Jerome

Images of America: Arizona

by Midge Steuber, Jerome Historical Society Archives

The rugged mining community of Jerome has thrived by the hard work and hard play of tough men and women pitted against an equally hard mountain. William Murray solicited funding for the Black Hills mining camp from his uncle, a New York lawyer and financier named Eugene Murray Jerome, who reportedly was not interested. However, his independent wife was delighted at the prospect and raised $200,000 in development capital for Murray. In 1882, Frederick F. Thomas, Jerome's first postmaster, named the mining camp "Jerome" in honor of the family. Jerome boomed, ultimately reaching a reported population peak of 15,000 in the 1920s, then dwindling to a ghost town after the mines closed. In 1967, the town was designated a National Historic Landmark, and today it is a flourishing artist community, as well as a motorcycle and travel destination.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

Reviews

[Doug Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great photo documentation of the ghost town of Jerome, Arizona, now an artist/historical community. Did you know the guy who built the mine was once the richest person in the world? That the town madam offered free lifetime passes to the firemen to save her bordello? There was a miniature golf course in the middle of town and four swimming pools? Lots of fun history and current flavor of the town with photos to help build in the visions of years past. Well-researched and good quality photos.

[Arthur Salyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got the book after visiting Jerome. Really cool pictures. I was hoping a little bit more text on history the book did have some interesting references on other books to read on history Jerome

[Terry Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife and I visited Jerome several years ago briefly--meant to go back. Nice revisit of the mining town's history.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread notes: Kind of an average Arcadia photo-history. It's OK, but doesn't really pop. I know Jerome well and like it a lot. The book doesn't seem to capture the flavor of the place all that well.

It's a great place to visit, on your next northern Arizona vacation. Look to see if the Haunted Hamburger is still going -- they cooked up a righteous burger for all the years I lived in the area.

[Kathy Eiferle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what we needed as we drove and walked through the town. Lots of neat facts.