Jerome went from being hailed the “wickedest town in the
west” to a modern-day charming, mystical and mysterious tourist destination.
Jerome became incorporated in 1898 and during the last 118
years, the town has fallen victim to prosperity, greed, explosions, fire, the
Great Depression and has still managed to become the number one recommendation
of things to do in Arizona by Phoenix Magazine.
Not many old mining towns survived after the Great
Depression, but Jerome has managed to rise, fall and rise again. During its
mining days, the population in Jerome peaked at 15,000 people and it was once
known as the richest privately owned copper mine in the world (bringing in 29 million
dollars in one year alone)!
We experienced two very different sides of Jerome on our
visit. We saw the town socked in with fog, snow and sleet. There was no
impressive view of Sedona in the backdrop and no sense of being in a town that
sat precariously on the edge of a blasted out mountain. And yet, the fog added
to the mystery and intrigue of the city. Running from store to store to avoid
the harsh weather conditions, we met friendly shop owners, saw unique jewelry
and heard a lot of great “wild west ghost stories” from the locals.
The second day was picture perfect and allowed us to gaze
upon the gorgeous colors and rock formations of Sedona and experience the windy
and steep road into town. We were able to visit the museums and mine shafts,
see the buildings that slid down the hill due to considerable dynamite
explosions and learn more about the history behind this “wicked” town.
Whether you are a geologist, history buff, artist or ghost
hunter, this town is sure to delight any visitor with its rich history and
mysterious vibe. As a visitor, it is easy to get submersed in the Douglas
Mansion (aka Jerome State Historic Park), the Mine Museum and the Gold King
Mine Museum.
History envelopes you and you can imagine the rowdy streets,
the numerous open mine pits and the characters that must have mined this area. You
can almost detect the scent of dirt, sweat, cigars and the determination to
strike it rich. The photos and memorabilia in the various museums really help
paint that picture of what life was like in Jerome. From the cave-ins to the
earthquakes (Jerome sits on multiple fault lines), to the dynamite explosions where
the mining companies would use over 250,000 pounds of TNT in one blast, to the
large number of brothels, saloons and opium dens….it’s easy to see how Jerome
earned the title of “Wickedest town in the West”.
Today, at 5,200 feet above sea level, Cleopatra Hill proudly
overlooks the Verde Valley and the color soaked Sedona skyline. Now a tourist
town with unique storefronts, quirky restaurants and plenty of local art and
galleries, the area has become a popular travel destination. However, the town
of Jerome still holds many haunted secrets that shroud this area and keep
people intrigued and coming back for more.
The Totally Trailer Trio does not recommend taking large RV's and trailers up to Jerome due to the narrow and winding streets. There is great camping and RV parks throughout the Verde Valley and Jerome sits between Flagstaff and Prescott, Arizona. We parked our trailer in Cottonwood and made day trips to Jerome.
Thankfully "people are tolerated" in Jerome!
Dodging the winter weather at the Jerome Historical Society Mine Museum
The ghost town built on the side of a mountain...Jerome, Arizona
Peering down a mine shaft that's 1,900 feet deep! See the pic below to get an idea of just how deep that is...
The Audrey Shaft as seen above is 1900 feet deep as compared to these other notable landmarks
Little one ready to go down the mine shaft
Hubby and little one exploring the Little Daisy Mine in Jerome
The eerie, blustery day in the historic town of Jerome
