Jerome, Arizona

The Town of Jerome was incorporated on March 8, 1889. Oddly the town's namesake, Eugene Murray Jerome, a New York investor in the early mining operations of the United Verde, never visited the town named after him.

Jerome was ravaged by a number of fires in its early beginnings. The main part of town was leveled four times by the fires of 1894, 1897, 1898 and 1899. With the ill-famed title of the " Wickedest Town in Arizona" (according to the New York Sun of February 5, 1903), many observers attributed these fires to divine retribution. After a building code was established at the beginning of the 20th century, most buildings were constructed of masonry. Many of these buildings still stand -- or lean -- today. The towns' reputation for gambling, prostitution, alcohol, drug abuse and many other base human behaviors was well known.

The United Verde Mine produced in excess of $1 billion in copper, gold, silver, zinc and lead from the northeast side of Mingus and Woodchute Mountains. Just below those two mountains rises a well-known hill by the name of Cleopatra. On the northeast side of this hill, the town of Jerome is precariously anchored. This part of Arizona's Black Hills harbored some of the best capitalists of the territory and, in contrast, a collection of some of the world's poorest as well. Early on, Jerome became a melting pot of settlers from abroad, immigrants from every corner of the globe seeking work and chasing the dream of quick fortune. In 1916, Jerome had two bonanza mines, the United Verde and the Little Daisy. Copper production peaked in 1929. Back then Jerome was boasting a population of 15,000. The Great Depression of the 1930s and low-grade ore deposits brought an end to the Little Daisy Mine in 1938. After the official close of the mines in 1953, Jerome became a veritable ghost town. At its lowest point, the population dwindled to about 50 "survivors."

What is the Town of Jerome like today? Is it worth your time to visit? The answer is a resounding yes! Jerome is an enchanting town, and a photographer's paradise. From its external appearances it hasn't changed much in nearly 100 years. Many of the buildings used by present-day business folks are those built after the fires of 1894 and1899. A number of the buildings have been restored and more are planned for restoration. Due to the 30-degree incline of the mountainside, gravity has pulled a number of buildings down the slope. To the delight of some, one of those buildings was the town's jail. Those buildings still standing make for interesting visiting and with a little research you can find their historical significance. One notable section is the "Cribs District." You will find this area across the street from the English Kitchen, in a back alley where all the buildings were part of Jerome's ill-famed "prostitution row."

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