JEROME, AZ
Jerome is an old copper mining town, located just southwest of Sedona. It was founded in 1876 and boomed from a settlement of tents to as many as 15,000 people in the 1920's, full of miners, bootleggers, gamblers, prostitutes, 37 bars, and 13 brothels, earning it the reputation of "the wickedest city in the west." Don't worry, it also had 4 churches.
After the mine closed in 1953, the population dropped to just 50-100 people, putting it into official ghost town territory. In 1967, the federal government designated Jerome as a National Historic District.
Today, the city boasts a population of around 450 people and their official website claims it to be a thriving tourist and artist hub, with art studios and galleries, a monthly Art Walk, wine tasting rooms, unique specialty shops, restaurants, hotels, and bed & breakfasts.
Jerome State Historic Park
My first stop was the Jerome State Historic Park, housed in a mansion built in 1916 by mining mogul, James "Rawhide Jimmy" Douglas. It provides a history of the town and has a surprisingly well-done 30-minute video that is both informative and humorously entertaining. Here's a picture of that mansion:
Just outside the mansion / museum, are several mining relics. Notice the buildings in the background built into the side of the mountain and the switchback roads to navigate the steep elevation.
Imagine if this little ride below was part of your daily commute...
They also had a couple abandoned mine shafts that you could peer into - this one is 1,900 feet deep, concrete lined, with cross tunnels every 100 feet. Of course, my camera doesn't do it justice, but imagine if this was the "road" you took on your daily commute. Yikes.
The town was built on the side of a mountain and my GPS took me on roads I swore weren't actual roads, just gravel paths with the mountain jutting up to my right, and a deep canyon directly to my left. Here's a picture of one of those roads, which doesn't show just how big of a drop there is to the left, but it DOES show a sign announcing "One Lane Road Ahead." Ummm ... I thought I was on a one-lane road!
Gold King Mine Ghost Town
One other attraction in Jerome is the Gold King Mine Ghost Town. I'm not sure exactly how to describe it ... half museum, half junkyard perhaps? Here is the entrance with the sweetest lady charging visitors rates that vary according to age (psst - free if you're over 80). There was also a cat that roamed around the gift shop, lying wherever it desired - across the counter, across piles of merchandise, in the arms of visitors. It was also an outside cat and all I could think was ... fleas.
Outside, the property is dotted with over 180 cars, trucks & motorcycles, including Studebakers and Harleys. There is mining equipment and a Stamp Mill that was used for crushing the ore. A working Blacksmith shop. A petting zoo with donkeys and chickens. Small completely furnished buildings, including a one-room school house, a one-room dentist office, a one-room cabin, and more.
Here's the little cabin:
All I could think as I wandered the grounds is that this place is the fork in the road my Dad never took. In other words, this is what my Dad's life would look like if he hadn't married Mom who makes him throw things away.
Overall, Jerome was a cute little town and a true artifact of our Wild West history. Definitely a worthwhile stop if you're in the area. And a nice little break after my morning hikes.