The ghost town of ....Jerome

After I worked 5hrs we had a History Tour sched to start at noon. We were there in plenty of time...it was only about a 20min ride. We headed for the Mile High City built on the mountain....

                                 Can you see the J in the mountain right above this small winery?

We were the only ones on the tour...so instead of our 1.5hrs...we got a bonus 30min, a 2hr tour.We got in a van and were driven around town. Jerome was a BIG mining town back in the 1890's. Copper/Ore/Gold and Silver....they were all there. This brought in the wealthy to invest and the laborers to just make a living...jobs were hard back then.

This shaft used to take workers down to work

There are a few structures left that were original, and a few walls left from buildings...but that's about it. Fires destroyed much....and there was "voluntary destruction" once most of the mining was done. This was done so that taxes did not have to be paid on buildings/homes anymore....you see, if the roof is gone you don't have to pay taxes, so people were paid to come and destroy the homes...that's one way to avoid taxes!!

One old street with some of the old things left behind....

The tour guide, Rick, told us about the many hands that have owned the mining and the different things that happened during each "rein". With mining came men....and generally single....so then came saloons and prostitutes....and there is where much of the story and mystery lies. The head Madam was the richest woman around. When fires broke out, she used to yell out....save my house and you will have "credit" here!!! So, save the grocery store....or save your "recreation"....hummm!!! Part of the miners pay was a once a week visit to her house....they used to line up on the side walk in a line and wait their turn.....her ladies were busy!!!  The first JC Penney's in AZ was in Jerome and the 2nd...the 1st one burnt. Jerome is built literally on the side of a mountain....a mile high. ...Thus the name of the restaurant

So some things did slide off the mountain....the jail for example slid down....and part of it is still where it landed. The rich lived highest up...cause back then...there were only "slop jars" tossed out the windows doors each day....thus the saying "shit rolls downhill".....so if u could not buy higher up....too bad for you. Then outhouses came....and finally plumbing. When plumbing came they just added a bath onto an existing structure....like adding a room....kind of cool.
It was at one time one of the 3 largest cities in AZ...now it is one of the 5 smallest...population 444. There is some mining still, but not much. It is said that the ghosts of many of the folks that were prominent here still "visit". They do ghost tours at night and carry this "ghost finder" meter things with them....we opted to pass on that. The hotels have caught things on their security cameras and it does make one wonder.

 We had lunch a Quencie's....great Southwest/MEX.....the pork was wonderful...as was the open faced hamburger and the FF with their "special" sauce and cheese....that did it for us for the day!!!!

We left Jerome and headed to Montezuma Castle....a beautiful Cliff Dwelling from long ago. The Indians lived in them years ago. They were very clever...they built interior ladders to go between the levels, and used mud/clay to create walls. Very smart.

Then it was time to see more scenery....a drive thru Red Rock Canyon and then home. We got a great look at the Cathedral Rock while in the Canyon...and it was approaching sunset, so the colors were terrific.

Back "home" for a nice swim and a little pre-packing.....have to head to PHX tomorrow via Prescott and whatever else we find.....

Stay tuned we aren't done yet!!!!