To provide some history, Jerome was founded in 1876 after copper deposits were found in the hills. The town grew as an honest to God Old West mining community until the demand for copper dwindled, forcing the mines to close in the early 1950's.

In 1967 the Government dubbed Jerome a National Historic District as a Historic Copper Mining Town. With the mines shut down for the most part, locals banked on this National Historic designation and began promoting the town as a tourist spot. Today, Jerome boasts a thriving artist community and draws in a different sort of tourist with the self proclaimed title of "Ghost Town."

Jerome, AZ: Ghost Town

When asked about Jerome, many visitors and residents often use the word "spooky."  I'll admit that I've heard the term bandied about enough to be curious. After my visit to Jerome I will agree that there is something different, if not exactly spooky, about the town.
 
The main streets that wind up the hill are crammed with enticing store fronts. Bright displays of local artisan's wares assault the eye from every angle. Wonderful smells waft from the numerous eateries as you pass, luring you to stop in for a bite.  Everything seems very trendy and modern, yet there truly is an undercurrent here of something out of the ordinary.
 
I believe that the town retains architectural memories, if you will, of it's Wild West days. As you walk past the old area tactfully named "Husbands' Alley" you can almost hear the "soiled doves" calling to you from their long vanished cribs. Out of the corner of your eye as you turn a street corner you can swear you just saw a miner stagger into one of the local pubs. A horse drawn carriage loaded down with a delivery of flour and coffee for the local supply store trundles by as you spin around. Was it really there? Did you really seen these things?

Jerome Plaque:  Husbands' Alley

The town whispers to you of these old, thriving days. And for this reason, not because the place feels sinister, does Jerome deserve it's title of Ghost Town. 

Mine Museum in Jerome, AZ

If you'd like to experience the relics of days gone by there are several spots in Jerome for you to visit. The Jerome Historical Society Mine Museum has photographs and equipment from the old days on display. They also host an annual "Home Tour" in May. At the Douglas Mansion and State Park located down the hill from town center, you can likewise view photographs and artifacts from days gone by. The Mansion also boasts a 3-D model of the tunnel system that runs underneath the town.
 
A nice way to experience the flavor of Jerome is to take a horse drawn carriage tour with "A Ride Back in Time.  It is appropriate to take in the town at this pace: a pace slower than today's world in which the town seems to operate. You can arrange a carriage ride by stopping into the local Visitor's Center on the hill or by calling "A Ride Back in Time" at 928-634-0777.

Gold King Mine & Ghost Town

By far my favorite part of visiting Jerome was my time spent at the Gold King Mine & Ghost Town. To find the Gold King Mine just follow the signs straight past the Jerome Fire Station for about a mile. The road, for the most part unpaved, is a bit rough and tumble, but what awaits you after your bumpy ride is more than worth the jostling.
 
Gold King Mine & Ghost Town is indeed a gold mine for any one interested in old trucks and antique machinery. At first the place may appear a bit like an abandoned junk yard, but upon further inspection you cannot help but be drawn in by its true art. The entire area, incidentally, is also a photographers dream come true.

Studebaker in Jerome, AZ

Numerous displays of Studebakers, mining equipment and the like begin to reveal themselves as the eye adjusts to the confused jumble. Suddenly you realize you just walked by a black rabbit, the fluffiest chicken in creation, and a donkey named Pedro.
 
As you back track for a better look it's then that you stumble upon Proprietor, Don Robertson, whom you just blindly walked by as he mans the authentic old log splitter.
 
Don himself seems like a ghost from days gone by. One cannot look at him without thinking this is exactly how a miner would have looked "back in the day." His friendly demeanor draws you in and soon you find yourself talking about subjects from the Volkswagen Jerome Jamboree, held in September every year, to his intention to run his Donkey, Pedro, for President in 2008.
 

Don Robertson	Vote for Pedro

Regarding this bid for the Presidency, Don motions fondly toward Pedro as he dozes beneath his wide umbrella "We've had enough two legged jack-asses running the country: we're ready for a change." I find myself agreeing with Don and pledge to look for Pedro on the ballot in 2008.
 
With all this to offer, Jerome is a great destination for a Sedona based day trip. Go to experience that "spooky" vibe or, if for no other reason, take a visit just to meet our country's next President, donkey Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales-Gonzales.
 
For detailed visitors information on Jerome, Arizona please visit the following web sites: http://www.azjerome.com/pages/jerome/scenic.htm or http://www.jeromechamber.com/

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