The town of Dewey-Humboldt is located in the valley of the Agua Fria River nestled in the rolling desert terrain adjacent to the Bradshaw Mountains and Prescott National Forest. The town today represents a combination of the lives and experiences of many who lived and worked in the valley of the Agua Fria River over hundreds of years. Native Americans lived in the valley and farmed the land and built stone houses, the remains of which can be seen today. The first European explorers to the area were the Spanish seeking gold and silver in the 1500s. Trappers arrived in the 1820s. Settlers began arriving in the mid-1800s to farm, ranch, mine and establish mills. Railroad access helped develop and maintain the mining industry. Farming, ranching and mining occupations defined the economics of the area through the 1960s with the community thriving or struggling depending on the demand for ore. Today there is considerable community interest in retaining our historical past and Dewey-Humboldt and the Society will benefit from development of history-based tourism.