Jerome is a town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona. Founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley, Jerome is located more than 5,000 feet above sea level.
It is about 100 miles north of Phoenix along State Route 89A between Sedona and Prescott. Supported in its heyday by rich copper mines, it was home to more than 10,000 people in the 1920s. As of the 2010 census, its population was 444. It is now known for its tourist attractions, such as its "ghost town" status and local wineries.
Jerome was founded in 1876 and named a U.S. Centennial City in 1976. Once home to the wealthiest mine in the world owned by one man, the whole town was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1967. The third largest town in Arizona at its peak, the boom town was called the Wickedest City in the West in 1903. |