the reborn Jerome of today

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In the previous article I explained that Margo and I visited this famous mining town in 2011, and gave an idea of what life was like there during its prosperous and productive years. When the mine shut down in 1953, Jerome became a ghost town. Only 50 residents remained until it was rediscovered by artists, who flocked to the area for the scenery, laid-back atmosphere and cheap real estate. To encourage tourism, the town's leaders sought National Historic Landmark status for Jerome. It was granted by the federal government in 1967, and the town began to come back to life.
Today, Jerome is a thriving year-round artist colony with a population close to 500. The town includes several fine galleries, restaurants, an Arizona winery store, artist cooperatives and unique gift shops. It also has carriage rides and lodgings, including bed and breakfasts, some of which are said to be haunted.
Every first Saturday of the month the galleries sponsor the Jerome Art Walk. Visitors can stroll the winding streets or shuttle about in the free town van to meet artists and enjoy special events.
There are also notable historic attractions, including:

Mine Museum on Main Street, maintained by the Jerome Historical Society.

It harbours numerous displays depicting life in Jerome from its beginnings to the present time, much of which we incorporated into our earlier article. We found its lady curator to be a most pleasant and enthusiastic source of information.

Douglas Mansion, also known as JeromeStateHistoricPark was the elegant home of James Douglas, owner of the Daisy Mine. The family donated it to the State of Arizona in 1962.
It had every convenience of the day, including steam heat, central vacuuming, marble showers, a billiard room and wine cellar. The library has since been restored with period furniture, and there are other historic artifacts on display. Exhibits highlight the history and geology of the area and Jerome’s mining activities, using models, maps and photographs. The grounds provide spectacular views of the town and the VerdeValley.

Gold King Mine and Ghost Town. One mile north of Jerome is the historic town of Haynes, which had its own mining operation – for gold, instead of copper. There is now a museum on the site, with antique equipment, a replica mine shaft and even an early 20^th century working sawmill. We didn’t get to visit it, but it’s on our to-do list for the next time.

Don’t forget you can click on individual photos below to enlarge them for easier reading.

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Comments

[Misty]

What a cute little town, super quirky and unique