Jerome, Az

This old mining town was a rare find for us, one that you immediately are glad you didn't bypass. After mining declined the people left but the town was saved by the hippies that moved in. Evidence of old deserted home places dotted the steep mountainsides.


The state historical park was a treat where we learned much of the history of the area. The town's history as a mining town began in 1876 and soon there were mining shacks of board and canvas in the mining camp. The town grew and prospered and eventually even had an opera house but mining days came to an end in 1953. By the 1960s it was a ghost town.



Here we even located the carriage that was used in the movie Oklahoma which once belonged to the owner if this large home converted to a museum.



Many relics from the glory days of copper mining when the population was 15,000 were displayed in this 1916 mansion that belonged to James Douglas. It was built on a hill above the Little Daisy Mine and designed to be a hotel for mining officials and investors as well as his family home.



On this day it seemed like there might be 15,000 people in town celebrating the Memorial Day weekend. The winding streets were cluttered with cars and motorcycles and tourists which we would have liked to join, but with the lack of an obvious parking spot we were out of town in no time. One of the highlights had been the view of these cacti blooming on the hillside.



I marveled at how the houses were kept from sliding down the hills.



We were warned of the forthcoming steep and winding mountain drive and given one last view of the hidden treasure we had discovered.