Jerome Arizona

From Wickedly Wild To Wildly Artistic

Jerome Arizona

Located high on top of Cleopatra Hill (5,200 feet) between Prescott and Flagstaff is the historic copper mining town of Jerome. When walking through this town you are given an opportunity to take a step back in time, feel the past and experience life as it might have been during its heyday.

Founded in 1876, Jerome was once the fourth largest city in the Arizona Territory. Jerome sits above what was the largest copper mine in Arizona and produced an astonishing 3 million pounds of copper per month. Men and women from all over the world made their way to Arizona to find work and maybe a new way of life.

In the old days, Jerome was called the "Wickedest town in the West" due to the number of saloons and brothels. The town prospered until the mines and the mining economy began declining during the Great Depression with the last mine closing in 1953. In its 70-year active life, Jerome produced over a billion dollars worth of copper, gold, silver and zinc.

During the 60's and 70's artists discovered the decaying community and Jerome has become a mecca for artists. The picturesque buildings, mining sites, and stately ruins provide rich materials for a variety of art forms. As people began trickling back to Jerome, an eclectic mix of artists, craftspersons, writers and musicians have made Jerome their home. Today, many of Jerome's residents are artists, living and working on this beautiful mountainside with astounding views.

When visiting Jerome there are places with character in which to stay. The historic Jerome Grand Hotel (928-634-8200) and the Ghost City Inn Bed & Breakfast (928-634-4678) are some of the accommodations Jerome has to offer. Other hotel and accommodations are located in nearby Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona Arizona.

Some of these photos are compliments of photographers that permitted the use of these pictures and images of Jerome Az under the Creative Commons License.