jerome historical society Projects!
The Mission of the Jerome Historical Society is to protect, preserve, and present the unique physical and cultural history of Jerome through its buildings, architecture, research archives, museum, and other programs for the benefit of residents and current and future generations.
Current Projects:
Audrey Headframe History
The state-of-the-art Audrey shaft and headframe was the largest facility of its kind built by the United Verde Extension (UVX) Company during its years of operation. It was constructed in 1918 only after the location of an extraordinarily rich copper deposit made the investment economically viable. The search for the "bonanza' had not been easy! Since he had obtained an option on the company in 1912, James S. "Rawhide" Douglas had dug in vain, counter to the advice of his own geological experts and others who claimed that the mine would never be profitable. Against all odds, Douglas persisted, and finally in December of 1914, with his corporate resources almost exhausted and much to the dismay of the mining world, his crews ran into the incredible deposit. It was not as large as that of United Verde, but it was twice as rich in copper per ton of material.
UVX Operations Looking NW – Audrey Headframe circled; other headframe is the Edith
The first shaft, the Daisy (located near the Little Daisy Hotel), had been sunk down to the 800 foot level in 1902 but neither it nor its drifts (horizontal runs) had shown any sign of ore in significant amounts. In 1913, the Edith shaft, located 1500 feet to the east, was begun. That year, a drift on the 1200 foot level ran into a promising deposit about 500 feet to the south. This in turn led the next year to the tip of the massive body of rich ore that made the fortunes of Douglas and his investors. From 1912 to 1916, the price of UVX stock jumped from $0.15 per share to $35.
The Audrey shaft was completed in 1918 as part of a complex operational plan that sought to maximize the amount high-grade ore extracted, reduce fire risk (a major concern in this sulfur-rich soil) and optimize worker safety. The Daisy shaft was relegated to air supply, while the Edith served as the workhorse for the handling of materials. The Audrey shaft was assigned the task of hauling ore to the surface in its early life and after 1919 to the 1300 foot level where it was transported underground via electric trains to the new Clemenceau smelter, south of what is now "Old Town" Cottonwood. The mining operation as a whole was considered one of the best designed and safest in America.
The shaft itself is made up of three independent, concrete-lined segments with major horizontal hubs at the 800, 1200, 1300, 1400 1500, 1600 and 1700 foot levels. The headframe consists of a structure of wood beams supporting three sets of pulleys over which cables ran that hoisted cargo cages. Cage guides on the headframe served as transitions from each of the shaft segments to the free air above ground.
The UVX operation in Jerome was concentrated in a fairly small area bordered by the Little Daisy hotel on the hill to the north serving as a residence for miners and the Douglas Mansion to the south. A complex of buildings and other structures were clustered next to the Edith and Audrey shafts. These included, among others, a power substation fed by TAPCO (Childs/Irving system), a machine shop, a warehouse, and two office buildings.
UVX Complex Looking East - Audrey headframe circled
During the years from 1919 through 1938 the Audrey headframe lifted more than 3.6 million tons of ore yielding 320,000 tons of copper, 190 tons of silver, and 5.3 tons of gold. The profit was immense, averaging in excess of 70%, and continued at this pace until the price of copper fell precipitously in the early stages of the Great Depression.
The Jerome Historical Society’s mission may be quite extensive with its many dimensions and aspects, but despite Jerome’s small population to draw upon for help, great achievements have been accomplished by the Society over the last 48 years. All in efforts to best preserve the Jerome we all love.
Past projects the Society has completed over the past four years include: Architectural drawings and a grant for expansion of the top two floors of the Boyd Hotel into apartments; The reprinting of Herbert Young’s book Ghosts of Cleopatra Hill; Excavation and retaining of a large parking lot at the top of town; Creation of new displays within the Bartlett Shell; Upgrades within the Mine Museum Building to reflect not only the mining in Jerome but the diversity of people; Fire sprinklers in the Museum basement; Fire protection wall in the Post Office; Improved Archival and Research Department with an almost completed Archival Improvement Plan; and Historic Plaques on Jerome's buildings.
Such projects take time and money. Without memberships and donations these things wouldn’t get started or finished and the historic buildings of Jerome that we all love could easily crumble and decay with time.
Jerome, a town listed on the National Historic Register, because of its unique character dedicated to historic Arizona, is one of the most important pieces of cultural heritage Arizona has. Coming to Jerome is like stepping back in time. It reminds us of our history and heritage as a mining state. If you would like to help be a part of preserving Jerome and Arizona’s heritage please send your tax deductible donations to: Jerome Historical Society, P.O. Box 156, Jerome, Arizona 86331 or you can become a member by going to our Membership portion of this site.
Vision Statement
The vision of The Jerome Historical Society (JHS) is a historical Jerome that is effectively preserved through the continuing creative efforts of the society and general citizenry. There will be a robust arts community, and the high school complex will be a vibrant social, cultural and economic center for the town. Parking and public transportation for residents and visitors alike will be adequate and reasonably convenient.
JHS will develop and effectively use its real estate holdings to help achieve the organization’s mission, and a majority of Jerome households will become members of the society. The museum will be enlarged and regarded as a destination historical museum in Arizona. In addition, mini-museums/historical displays will be located throughout the town, and a mine tour will be developed. The society’s archives will be completely catalogued and serve as an important research resource for scholars and other qualified individuals. Finally, JHS will collaborate with other organizations to provide regular, quality historical education programs to Verde Valley grade and high school students and make those programs available to other interested groups.
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 or persons interested in historic restoration.
"…protect, preserve and present the unique physical and natural history of Jerome…for the benefit of residents and current and future generations."
