Visiting Jerome, Arizona - a popular ghost town
What’s there to do in the ghost town of Jerome, Arizona?
What’s there to do in Jerome, Arizona? We recently visited this historic ghost town once again and found more hidden gems in the area.
But here’s something not to do - bring your RV here. We kept our RV at the Verde Ranch RV Resort while we visited which is about 40 minutes down the mountain. It’s an easy enough drive but the road is twisty and not something I’d like to bring a larger vehicle over. There is even a sign at the base of the mountain warning against vehicles over 50 feet on the road.
Of course we saw someone in a Class A diesel pusher towing a Jeep so it can be done but we wonder if they had to change their undies after that adventure?
Artists and shops
Jerome started as a mining town but now is home to a lot of very creative artists. The town absolutely embraces tourism but there are a lot of things to see and do in the area.
We have been here several times and, most recently, strolled the streets and checked out some of the shops in the area. The caliber of the artists’ work is impressive but there are also an assortment of restaurants and other shops.
I like that there are plaques on several of the buildings sharing their history. Who knew you could buy t-shirts in a shop that was once a Chrysler dealer? Owing to the hilly nature of the town that dealership’s service department was on the lower floor and they had an elevator large enough to move the cars down to that lower level. Cool.
Nelly Bly Kaleidoscopes
Something you don’t often see is an entire shop dedicated to kaleidoscopes. Nelly Bly Kaleidoscopes is a beautiful place and the kaleidoscopes are incredible. But something I enjoyed, the staff are very eager to let you peer through their wares which range from small, inexpensive models to very large, elaborate and pricey models.
There’s even a planter outside with a kaleidoscope that you can peer through and move the planter around to change what you see. It’s pretty impressive but the shop’s wares are generally quite breathtaking. Don’t miss this place near the edge of town.
University Shack
There are a lot of t-shirt shops in a lot of tourist-oriented towns but University Shack features their own designs and the owner has a twisted and fun sense of humor. Just laughing at the various things from her mind was enjoyable but both Peggy, and our friend Alicia, bought purses there made of the canvas from former Army tents.
Haunted Hamburger
You can tell when a restaurant is very, very well run. The staff is happy, the food is prompt and delicious and the whole experience is a positive one. That’s Haunted Hamburger.
We visited at the suggestion of our friends Scott and Alicia from The Route of it All, who were with us, and it was a home run.
The entire team seemed universally interested in our having a good time. I had the meatloaf, a couple of Mother Road Tower Station IPAs and we finished it all off with the best peanut butter chocolate pie I have ever had. Ever. My side dish on the meatloaf was a twice-baked potato which was a very nice way to overindulge while I was otherwise overindulging.
There was also a big pretzel that arrived at the table so quickly it was as if our server had anticipated us wanting it.
Peggy had the Western burger with bacon and onion straws and my buddy Scott had the Haunted Hamburger. Everything was really, really good.
Another thing they offer are boozy milkshakes. Scott got the Bourbon and Bacon milkshake and discovered a lot of bacon as he continued to enjoy it. Alicia got a Bloody Mary that was the poster child for how a Bloody Mary should look - it just impresses before the first sip but follows-up with still being impressive.
Once Scott reached the bottom of the milkshake he discovered a motherlode of bacon bits much as the local miners discovered that motherlode of copper. But this was more delicious.
Coppertown Coffee and Gelato
Of course no wandering adventure can start before fuel is added and we fueled up on lattes at Coppertown Coffee and Gelato. The gelato looked great but we just stuck with the coffees which were quite good and the right fuel to start the adventure.
Bobby D’s barbecue
While we didn’t visit it this time, we have enjoyed Bobby D’s barbecue in the past. You can’t miss this place right as you come into town from Verde Valley. You can smell it as you roll into town and the smell doesn’t disappoint.
They have a variety of sauces and serve barbecue the way I like it - unadorned. You can add sauces if you choose or just enjoy the smoked meats.
Ghost Tours
We have not done the ghost tours in Jerome but we saw the van and the signs. We typically love these and have done ghost tours in other towns and enjoyed the historical and whimsical nature of these tours. Since Jerome absolutely celebrates its haunted history ghost tours are absolutely something to consider.
The Douglas Mansion
The Douglas Mansion was build in 1916 by James S. Douglas on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine.
Douglas designed the house as a hotel for mining officials and investors as well as for his own family.
The tour of the home is well worth doing and the property featured remarkable advances for the time including a central vacuum system. This was very unusual at the time and owed to the wealth of the Douglas family. There was also a wine cellar, billiard room, marble shower, and steam heat.
The house was constructed of adobe bricks that were made on the site.
Douglas also built the Little Daisy Hotel near the mine as a dormitory for the miners. That concrete structure still stands.
This former home is now a museum devoted to history of the Jerome area and the Douglas family. The museum features exhibits of photographs, artifacts, and minerals in addition to a video presentation and a 3-D model of the town with its underground mines. One room, the Douglas library, is restored as a period room.
There are displays outside including a good collection of mining equipment plus a picnic area offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Verde Valley.
One of the things not to miss is going to the adjacent hoist and looking down the Daisy mine shaft which is 1300 feet deep. You can stand on a grate or on a reinforced piece of glass and look down. It’s impressive.
More Jerome stuff
This town is perched on the Cleopatra Hill. While some locales say they are on a hill, they’re not messing around in Jerome. Since the town is older and absolutely is on a hill, all the sidewalks have inclines and you’re at about 5,000 feet of elevation. Not that it’s that big a deal, but it might be worth knowing.
Parking, too, is a bit of a challenge for larger vehicles (like our 3/4 ton truck). They do provide parking and there’s even plenty of free parking at the end of town, but it can get really crowded.
Because of being on the side of a hill, almost every business in Jerome and all the sidewalks offer some pretty spectacular views of Verde Valley. From this perch on the hillside you can see Flagstaff and Sedona.
Sunsets are particularly magical but the whole town really is quite scenic and celebrates its own history with various plaques on various buildings sharing their past.
History of Jerome
Located near the top of Cleopatra Hill between Prescott and Flagstaff is the historic copper mining town of Jerome, Arizona. Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was born a copper mining camp, growing from a settlement of tents into a roaring mining community.
After its founding in 1876, Jerome became the fourth largest city in Arizona with the population peaking at around 15,000 in the 1920s. The Great Depression slowed the mining operation and the claim eventually went to Phelps Dodge, who still holds the claim to this day.
World War II greatly increased the demand for copper, but after the war, demand decreased significantly. Phelps Dodge Mine closed in 1953 which caused the population of Jerome to plummet to 50 to 100 people. But the town saw a niche and promoted the town as a historic ghost town. In 1967 Jerome was designated a National Historic District by the federal government.
We stayed at Verde Valley RV Resort
Our home base for this adventure was Verde Valley RV Resort. This is our second or third time there and it’s one of the CRR Parks. CRR is doing a good job with resort-style parks including this one.
Amenities here include clean restrooms, a full laundry facility and they’re very supportive of canine travelers as well. There’s a bark park, of course, but also pooch potty spots at the end of the RV rows complete with all the tools you’ll need to pick up Fido’s droppings.
We stayed at two other CRR-owned properties on our way here, Coachella Lakes RV Resort near Palm Springs, California and River Sands RV Resort near Blythe and Quartzsite, and they’re pretty consistent in their layout and amenities.
All of them have a really nice clubhouse with plenty of games and seating and there’s a pool and in-ground hot tub as well.
The property is very well maintained and the team seem to enjoy their jobs.
Final thoughts on Jerome and the Verde Valley
We really love this area and it’s especially good when the rest of the country is suffering with winter weather. Apparently they don’t allow much of that nonsense here, although it can snow at this elevation.
Something else about staying here, you’re not far from Sedona, Arizona and we have our Guide to Visiting Sedona here.
Overall we would definitely return for all sorts of reasons - you could say we might want to haunt this area again. Sorry, couldn’t resist that pun - it was quite an undertaking coming up with it and I realize it’s a grave situation.
Okay, enough ghost town puns already. But, seriously, it’s worth scaring up a visit to Jerome.
