Jerome, Arizona

I have a fascination with ghost towns - beit completely deserted or still lived in - I love them the same. Sometimes the ones people live in are much better than the completely deserted because the buildings aren't completely demolished.

Maybe it was the first time my Grandma Scott took my family up to Jerome and into the kaleidescope store that I first fell in love with this town. I can't remember for sure. But, it's a great town. It's built way up on the mountainside. There is barely room for roads let alone the houses that hang over the edges of the mountain side. Mining operations began in this town in 1883, but due to the depression and changing costs of copper the mines were closed in 1953.



During the 60s and 70s artists (or as the locals tell it "the hippies") moved in and began to live in the houses. Many of the houses are falling down, but far more have been restored and are home to the residents.



The main road veers to the right at one point and leads you up to the Gold King Mine & Ghost Town. The guy who owns and operations this museum per say has an unbelievable amount of stuff. There is a working Sawmill that is huge. I believe it was $4 per person and we got to walk around and look at all of the different machinery, vehicles, and shacks full of all sorts of relics.




The museum also has several various animals running around - goats, chickens and a donkey. :)



Finally - here are a couple other pictures I took of metal gates. I was just inspired by them that day.