Jerome, Arizona’s history is full of stories. These stories tell how the “Wickedest Town in The West” got its name and how men who sought their fortunes in this billion dollar mining camp lived, played and fought.

Once the fourth largest city in the Arizona Territory, Jerome boasted a population of nearly 15,000 on its hilltop haven. During its heyday, men and women from all over the world made their way to Arizona to find work and maybe a new way of life.

Today, when you visit Jerome and its historic buildings, you are given an opportunity to take a step back in time, feel the past and experience life as it might have been in Arizona’s rough and rugged days.

To help with your visit, the Jerome Historical Society’s Mine Museum, located on Main Street, has numerous displays depicting life in Jerome from its beginnings to its present time.

Another way the Historical Society preserves the past for the present is through its large archives. With over 11,000 photos, numerous maps, newspapers and documents all filed and easily accessed with the assistance of our Archivist, researchers are welcome.

Jerome Historical Society Mission Statement

The mission of the Jerome Historical Society is to collect, protect, preserve and present the unique physical, cultural and mining history of Jerome through its buildings, archives, library, museums and other programs. The Society will be the repository for primary materials that document this hsitory and will be committed to public and scholarly inquiry.

History of Jerome Historical Society

For more than half a century, Jerome was virtual a ghost town. It wasn’t until the formation of the Jerome Historical Society in 1953 and the opening of the Jerome Mine Museum that the town came alive. When

the mines closed in the 1950s, the population of Jerome dwindled to a handful of people. The historical society struggled to keep Jerome alive, trying to achieve their dream of making Jerome the “greatest outdoor museum.” In 1956 the society completed negotiations with Phelps Dodge assuring that no more buildings would be torn down in the main part of Ghost City. In addition, the society succeeded in purchasing most of uptown Jerome, securing Main Street. Today, the Jerome Historical Society owns eight commercial buildings. The balance of the buildings owned by the society were sold back to the community and persons interested in historic restoration.

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Board of Directors 2023

Mary Beth Barr:  President

Allen Muma: Vice President

Jay Kinsella: Treasurer

Tracy Weisel:  Sergeant of Arms

General Manager:  Scott Hudson

Don Feher:  Director

Crystal Smith: Director

Jerome Historical Society
PO Box 156
407 Clark Street
Jerome, AZ 86331
(928) 634-1066
FAX (928) 634-7122