Verde Village is in the Verde Valley adjacent to the city
of Cottonwood. It is 1,200 square miles in area, at an elevation of
3,300 feet, and is 101 miles north of Phoenix. Due to the mild climate
Verde Valley has become a haven for retirees and recreation
seekers. Verde Village was developed in 1970 and is unincorporated.
Because a majority (two-thirds) of the residents in Verde Village are
retired, much of the residents' income is in the form of Social
Security payments, private retirement benefits, stock dividends and
savings. Some of the retirees were corporate executives and are
retained as consultants by their former employers or other companies.
Construction is a major income source for Verde Village. The
steady increase in population in the Verde Valley has resulted in a
demand for new housing. The cement plant in Clarkdale and the
commercial trade in the area also provide employment for local residents.
There is some retail trade and service employment with most
businesses being proprietor-owned and operated.
The varied scenic, historic and recreational areas of north-central
Arizona (Verde Valley) are easily accessible from Verde Village.
Jerome, four miles northwest, was once the site of the nation's richest
copper mine. In 1920, Jerome had a population of 15,000 which
dwindled as the ore deposits were exhausted until it became a
ghost town. Today, it is a thriving artist colony and tourist attraction.
The Jerome Historical Society operates an exceptional mine
museum on Main Street, and the State Parks Board operates a State
Park in the community.
The 42-acre Tuzigoot National Monument, two miles northeast
of Verde Village, houses three large Indian Pueblos containing more
than 100 rooms that were occupied from the 12th to the 14th centuries.
Additional Indian dwellings can be seen at Montezuma
Castle National Monument near Camp Verde. These ancient Indian
structures are among the best preserved in the nation. The five-story,
20-room apartment is perched high in a limestone cliff. This
dwelling was constructed around 1050 A.D. and abandoned in
1450. The Montezuma Well, part of the National Monument, is a
natural limestone sink 470 feet in diameter and 125 feet deep. The
Indians diverted water from this into irrigation ditches for their
farmlands below.
Oak Creek Canyon is one of Arizona's most beautiful, scenic
drives. It lies on the northern edge of the valley and is reached via
U.S. Highway 89A through Sedona. Sedona is widely known for the
the beauty of its red rock formations and its reputation as one of
Arizona's foremost artist colonies. State Highway 89A follows Oak
Creek through this beautiful canyon to Flagstaff. Red, yellow and
white rock form the canyon walls, while trees in the canyon provide
one of Arizona's most beautiful fall foliage displays.