Jerome is a picturesque town that clings precariously to the lofty slopes of Cleopatra Mountain. Directly underneath Jerome is a honeycomb of abandoned mine shafts and tunnels reaching thousands of feet into the mountain. Once one of the richest mining towns in the world, Jerome almost became a ghost town when the mine closed in 1953. Today, many resident artists make Jerome a flourishing artistic community.

The first mention of the Jerome mines occurred in 1582 when a Spanish expedition found an Indian turquoise mine at the site.

World War I brought Jerome to its highest pinnacle of success. Between 1914 and 1920, the population reached 15,000, making it Arizona’s third largest city.

Jerome was named after Eugene Jerome who financed Arizona’s territorial governor, Frederick Tritle in 1886.