The Early Years
Jerome was built on Cleopatra Hill above a vast deposit of copper. The mines, the workers and those who sought its wealth, formed Jerome's history. They were a brave and raucous mix. Miners, smelter workers, freighters, gamblers, bootleggers, saloon keepers, store keepers, prostitutes and preachers, wives and children all made Jerome what it was.
Americans, Mexicans, Croatians, Irish, Spaniards, Italians and
Chinese made the mining camp a cosmopolitan mix that added to
its rich life and filled its streets with excitement. Prehistoric
Native Americans were the first miners. The Spanish followed,
seeking gold but finding copper. Jerome's modern history began
in 1876 when three anglo prospectors staked the first claims on
rich copper deposits in the area. They sold out to a group which
formed the United Verde Copper Company in 1883. The resultant
mining camp of board and canvas shacks was named in honor of Eugene
Jerome, the venture's principal backer. Hopes for the enterprise
ran high, but the costs of operating, especially for transportation,
outstripped profits,and the company folded in less than two years.
It took the vision and vast financial resources of a new owner,
William A. Clark, to bring in a narrow gauge railroad and reduce
freighting costs.
By the early 20th century, the United Verde
was the largest producing copper mine in the Arizona Territory.
Jerome grew rapidly from tent city to prosperous company town
with frame and brick buildings, and could boast of two churches,
an opera house, a school, and several civic buildings. The
town followed the swing of the mines fortunes. In 1912, James
S. Douglas purchased and began development of the Little Daisy
Mine. By 1916, Jerome had two bonanza mines.
The Ghost City
Jerome was the talk of the Territory...boom town of its time...darling of promoters and investors. The mines were nourished and exploited by financiers who brought billions of dollars of copper from its depths. Changing times in the Territory saw pack burros, mule drawn freight wagons, and horses replaced by steam engines, autos and trucks. Fires ravaged the clapboard town again and again. Jerome was always rebuilt.
In 1918, underground mining phased out after uncontrollable fires erupted in the 88 miles of tunnels under the town. Open pit mining brought dynamiting. The hills rattled and buildings cracked. The surface began to shift and sections of the business district slid downward. The sliding jail moved 225 ft. and rests across the road from its original site. The Little Daisy shut down in 1938. Phelps-Dodge took over the United Verde in 1935, but loss of profits dependent on the ups and downs of copper prices, labor unrest, depressions and war brought the operation and Jerome mining days to an end in 1953. Closed forever? Jerome never knows. During its life-time, United Verde produced about $500 million worth of copper ore.
Today's Jerome
Jerome has always been a survivor. After the mines closed and "King Copper" left town, the population went from a peak of 15,000 about 1929 to some 50 souls in the late 50's. A few hardy souls remained, reluctant to leave a lifetime of memories. The 60's and 70's were the time of the counter culture and Jerome offered a haven for artists who renovated homes and opened abandoned shops to sell their wares. Soon newcomers and Jerome old timers were working together to bring Jerome back to life.
The Jerome Historical Society guarded the buildings against vandalism and the elements. The Douglas Mansion was made a State Park Museum in 1965 and Jerome became a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Today, Jerome is very much alive with writers, artists, artisans, musicians, historians, and families. They form a peaceful, colorful, thriving community built on a rich foundation of history and lore. The population today is about 400.
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