Jerome and Beyond

 After leaving the state park, we stopped to check out the sliding jail. The jail was part of a larger structure built in 1905 and made from wood and tin. In began sliding in 1938 when the mountain it sat on was blasted with dynamite. It slid 225 feet and in 2017 the Jerome Historical Society took over control of the jail and plan to eventually restore it.

This next picture is from the Wikipedia page on the jail.

Next up we decided to head up to main street. Paul was able to find a great parking spot right on main in Jerome. 

 

We wandered in and out of the stores looking at all the wonderful craftsmanship. It's really good that I live in an RV because I have no place to put anything which keeps my spending under control. 

 

Now this is interesting

I fell in love with a telephone wire plate. However, I could not think of one place that I could put it where anyone who came to visit could enjoy it. I wish I would have taken a picture of it, but I didn't. This picture is taken from Borrego Outfitters web page and it gives you an idea of what telephone wire plates look like.

So many places to eat so we decided on The Miner's Cafe. Good choice. I only took one picture which doesn't do it justice, but it's down the hill off of main and then down a few steps to the outdoor patio which has two tables that each sit two people. I had the Jerome Street Tacos and Paul had the Caprese Sandwich. 

 

After the delicious lunch, we headed back to the car. Time for some pictures of the scenery in this beautiful part of Arizona.

Tuzigoot National Monument - we did not stop here. It sits up the hill just east of Clarkdale. The pueblo has 110 rooms built by the Sinagua people. 

 

Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon

 

Aren't you glad that when we are sight seeing, I often forget to take more pictures. 

We had a full day and it was time to go to Camp Verde to the Day's Inn. The guy at the front desk recommended we go to La Casita for dinner. Dinner was fabulous. We would definitely return if we're in the area. 

We return to Apache Junction in the morning and Paul will get ready to head north to Minnesota for the summer. (He's already there so you can tell how far behind I am in posting the blog.) 

Jerome - A Thriving Ghost Town

 I cannot believe how good the weather has been. Cool mornings but pleasant afternoons.

After our dinner at the Palace, we called it a night and went back to our hotel rooms. I know I was ready for peace and quiet and a good book or some tv. We agreed to meet about 7:30 a.m. in the lobby for breakfast.  

After breakfast we headed to Jerome. This post is going to be a lot of pictures. 

 

 Jerome was a copper mining town founded in 1876 and built on Cleopatra Hill between Prescott and Sedona. During it's heyday, Jerome was the fourth largest city in Arizona with a peak population of around 15,000. Today, Jerome is home to an artist colony (of around 450 people), which attracts tourists from around the world.

Our first stop was the Jerome State Historic Park. Highly recommend that you make this your first stop also. 

James S. Douglas built the mansion on the hill which is now a museum at the Park. He designed the house as a hotel for mine investors as well as his own family

 

The house had a wine cellar, a billiard room, a marble shower, steam heat, and a central vacuum system, as well as an extensive library. 

Central Vacuum System

Square Grand Piano which was popular during the 19th Century.

The Library

The Carbonator - used to make carbonated water for soft drinks. 

The video presentation was really well done showing the history of Jerome and the mining days. Definitely worth taking the time to watch it.

The views from the museum grounds were amazing. The flags were flying at half mast to pay homage to the death of Pope Francis.

The Little Daisy Hotel was built in 1918 up on the hillside. It was used as housing for the workers of the Little Daisy Mine. Closed in 1938, the building was stripped for salvage.

The Mexican Methodist Church was built in 1939 out of scrap lumber and discarded dynamite boxes. It became known as the Powder Box Church but is now a private residence.

I still have more to post about Jerome and the surrounding area, but that will wait for another day.

Dinner At The Palace

Still in Prescott

For A Good Time - Eat At The Palace

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon is the oldest bar in Arizona. Located on Whiskey Row, the servers are all dressed in period costumes (think wild west saloons with gamblers, boozers and loose women). It was opened in 1877, and rebuilt in 1902 after a fire swept the district in 1900.

Over time the Palace has seen some famous patrons - Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, Doc Holliday and Steve McQueen. It has also been the scene of violence - Wyatt in gunfights and responsible for two deaths. Holliday also killed a man in the saloon during a knife fight. The beating death of a lady of the evening by her boyfriend. 

In 1900 a fire hit Whiskey Row. During the fire the bar patrons picked up the fancy hand-carved Brunswick bar and carried it out of the burning building. They set it down across the street and continued to drink as the fire burned. (I forgot to take a picture of the bar, so this picture is from Experience Prescott Website)

During Prohibition, the saloon closed, but a speakeasy and an opium den continued to operate in the basement. The bar has been featured in several films such as Junior Bonner, Billy Jack, and Wanda Nevada.

We had a really fun waitress who took great care of us. She made sure to get our order in ahead of the 30+ Combat Veterans (Viet Nam) who were there to have a celebration of life for one of their own. 

 

Paul ordered the Back Country Burger for dinner and I had fish and chips. They were both really good. But the atmosphere made them extra good. 

This is the balcony on the second floor where the women and men could go to find some privacy. 

Headed for Prescott? Make sure you stop at 

The Palace.

Whiskey Row

 We're still having really nice weather for the month of April. Cool mornings and warmer afternoons.

I'm off again on another adventure in Arizona - this time with Paul. He and I have been talking about going up to the Prescott/Jerome area for over a year and finally said, now is the time.

We made it to Prescott in time for lunch. Decided to give the Bear and Dragon a try. Good choice. 

The couple who own the restaurant named it after their children's nicknames - Bridget Bear and Drake the Dragon. They wanted an Old World English feel to their place and they succeeded. 

You really need to go to their website and look at their menu. It's set up like a book with a cover, and a prologue, and chapters and endings. 

I decided to try the Samwise soup for lunch. A puree of Yukon Golds, vegetable broth and cream, with crispy shallots, micro greens and lemon oil. Yummy. It was so good. I'd definitely order that again.

Paul had the Little Bear (I forgot to take a picture) which was a Grilled Ciabatta sandwich with turkey, cheddar, tomato and mayo.

An excellent lunch. After lunch, we walked around courthouse square. For whatever reason, there were armed guards at the one door that was open to the public. We decided being outside was just fine for us. 

Monuments around the courthouse.

Surrounding the courthouse is Whiskey Row, so called because at one point the block hosted a total of 40 saloons. 

Prescott is an old mining town and was no stranger to shoot outs, bawdy girls, gamblers and cowboys. In this day and age, there are still several saloons left but most have been turned into art galleries, fashion stores, and really good candy establishments.

Art galleries

$3,800 -

$5,500 -

Paul went looking for a tee shirt to add to his collection. I did a lot of people watching.

But I made sure I didn't miss the fudge store.

We took a short drive out to Watson Lake. 

And look at who we saw hunting for some dinner. They are such majestic birds. Anybody else watching Sunny and Gizmo grow up under the watchful eyes of Shadow and Jackie?

We have a special treat for dinner tonight. Check the next post.