AURA

Had Coronado been looking for copper instead of gold, Bisbee and Jerome would have been lucky finds. Copper is what attracted mining companies and the laborers they needed to these two hilly spots. But from a high population mark of 25,000 in Bisbee and 15,000 in Jerome, once the copper ran out, so did the people, such that at present Bisbee the population is down to 6800, Jerome 400. Less than 3% of the residents stayed in each place when the mines closed. It was even less in both until the realization hit that these are pretty places where cheap digs can appeal to hippies, artists, and retirees.

Scenic beauty that attracted the activities of artists is what draws tourists to both these places. Bisbee is kind of off the beaten track, and so gets only about a third as many tourists as Jerome, even though Jerome’s population is only about 6 % of Bisbee’s. Jerome lives or dies by tourism, and has managed to survive partly because of being near to upscale cool getaways from Phoenix like Clarkdale and Sedona, and because when Jerome’s last mines closed in 1953, some of the 200 remaining die-hards formed the Jerome Historical Society to call attention to its history with a museum and its quaint appearance. Tourists to Jerome number over a million a year, versus Bisbee’s 300,000.

If you’re at the Grand Canyon, the fastest way to get to Jerome is to head south on AZ64 to Interstate 40 east to Flagstaff. But if you’re somebody aiming for Jerome, you are not the hurrying type. So you should instead take 64 east to US89, checking out what the Indians have for sale along the way, then hang a right on US160 to Tuba City to see what Mars looks like. Having done that, retrace your tire tracks to US89, and then head south to Interstate 40, west to Flagstaff. If you're heading north to the Canyon, see my directions here instead.

I know Sine has something to say about Tuba City and Flagstaff, so I’ll just say head south from Flagstaff on Interstate 17 and then on AZ89A when you come to it. That takes you to a steep winding scenic drive south to Sedona, but shortly before you get there you had better stop at Slide Rock State Park, especially if it’s a hot day. Most people don’t bother going to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, so you’re just crazy if you don’t at least have the fun of literally sitting down in the stream on slide rock and letting it carry your body till you’re in sync with nature. Dry off and proceed to Sedona where artsy outdoor cafes await. Having been charmed by the red rocks and all the gallery-going you require, proceed south again on 89A for a good ways, passing through Clarkdale and then on up the steep incline to Jerome, noting homes, lodging and eateries on your left, and very soon the heart of Jerome with its galleries etc. The heart is small, so stopping anywhere will put you in the center of things. If you must see the gouges in the earth that previous residents labored to create for the sake of lighting up the night with copper wire and such, ask someone to point.

If you haven’t got time for the rest of my tour south, you could do worse than continue on AZ89A for a somewhat hair-raising ride to Prescott, a nice laid-back western town, and then head north back to the Canyon. Or, if you’re into architecture and other things we’re ranting about, you might prefer to back track on AZ89A east to AZ60 which puts you on I-17 with a choice to make: go north immediately about 4 miles to Montezuma Castle to see how the Indians built an apartment building into a cliff, or first go south about 13 miles to Arcosanti that's on our map.

● Jerome's history

● Overview

● Jerome State Historic Park Intro, Hours

● Fees and map

● Directions

● 10 day weather forecast