-1921-p-7/ |access-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926190143/https://newspaperarchive.com/flagstaff-coconino-sun-apr-29-1921-p-7/ |url-status=live }} 1922 saw a running gunfight through the streets during the era of prohibition.{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1922 |title=Prisoner Flees When Arrested |pages=2 |work=Prescott Journal Miner |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/prescott-weekly-journal-miner-aug-02-1922-p-2/ |access-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926193139/https://newspaperarchive.com/prescott-weekly-journal-miner-aug-02-1922-p-2/ |url-status=live }}

A separate schoolhouse was built in 1928, though children were taught in Drake by teachers around 1920, and earlier they crossed the railway trestle to attend school in Puntenney, Arizona. In October 1919 a two-room house and the public school in Cedar Glade were burned, and school was dismissed.{{Cite news |date=October 24, 1919 |title=Schoolhouse Burns Down at Cedar Glade |page=6 |publisher=Flagstaff Coconino Sun}} The 1920 Census listed Barnetta Ball, age 39, as "Teacher Public School." Elizabeth Stroud was teacher in Drake mentioned in a January 30, 1922, article in the Arizona Republic.{{Cite news |date=January 30, 1922 |title=Accepts School in Chandler |page=5 |publisher=Arizona Republic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/119393342/?terms=%22Drake%2C%20Arizona%22&match=1}}

{{Historical populations

|title= Drake
historical population

|type= USA

|align= left

|width= 20%

|state= Arizona

|shading=

|percentages=

|1909|70

|1920|18

|1940|17

|1960|12

|

}}

Drake was also the nearest community to Little Hell Canyon Bridge, another road bridge about {{convert|8|mi|km}} up Hell Canyon, when that was listed on the National Register in 1987.

In 1944 the average annual precipitation for Drake, which is in a valley at elevation {{convert|4610|ft|m}}, was believed to be {{convert|14.10|in|m}}.[https://books.google.com/books?id=roeJZdAOFlEC&dq=Cedar+Glade,+Arizona&pg=RA8-PA28 U.S. Department of Agriculture Field Bulletins (1944)]

File:Remnants (4487711948).jpg

In 1956, the Republic Cement Corporation of Delaware proposed building a cement manufacturing plant in the town of Drake after obtaining mining claims in Drake and in San Bernardino, California.{{Cite book |last=Commission |first=United States Securities and Exchange |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U6yMot4Ob-sC&dq=%2522drake%2522%252B%2522yavapai+county%2522&pg=PA20 |title=Decisions and Reports |date=1960 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=20 |language=en}}

Drake's population was 17 in 1940,{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTcjAQAAMAAJ |title=The Attorneys List |publisher=United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Attorney List Department |year=1940 |page=85 |language=en}} and was 12 in the 1960 U.S. Census.{{Cite encyclopedia |year=1960 |title=Arizona |encyclopedia=World Book Encyclopedia |publisher=Field Enterprises Educational Corporation |location=Chicago, IL |volume=A |page=557}}

The road bridge between Drake and Puntenney has been blocked by the Drake Cement plant.{{Cite web |title=Puntenney |url=https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/puntenney.html |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922044916/https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/puntenney.html |url-status=live }}

Drake is the location of the historic Cedar Glade Cemetery, also known as Drake Cemetery, which is located on property of the Drake Cement Company.{{cite web |last1=Du Shane |first1=Neal |title=Tale of Two Towns: Cedar Glade Cemetery, Drake, AZ |url=http://apcrp.org/DRAKE_CEDAR_GLADE/Cedar_Glade_Mast_011013.htm |website=American Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project |publisher=Neal Du Shane |date=January 11, 2013}} In 2019 the Drake Cement company gave notice of intent to remove all remains and relocate the historic Cedar Glade Cemetery, on its property. The cemetery had burials from c.1891 to c.1930.{{Cite news |date=February 22, 2019 |title=Drake Cement LLC Cemetery Relocation |page=13 |publisher=Yuma Sun |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/yuma-sun-feb-15-2019-p-11/ |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926183450/https://newspaperarchive.com/yuma-sun-feb-15-2019-p-11/ |url-status=live }}

It is in the Chino Valley Unified School District.{{cite web|url=https://gis.yavapaiaz.gov/docs/share/School_Districts_36x48_2023.pdf|title=School District Map|publisher=Yavapai County|access-date=2024-12-28|archive-date=December 28, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228155346/https://gis.yavapaiaz.gov/docs/share/School_Districts_36x48_2023.pdf|url-status=live}} - Indicates locations of unincorporated areas.

• Arizona State Route 89

{{reflist}}

{{Yavapai County, Arizona}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Yavapai County, Arizona

Category:Unincorporated communities in Arizona