Jerome, Arizona
May 11, 2021 03:01 pm
Jerome, Arizona: May 11th
Jerome is a city with great American history, an old mining town established in the 1800’s. We had the opportunity to visit Jerome and learn all about the amazing successes and the difficult times this town went through to become the ghost town it is today! Established in 1876 Jerome was founded by the early settlers looking for a gold mine you might say. The town is older than the state of Arizona in which it resides. In 1883 The United Verde Copper Company was formed. The town was named Jerome after Eugene Jerome the secretary and treasurer of the company. In 1884 the company became a New York Corporation with James McDonald as President.
Seventy Five men, mostly Irish worked in the mines, in 1984 the copper prices fell and the mine fell in financial depression. As a note, the copper was transported 60 miles by mules to bring the metal to market. The town was plagued with three major fires over the coming years. In 1888 William A Clark optioned a major portion of stock, he helped produce the town boom. In 1895 the train tracks were completed through the town.
A new smelter was completed producing 3.5 and 5 million pounds of copper per month. A year later the company was making a profit of 1 million dollars a month. The town was flourishing and was the states fourth largest town in the Arizona Territory.
The fires were the biggest issues the town ran into. In 1894 the fire destroyed a large portion of the town and then again in 1899. Yet the town survived through them all and rebuilt. The town had Theatres, Restaurants, hotels one being the largest in Arizona (it burned down in 1915 and was never rebuilt) and don’t forget the saloons. They even had their own bordello. This business was owned by Jennie Bauters haled to be one of the richest women in the territory. She owned her own two story building in the heart of town. Years later she was shot by her boyfriend in the center of town and did not survive, neither did the business.
The town was very sports oriented and held all types of sports along with a mini putting golf course.
In 1953 the mines closed down and as you might believe the town suffered an exodus by most to find work. At one time the towns population was 15,000. Today the population is 500.
That’s just a quick history, today the town prospers as a ghost town and is visited daily by many people as it still has its old history with it’s buildings (ones that didn’t burn in all the fires or the landslides that occurred due to the mines disturbing the stability of the land) still exist. Businesses include museums, wine tasting rooms, restaurants and bed and breakfasts.
We visited the remaining mine shafts and the museum which is located on a road leading to the outside of the town. You can look at the pictures of all the mining equipment they used as well as the mine shaft site.
There were some great things from the past such as the old Plymouth sitting on an old car lift made of wood. The Old Connor Hotel and a part of main street.
Main Street
Jerome is a real old town that is well worth visiting if you’re in the area. Enjoy the pictures and a walk through a time forgotten by many.
