October 2017 22 Jerome, Arizona is known as “America’s Most Vertical City” and “Largest Ghost Town In America”. Jerome’s personality has changed dramatically in the past 30 years. Once a thriving mining camp between the late 1880’s and early 1950’s Jerome is now a bustling tourist magnet and artistic community with a population of about 450. It includes a modicum of artists, craft people, musicians, writers, hermits, bed and breakfast owners, museum caretakers, gift shop proprietors and fallen down building landlords. 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 and 1899. A number of 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. Those buildings still standing make for interesting visiting and with a little research, you can find their historical significance. In 1883, investors bought the McKinnon claim for $15,500. In 1888, Montana Senator William A. Clark leased the mining rights and in 1889 bought control of the claim and formed the United Verde Copper Company. Within two decades, after much hard work and ingenuity, this entrepreneur became one of the richest men in Arizona. The United Verde Mine produced in excess of $1 billion in copper, gold, silver, zinc and lead from the northeast side of Mingus and the Woodchute Mountain. 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. Some buildings and landmarks that you may find of interest include: United Verde Hospital (now the Jerome Grand Hotel), Club House Hospital, Chief Surgeon’s House, the ‘Cribs District,’ United Verde Apartments, Powder Box Church, United Verde Railroad Depot, Clark Elementary School, Jerome Hotel, Cleopatra Hill, the Open Pit area and the Gold King Mine. Plan for a whole day and evening to really get the feel of Jerome, Arizona. Roberto and Armando (Jerome residents, inset) told us a story of the night the band in The Spirit Room was playing “Dancing In The Streets”. Everyone began dancing, in a line, out into the street. Armando saw the policeman walking towards the group and when he got there, the policeman started directing traffic around the people dancing. GOOD TIMES! The Town With A Billion Dollar View