About Yavapai Hills

Yavapai Hills is interwoven with Hollywood history

Tom Mix was a huge star of silent-movie Westerns from 1909 to 1935. He appeared in 336 feature films, directing 177 of them. He was Hollywood’s first Western star and helped define the genre as it emerged in the early days of cinema.

In 1913, Mix moved his family to a ranch he purchased in Prescott named Bar Circle A Ranch. Some of his movies were filmed in his Prescott home.

During this time, Mix had success in the local Prescott Frontier Days rodeo, the “world’s oldest rodeo”.   In 1920, he took first prize in a bull-riding contest. Though Tom Mix died in a tragic car accident in 1940, his legacy lives on. 

Since that time, the Bar Circle A Ranch was developed into a planned community called Yavapai Hills. The original ranch house which was a satellite studio for many of Tom Mix’s westerns was remodeled in 1975 and a recreational area added. This remodeling coincided with the acquisition of the 1,240-acre ranch for the planned development of the Yavapai Hills subdivision in Prescott.   This location eventually became the Clubhouse for Yavapai Hills.  The Clubhouse was most recently updated in the 2021. 

As you drive through the community many of the streets pay homage to Tom Mix and his movies, including “Chip of the Flying U”, a film released in August 1914; “In the Days of the Thundering Herd”, released in November 1914; “Twisted Trails”, released in Dec. 1916; “The Rough Diamond”, released October 1921, “Riders of the Purple Sage”, released in March 1925, and “The Miracle Rider” released in May 1935.

Since 1975, Yavapai Hills has continued with its own changes and updates. We boast over 1,200 homes, with incredible views, green spaces, and a great sense of community.

Yavapai Hills is a tribute to the way that Tom Mix lived. An active community, that enjoys being outdoors in the cool highlands of central Arizona and living an update western lifestyle; comfortable suburban living combined with the facilities and conveniences of urban living.