Blog Date: 1/21/2022 Date Visited: 7/13/2021
Location: 1000 Perkinsville Rd, Jerome, AZ
All Content is © Larry Nader Photography & Art 2020-2022
Sitting roughly 5,000 feet above sea level in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in Arizona lies the city of Jerome. Once a very prosperous mining town, Jerome, which is located between Flagstaff and Prescott, was home to more than 10,000 people in the early 1920s during its boom days. As of the 2020 census the city had shrunk to a mere 420.
In its day the rich mines brought about prosperity for many who lived there as well as bringing in a lot of less than desirables which helped the town earn its nickname as "The Wickedest Town in The West". And, in a small area just outside of the town, at that time, was Haynes, Arizona, which is where the Gold King Mine Ghost Town is today.
The Haynes mining operation and others in the area brought about fast growth to the town of Jerome as people from all over flocked to try to cash in on its riches. But, before the settlers, miners, cowboys, and outlaws called it home, Jerome was settled and farmed by the Hohokam people from roughly 700 to 1125CE. The first European settlers to the area were the Spanish Conquistadors.
The area then became part of Mexico when the country gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and subsequently became part of the United States with the signing of The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago in 1848, which brought about the end of the Mexican-American War. The first mining claim in the area was filed in 1876 by Angus McKinnon and Morris A. Ruffner.
By 1883, Jerome had its first post office, but between 1894 and 1898, two major fires had claimed most of the town's business district and half of the homes. From the ashes, literally, Jerome incorporated in 1899. Doing so allowed them the ability to collect taxes and build town services such as a firefighting department.
By 1900, Jerome had churches, fraternal organizations, in addition to a downtown area with brick buildings, telephone service, and electric lights. Among the businesses that were the most successful were those providing alcohol, gambling, and prostitution serving a population that was 78 percent male. All of this led to New York's newspaper The Sun in 1903 proclaiming Jerome as "the wickedest town in the west".
Today, the remaining citizens of Jerome hold to their mining history and the supernatural occurances that happen in these Ghost Towns, especially from those who died violently. The city economy is mainly based on recreation and tourism, with nealry half of the town's population working in arts, entertainment, retail, food and recreation services, per a 2015 report. As it stands today, Jerome has five art galleries, a library, three parks and two museums, including the Mine Museum run by the Jerome Historical Society, and a former church building that houses the society's offices and archives.
While Gold King Mine Ghost Town (formerly Haynes, AZ) is now considered to be in Jerome, its story begins in 1890 when a 1270-foot shaft was dug to look for copper, only to strike gold instead. Imagine the disappoinment. In 1901 the population of the mining camp was 30 people. From 1908 to 1922, the camp even had its own post office. However, eventually the vein dried up and closed the mining operations closed in 1922.
The mine remained vacant until 1981 when it was rediscovered by Terry & Don Robertson, 91 years after it was first discovered. Today, the mine/ghost town is filled with long forgotten treasures with over 180 antiqur and vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including Harleys and Studebakers, mining equipment, a stamp mill, and historic buildings. When visiting, you will also find a working sawmill, a petting zoo for the kiddos, and you can even pan for gold.
Jerome, Arizona and Gold King Mine Ghost Town are definite stops if you are traveling through the area. You won't regret it.
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