Journey to Jerome

It's only taken me 27 years to get to Jerome, Arizona; but I finally made it! If you're not familiar with Jerome, it was for a short while, one of Arizona's largest mining towns. Copper was its main resource, producing three million pounds per month from around 1876 untill the mid 1950's. After that it quickly became one of the West's numerous ghost towns. Now it's a huge draw for tourists, who can wander the towns storefronts in search of souvenirs and local art. If you're a model railroader, you'd know it from John Olson's layout series in Model Railroader in 1982; Building a Railroad with Personality, The Jerome & South Western.

The layout was a standard 4'x8' but John created the illusion of a much larger layout, well detailed and rich in character which he imparted from his own talents as an imagineer at Disney as well as thorough research. I'd read those issues when I was 12 years old, but they left quite an impression. Aside from the fact that the layout appealed to me; realistic rock work and weathering, detailed structures - I was fascinated by this place called Jerome. At the time, growing up in New York City, Jerome Arizona might as well been on the far side of the moon.

Ultimately, John's article series made its way into book form which I immediately purchased back then. I still have the same book, yellowed edges; spine retaped - and I still go back to it, as the techniques are still among the best. Through the book I could visit Jerome, if only through John's photos. I'd put it on my list of places to see; some day.

Well today was the day! As we're travelling around Arizona, in particular Sedona, Jerome was a mere 40 minute drive away. How could I not go? One picture in the book that always stood out was John collecting a container of dirt to be used on his layout. Well today I collected a couple of pounds of Mingus Mountain dirt myself...

It was better than I imagined. From what I'd read, many of the towns buildings were built on the edge of Cleopatra Hill...more like clinging for their structural lives; amazing! It looked like a swift kick with your foot would send a building tumbling down. In fact after countless dynamite explosions in the mines, a good portion, like two blocks and two dozen buildings slid down the hill.

But so much is still intact. As you pass through the town, you come upon an incredible site - after some disastrous underground accidents, they turned to above ground strip mining - a large portion of the hill is just missing, gone, carved out by a giant. Actually it was a Marion steam shovel that could scoop out eight cubic yards in one gulp. It turns out it was a steam shovel that previously had helped dig out the Panama Canal. The actual shell of the unit is still on site.

Beyond the large hole in the side of the mountain is the Jerome ghost town. It's a bit propped for tourism, but it's a massive collection of old mining equipment - including dozens of automobiles and trucks, faded but very intact, from the '30's to the '50's. There's a working saw mill and a dozen old structures. If you're into detailed modeling, narrow gauge railroading and model railroading in general; your brain will pretty much fall right out of your head next to a rusting 1940's Dodge.

Needles to say I took numerous photos and all I could think about was tearing up my layout and building my own Jerome and South Western...

If you ever have travel plans that take you to Arizona, don't miss Jerome. Just have a good hold on your brain, it might make it's way down Cleopatra Hill.