Former mining town is a gem

The mountainside villageis anything but thetypical tourist trap.
By CATHY SECKMAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
JEROME, Ariz. -- About 75 miles south and west of the Grand Canyon is an offbeat destination that many tourists bypass for the more glitzy attractions of nearby Sedona.
But Jerome, Ariz., which clings precariously to the side of a mountain over Verde Valley, is just the type of place a tourist likes to find.
You get to the old mining town from State Route 89A, through steeper and steeper switchbacks that ratchet their way tortuously out of the valley. It's a wonderful road for motorcycles, but not so great for motorhomes.
The switchbacks don't stop when you arrive in town, they just get steeper. Main Street crosses the face of Cleopatra Hill more than once, and the different sections are connected by steep steps and alleyways.
A certain charm
The year-round population is less than 500, but two million tourists a year manage to find their way up the mountain to visit. Why? It's hard to say. Some of the empty buildings are burned out hulks, and some of the occupied ones are in poor condition. Parking can be difficult, and access is very limited for those arriving in anything larger than a pickup truck. There are no chain restaurants or motels, no casinos, and only a few scattered tourist attractions.
But there's just something about Jerome. Maybe it's the cachet gained from having been a ghost town in the '50s. It could be the artists' galleries filling the once-vacant miners' homes. It might be Hamburger Heaven, a caf & eacute; where the food doesn't come prepackaged in Styrofoam. Perhaps it's the restored hotels and their less-than-modern conveniences.
Probably it's all those things, which combine to make Jerome into something more -- and less -- than a tourist attraction.
History
Jerome started as a copper mining town in 1883. Despite several devastating fires, it had a population of 15,000 in the 1920s. By the 1930s, miners were using dynamite to blast out the diminishing supply of ore. The blasts damaged many buildings, and moved the town jail a block downhill, turning it into the famous Jerome Sliding Jail. The mines closed in 1953, and by the end of the decade the population had dropped to 50.
The '60s brought new life to Jerome when hippies, drifters and artists moved into the empty buildings, drawn by cheap rent and scenic splendor.
Attractions
Today, the Jerome Chamber of Commerce works hard to maintain the town's unique character and at the same time provide residents with tourism income. Besides the Sliding Jail, things to see include the Jerome State Historic Park off Route 89A, where there is a 1916 adobe brick mansion, and the Mine Museum on Main Street. The Gold King Mine and Ghost Town is just outside town. Hiking and mountain biking are popular, and several special events during the year attract motorcyclists.
Whether you make the climb up to Jerome for an afternoon, or decide to check into the Connor Hotel and stay a few days, you're sure to find a destination that's a bit less than typical, and a bit more than usual.