Jerome Arizona

Jerome is in Northern Arizona . It is in Yavapai County. It is located overlooking the Verde Valley in the Mingus Mountains on top of Cleopatra Hill in the Prescott National Forest. You can get there from Phoenix or Tucson by taking Interstate 17 north out of town. Continue up to the town of Camp Verde where you will exit and head west on State Highway 260. Then travel along on State Highway 260 to Cottonwood. Once you cross State Highway 89A, take State Highway 89A west and follow it up to Jerome. If you are coming from Flagstaff take State Highway 89A southwest out of town and travel through Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona and on up into Jerome.

Jerome is a unique town to learn about mining and to take in its small town charm. It is a town that began as a mining town. Today Jerome’s population is 400. The town sits at an elevation of 5,435 feet. It has a moderate climate. The low temperature in the winter is 30 degrees and the high temperature in the summer is 97 degrees. Jerome is an interesting town, in that it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967. Its homes and streets cling precariously to the sides of Mingus Mountain. You will find picturesque vistas, which attract both artists and photographers. The town became deserted after the mining stopped, but today it is making a comeback with tourism. Antique, craft and gift shops line the streets. There are also art galleries and boutiques.

There are some terrific attractions near Jerome. The Jerome State Historic Park is a great place to stop and sample what life was life for the famous copper baron, James Douglas. The Jerome Historical Society Mine Museum has a photo collection worth stopping in to take a look. The Gold King Mine and Ghost Town is a quaint place to browse through antique machinery. The kids will love the petting zoo. The Verde Canyon Railroad is a wonderful experience. Visitors will travel down the railroad lines viewing scenic spots and wildlife. This is a very popular attraction. Tuzigoot National Monument is an old Indian dwelling. This national monument gives visitors an opportunity to see the ancient culture up close through several hiking trails.

Jerome has so many outdoor activities. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is so close to town. This park has a variety of things to offer its visitors. You may go camping, horseback riding or even fishing. The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area is a 26-mile canyon perfect for hiking. This canyon is one of the most breathtaking spots in the area.

Spanish explorers were the first to discover the mineral wealth in the area. Yet, the rough terrain caused the rock to be hidden for many years.

Then in the 1870s army scout Al Sieber worked on claims in the area, but he later gave up his claims. In 1876, some American prospectors staked claims, on Siebers advise, but they couldnt raise enough money to make a go of it.

Then Eugene Jerome, a wealthy lawyer and financier came along and offered to back those who would want to mine. Thus, the name of the town and the United Verde Copper Company came into being. However, Jerome never visited the town. The town sits halfway up Cleopatra Hill, which is a part of the Mingus Mountains. In 1882, the United Verde Copper Company began operating and the town went wild. Good and bad times depended completely on the copper prices. By 1884, the cost of hauling the ore to the town of Ashfork had become too expensive and labor problems were becoming difficult. So Jerome put the mine up for sale. He was offering $300,000. Phelps-Dodge wanted it, but thought that they could get it cheaper because Jerome was going through tough times. Phelps-Dodge offered $30,000, which Jerome declined and instead sold it to William Andrews Clark for the full asking price. Phelps-Dodge made a counter offer, but it was a day late. Ironically Phelps-Dodge became the owner, only after much of the minerals had been mined.

In 1892, Clark built a narrow gauge railroad into Jerome from Chino Valley. Clark became extremely wealthy. He would anything in his power to continue to build his wealth. It was also during this time from 1897 and 1899 the town endured three fires. The fires destroyed businesses and homes. Yet, each time Jerome was rebuilt and went on growing.

Then in 1899, Clark decided he wanted to become a senator, so he ran in Montana and won. However, the Senate Elections and Privileges Committee would not seat him. Eventually he gave up after winning two elections. In 1914, Clark built a smelter in the town of Clarksdale at the base of Mingus Mountain, below Jerome. He also established a railroad line to the town.

Jimmy Douglas came to Jerome in 1912. He bought the Little Daisy Mine at the foot of Cleopatra Hill. After two years of trying he finally hit a vein. This became one of the richest ever found in America. The town went crazy. Everyone was making money. By 1929, fifteen thousand people lived in town. Jerome was one of the largest cities in Arizona . Saloons, gambling dens and brothels opened up. It was once reported that Jerome was the wickedest town in the west.

Years passed by and the minerals soon started to dry up. The stock market crashed and the Depression began and many of the towns residents left. The population dropped to 5,000.

William Clark died in 1925 and his fortune was left for his family to fight over. Eventually, Phelps-Dodge bought the operation in 1935. Jimmy Douglas died in 1949, after becoming a multimillionaire and mining out all that was there. During the towns heyday, the town produced over one billion dollars of copper, gold, silver and zinc during its 70-year active life.

Finally, the fall of copper prices and the closing of the Phelps Dodge Mine in 1953, Jerome became one of the largest ghost cities. The town started to disappear. It was during this time only 50 residents lived in Jerome.

Miraculously the town rebounded in the 1960s, when many retirees, artists and tourists started coming to Jerome. Jerome has endured a lot and has always risen from the dust.

The Jerome Historical Society Mine Museum opened its doors in 1953. It was created by the townspeople of Jerome, with the purpose of preserving the rich copper mining history of the Verde district. It is a combination gift shop and museum. Visitors will see a variety of interesting artifacts about the mining town. Paintings, tools, mineral samples and stock certificates help retell the towns past. A collection of over 1,000 photographs is on display.

The museum is open everyday from 9:00 to 4:30 pm, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days. The admission charge is 50 cents for adults and children under 12 are free. If you would like more information on the museum, you may call 520-634-5477.

You can get to the museum from Jerome by going to the corner of Main (which is also called State Highway 89A) and Jerome Avenue. If you are coming from Phoenix or Tucson you will take Interstate 17 north out of town. When you get to the town of Camp Verde, you will exit and take State Highway 260 northwest through several small towns and on up into Jerome. Then continue into town, when you get to the intersection of Main (which is also what you are traveling on, State Highway 89A) and Jerome Avenue you have arrived at the museum. If you are coming from Flagstaff, you will take State Highway 89A southwest out of town. You will travel down Oak Creek and through Sedona. Then you will continue on up to Jerome. Travel through town until you get to the intersection of Main (which is also what you are traveling on, State Highway 89A) and Jerome Avenue then you have arrived at the museum.

Jerome State Historic Park features the former Douglas Mansion, which has been converted into a museum. The mansion was donated to the Arizona State Parks in 1962 and opened to the public in 1965. The mansion was built on two acres in 1916 and sits regally atop a hill overlooking the Verde Valley. The 8,700 square foot mansion cost $150,000 to construct. The mansion served as a hotel for visiting mining officials and investors. It was also the home for Rawhide James S. Douglas and his family. Douglass became a multimillionaire when his Little Daisy Mine struck a five-foot thick vein of copper.

The mansions well-appointed interior and thick adobe architecture reflect the high-life experienced by the mining baron. Your visit will give you a taste of what life was like for the copper king. The marble paneled bathrooms, a built-in vacuum cleaning system (one of the first of its kind), a wine cellar along with the wide sweeping balconies, which can be seen many miles away.

The park has displays that feature local mining history and methods. There is a video describing the many changes that Jerome has gone through. A three-dimensional model of Jeromes mine shafts is upstairs in the mansion. Jerome was once one of Arizona s most productive copper mines in the area. Yet, during the Depression, copper prices dropped and Jerome fell too.

Outside the mansion there is a giant stamp mill and more primitive wheels used to crush ore. While walking around the grounds, you will also discover fabulous views of the valley below. Jerome State Historic Park is situated on three areas at an elevation of 5,240. There are placards at a variety of viewpoints identifying several of the landmarks below.

The park is open everyday, except on Christmas Day. Its hours are 8:00 to 5:00 pm. Admission into the park is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children between 12-17. The park has restrooms and a picnic area. If you are interested in learning more about the park, you may call 520-634-5381.

You can get to Jerome State Historic Park from Jerome by taking State Highway east out of town. It is just below the town. If you are coming from Phoenix or Tucson you will take Interstate 17 north out of town. When you get to the town of Camp Verde, you will exit and take State Highway 260 northwest through several small towns and on up into Jerome. You will see the signs for the park, before you get to town. If you are coming from Flagstaff, you will take State Highway 89A southwest out of town. You will travel down Oak Creek and through Sedona. Then you will continue on up to Jerome. Before you get to Jerome, you will see the signs for the park.

The Gold King Mine was once Haynes, Arizona . In 1890, the Haynes Copper Company dug a 1,200 foot shaft. The company was in search of copper, but that wasnt what they found. Instead, they found gold. When the gold dried up the town was abandoned.

Today, you will find many interesting sights and activities at the mine. When you arrive you will go through the gift shop and on into the mine area. You may take a walk in the mine and see demonstrations of antique mining equipment. There are displays of antique trucks and a tractor collection. Visitors will see the worlds largest gas engines. If you are interested in gold panning, there are lessons given for a fee. The kids will enjoy the petting zoo.

The Gold King Mine and Ghost Town is open everyday from 9:00 to 5:00 pm. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for children 6 to 12 and $2.50 for seniors over 65 years of age. There is parking ample and restroom facilities available. If you would like more information on the mine, you may call 520-634-0053.

You can get to the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town from Jerome by traveling one mile north of Jerome on State Highway 89A to Perkinsville on Forest Road 72. If you are coming from Phoenix or Tucson you will take Interstate 17 north out of town. When you get to the town of Camp Verde, you will exit and take State Highway 260 northwest through several small towns and on up into Jerome. Continue through the town and proceed one mile past Jerome toward Perkinsville on Forest Road 72. You will see signs for the mine. If you are coming from Flagstaff, you will take State Highway 89A southwest. Continue through the town of Sedona and proceed one mile past Jerome toward the town of Perkinsville on Forest Road 72. You will see signs for the mine.