Saturday, November 2, 2024 (Verde Valley Fairgrounds, Cottonwood, Arizona)
Today we thought we'd take a drive up to Jerome...another cool community that we haven't been to since the fall of 2011. The weather isn't supposed to be that great over the next couple of days...especially tomorrow when rain is in the forecast.
After a slow start to the day, we finally hit the road late morning. Jerome is a former mountain mining community built on Cleopatra Hill...
Jerome was once a roaring mining town with 15,000 people, multi-storied buildings and fine homes. With the fall of copper prices and the closing of the Phelps Dodge Mine in 1953, it became the world's largest “ghost city.” Jerome is situated in the foothills of central Arizona's Verde Valley, surrounded by the Coconino and Prescott National Forest lands.
Up we go...
Looking back down...
The first thing we are going to do is visit the Jerome Historic State Park. It wasn't open the last time we were here. That's it up there...
That building up there is 'The Little Daisy'...apparently the entire Estate can be rented for events and overnight stays. The Little Daisy is over one hundred years old. At 25,000 sq ft, this Arizona mansion was originally a miner’s hotel built in 1918 and one of Arizona’s most captivating historic properties. Welcomes over 16 guests, offering 8 bedrooms, 13 beds and 7 baths.
Jerome State Historic Park...
The Douglas Mansion has been an eye-catching landmark in Jerome since 1916, when James S. Douglas built it on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine. This former home is now a museum devoted to the history of the Jerome area and the Douglas family. The museum features photographs, artifacts and minerals in addition to a video presentation and a 3-D model of the town with its underground mines. There are more displays outside along with a picnic area offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Verde Valley.
View from the entrance...
We paid the $7.00 each entrance fee and started our tour of the museum. We also watched a video on the history of Jerome.
The Canadian connection...
A model of the town and mine...
Many different bottles from that era...
3D model of the underground mineshafts...
Underground mineshaft display, so much glass reflection...
A 31 second video of a display made by a 13 year old…
There are more displays outside...
A 40 second video...
Time to go into the town now. The roads are as narrow as it looks in the photos and Buster barely fits!
It was so busy being a Saturday, I guess...there was absolutely no parking available especially the size of Buster, so we drove through and I took pictures...
Very narrow streets...
Jerome is a thriving tourist and artist hub...with lots of galleries, shops and eateries...
Well, that was Jerome. It appears to have gotten a lot more popular since we were here last. We were disappointed we couldn't explore the many changes on foot as it's a really interesting place with lots of history. Time to head back down...
We went through Clarkdale...Designed and built by Senator William Andrews Clark, Clarkdale was founded as a modern copper-smelting company town for the employees of the mines in Jerome and their families. Ahead of its time, Clarkdale boasted underground utilities, sewers, paved streets, stylish homes and a thriving commercial center.
Years ago we took the Verde Canyon Railroad Tour from Clarkdale which is well worth it if you're ever in the area...
That was very interesting....but the wind had come up and it was darned cold! So we were glad to get back to the truck.
We drove back through Old Town Cottonwood. Back in 2014 we enjoyed a great evening at Pizzeria Bocce with RV friends...Sherry and Jesse, Ruth and Dale, and Pam and Red...good memories!
Back at the fairgrounds, we had to park the truck outside the gates (actually Steve had to take it out before 8:30 this morning) due to a gun show that was going on at one of the complexes at the fairgrounds all weekend. That black mound behind us are mine tailings that they are mining again with newer technology.
There it is on top of the hill...
We checked out the Visitors Center first..
Back at the fairgrounds, we had to park the truck outside the gates (actually Steve had to take it out before 8:30 this morning) due to a gun show that was going on at one of the complexes at the fairgrounds all weekend. That black mound behind us are mine tailings that they are mining again with newer technology.
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