The Downtowner and Dutch May
Flagstaff's most infamous murder and the building where it happened.
🔮Book Your TourThe History
The block at 19 South San Francisco Street has been many things over the past century. Around 1900, this stretch of the Southside was the heart of Flagstaff's red light district.
Among the most prominent figures was Dutch May Peters Prescott, a well-known madam. In August 1916, she and her companion were found dead in what was officially ruled a murder-suicide. The circumstances were suspicious. The crime was never solved.
Historical Figures at This Stop
The Route 66 Story
The Dutch May story is one of the darkest and most compelling chapters of Flagstaff's history. Standing on the ground where it happened, the narrative connects the Southside's vice era to the larger transformation that Route 66 would bring.
The rest of this story? You will hear it on the tour.
This Is Stop 15 of 16
on the Route 66 Walking Tour of Flagstaff.