The Jerome area came to life with the discovery of copper, gold and silver in 1876. Mining was funded by Eugene Jerome, and the town that bears his name was established high on the side of Cleopatra Hill with a beautiful view over the Verde Valley.
Once called the "wickedest town in the West," Jerome was notorious for its gambling, saloons and brothels and was burnt to the ground 3 times between 1897 and 1899. Jerome's population reached 15,000 at one point, but by 1953 when the last mines closed, its population dwindled to 50 people. For years Jerome was known as Arizona's most populated ghost town. In the 1960's free spirits "discovered" Jerome and the town slowly started to come back to life.
Jerome is now an attractive small town featuring a collection of museums, gift shops and art galleries. This unique setting provides for a nice stop, especially if headed to or from Prescott.
To learn more about Jerome, select a topic of interest from the list to the left.
