Jerome

This is Jerome, Arizona, population 500.

A hundred years ago, it was home to 15,000 souls engaged in mining and prostitution. Back then, Jerome was the hottest ticket in Arizona. 33,655,430 tons of copper, silver, and gold were extracted before the last mine closed in 1953. Jerome also claimed the territory’s wealthiest woman, “Belgian Jennie” Bauters, the town’s most successful Madam.

Jerome has had its challenges. There have been eleven major fires, four of them pretty much levelling the place. But the town came back again and again, thanks to the wealth generated by the mines and the ladies.

A bigger problem than fire, though, is geology. Jerome is sliding downhill from its mile-high perch on the steep slope of Cleopatra Hill. If you look carefully, you will see where structures used to stand. You will also see structures that may not stand for very much longer.

After the mines closed in 1953, Jerome’s population fell to less than 100, earning it “ghost town” status. In the 1960s and early 1970s, artists, hippies, and other counterculture folks moved in, squatting or buying abandoned houses cheaply and giving the town its reputation as a bohemian enclave. Transformation into a successful tourist destination happened in stages.

• 1953–late 1950s – Mines close; population crashes under 100, Jerome becomes a near‑ghost town.

• 1966 – Jerome Historic District designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, anchoring preservation and future tourism.

• Late 1960s – First big wave of artists, hippies, and other “newcomers” arrive, occupying abandoned houses and beginning informal restoration work.

• Early 1970s – Newcomers open studios, shops, and galleries; Jerome starts marketing itself as an artsy ghost‑town destination instead of a dead mining camp.

• Mid‑1970s – Residents rebuild core services (notably the volunteer fire department) and organize community events that support tourism and town cohesion.

• Late 1970s – Tourism and the arts economy are firmly established; Jerome’s population and tax base stabilize, marking the town’s full turn from near‑ghost town to living historic/art town.

Perplexity AI

I’ve wanted to spend the night in the “Asylum” ever since we first visited Jerome on Christmas Eve over a dozen years ago. Who would not?

Although the name sounds exotic, conjuring up images of straitjackets and screams in the night, the truth is less dramatic. “Asylum” was another word for hospital back in the day, and this place was the United Verde Mining Company’s hospital.

It’s known today as the Jerome Grand Hotel and the Asylum restaurant. Both are very nice.

Let’s take a look at a few of Jerome’s many shops and sights.

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