On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Captain C
Jerome is my favorite place in Arizona. It is located about a mile above sea level on Cleopatra Hill (near Mingus Mountain) and overlooks the Verde Valley. It got its start as a copper mine, with the mines literally below the town. The population maxed out around 10-15,000 or so in the ’20s, and at one point was known as the ‘Wickedest Town in the West’. In 1953, played out (and with some worry about the town collapsing into the mines), the mines closed, and the population dropped to around 100 or so. Since then, it’s become an art colony and more lately, a tourist attraction, with a population of 500ish and about 20 art shops, 5 or 6 restaurants, several hotels, a couple bars (and more recently, some wineries), and a few assorted other shops, including Puscifer, which is owned by Maynard from the similarly named band (and also Tool) which is, well, I’ll describe that later.
Jerome is also home to my favorite (and sadly retired) band, Major Lingo. I got to spend time with three of the four members on this trip, though Tony the slide player was as elusive as ever.
Looking north towards San Francisco Peaks.
My friend Tommy has a little music store (memorabilia, instruments, records, tapes, CDs, and more) tucked away in one of the buildings in Jerome. He also plays around northern and central AZ a lot (under the same name, Tommy Rocks!), doing various covers and originals.
In the ruins of this building, the Jerome Historical Society raises money by having an old outhouse (and now some toilets, which are more recent addition) for folks to try and toss their spare change into. I have never succeeded (that I recall) in getting a quarter into the outhouse toilet hole, but I did get a coin into the outhouse more than once, and also all the other receptacles.
The House of Joy, which is now, I think, an art/souvenir shop, and has also been a restaurant (appointment-only at times), a hotel/b&b, and who knows what else in the depths of time.
There was some snow in Arizona!
The Jerome State Historic Park, with a mining exhibition and 1916 house museum, and beyond it the relatively new (’90s-ish) cement plant down in Clarkdale.
Lawrence Memorial Hall AKA Spook Hall, site of many an excellent Lingo show.
raven
Love it, somewhere I have a picture of my dad and Raven there!
SpaceUnit
I got to see Major Lingo in a bar In Flagstaff.
Holy Shit were they good.
HinTN
Interesting place. Bring on Parts 2 – n.
eclare
Looks interesting. What is the building in the first photo?
stinger
Love the horizons, especially in the last shot!
TimOAZ
Look up the interesting history!! Jerome was named after Jenny Jerome. Winston Churchill’s mother! She married a copper baron to bring money into the family, not unlike the fictional Downton Abbey characters.
We’ve been in AZ since 1991 and we are leaving today to live back East.
The road to Jerome is one of the great scenic drives in AZ and Prescott is a gem.
Farewell Arizona.
Cacti
My favorite place in Arizona is the State line to California.
munira
I lived in Jerome from 4th – 6th grade when it was still a mining town – mostly Mexican – the best place i lived as a kid – loved it.
Cec65
@TimOAZ: The story about Winston Churchill’s mother is half right. The town is named for her father, but she and he NEVER lived there. He was a gilded age financer in New York. She grew up in American High Society, was a debutante, and married into the British High Society.
pieceofpeace
Thanks! Visited there in the ’90s, still looks the same….
S Cerevisiae
I lived in Prescott for a while 20 years ago and loved the drive up to Jerome on a sunny day. I wonder if Avatar Tattoo is still there, I got a real nice tat done there by Rick – took a couple months to get the appointment but totally worth it.
Quinerly
Love Jerome!
And Prescott!!!!
Captain C
@SpaceUnit: Excellent! I describe them to people as “the best band you’ve never heard of.” My friends and I used to roadtrip all over the state to see them.
Captain C
@raven:
@stinger:
Thanks!
Captain C
@eclare: It is, I believe, currently the Little Daisy, which seems to be some kind of hotel/experience space (not sure what that is). I don’t recall what it used to be.
Captain C
@pieceofpeace: The ’90s is when I first went there and I agree, it still looks pretty much the same.
Captain C
@S Cerevisiae:
@Quinerly:
On this trip I visited a friend in Prescott on the way to Jerome, so I got to do that wonderful 89A drive between the two. It, plus the rest of the 89A up to Flag, is my favorite AZ drive. I love both towns.
Captain C
@SpaceUnit: By the way, do you remember when you saw them there?