Jerome was founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley, it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. It is about 100 miles (160 km) north of Phoenix along State Route 89A between Sedona and Prescott. Supported in its heyday by rich copper mines, it was home to more than 10,000 people in the 1920s. Jerome sits above what was once the largest copper mine in Arizona. Men and women from all over the world made their way to Arizona to find work and maybe a new way of life. In 1967 Jerome was designated a National Historic District by the federal government. Today the mines are silent and Jerome has become a community of arts, history and tourism.
Jerome’s nature has changed significantly over the past century. From a mining town between the late-1880s and early 1950s, today Jerome has art galleries, coffee houses, restaurants, wineries and a state park and local museum devoted to mining history. Jerome is an enchanting town and a photographer’s paradise.
From its external appearances Jerome hasn’t changed much in nearly 100 years. Many of the buildings used by present-day business folks are those built after the fires of 1894 and 1899. A number of the buildings have been restored and more are planned for restoration.
Map and directions for Jerome AZ.
