"Historic Jerome AZ" a Jerome Travel Page by Azonie

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.

I highly recommend taking the back way up to Jerome, the route through Prescott. It's a little long but well worth the trip because the scenery is GORGEOUS! Lets see...You will have to take route 60 West from Phoenix, then on through Wickenburg..Then you take ALT 89 up through Congress, Yarnell, Peeples valley, Kirkland Jct, Skull Valley and Prescott, keep going North through Prescott until you come to 89A and follow that all the way to Jerome..It takes you right through the middle of town.

Not much to see here but a Saloon/dance place..The pancakes here were out of this world though!