Jerome, Arizona.

In 2014, Lynn and I visited America’s most vertical city for the first time. You can read about the city and check out that photo gallery here. In late March this year, we had company and decided to make a round-robin day trip through several towns and historical sites north and west of our place in Buckeye. That trip generated several galleries of high dynamic range (HDR) images. In the next few weeks, I will be sharing photos from that trip. Most are of new places we’ve seen, so I decided I would start with the one place we’ve already visited to share a new collection of images.

I won’t go into the techniques that allow me to create HDR images other than to say it’s a software operation that allows me to blend three images taken at different exposures into a single image that represents a much higher exposure range. In the gallery of images featured here, you may recognize shots similar to those captured in our earlier visit. I hope you enjoy this gallery of images taken and processed in HDR.

John Steiner

Travellers heading between Phoenix and Flagstaff can find a wealth of interesting places to visit along the way. A popular side trip is a visit to Sedona, however the savvy traveler won’t miss stopping at some of the ancient Native American pueblos and other artifacts of ancient North American history.

The Verde Valley, north of the Phoenix metro in central Arizona, got the Spanish name for “green” valley due to it’s access to nearby water, and it’s wealth of malachite, a copper-based mineral. Several indigenous peoples lived in the area, one group the Sinagua, built above-ground masonry pueblos in the 12th century. In the area around Jerome and Clarkdale, several villages were constructed. One such structure was built on the top of a ridge. That site was excavated in the early 1930s and given the name ‘Tuzigoot.’  The name is an Apache term meaning “Crooked Water,” no doubt referencing the bend in the nearby Verde River.

In the opening image, we see some of the rooms constructed in the pueblo. Numbering over 100, the rooms generally lacked doors and were accessible only by ladders made of wood that were positioned in roof hatchways. Today, the National Park Service manages the small museum and is caretaker for the upkeep and maintenance of the site. High on a plateau, the pueblo has a commanding view of the valley below.

The panoramic shot  above is comprised of six images, as a result, it exhibits a bit of distortion in the nearby construction but shows the view of Verde River floodplain from the highest points at Tuzigoot. The river is not visible, but it’s location is identified by the areas of deciduous trees, mostly cottonwood, that are in the distant background. This view looks to the northeast of the site. Though it’s hard to see in this image, the museum and headquarters are just left of center. Follow the line of the wall in the photo that goes from the bottom straight toward left-center. At the end of the line, there is a building just off to the north that houses the park staff and museum.

Looking to the southwest, with the help of a telephoto lens set at 150 mm, the community of Jerome is nestled in the shadows of the Mingus Mountains. Later that afternoon, we would be having lunch at Jerome. You can view more images of this artist’s enclave here and here.

At the top of the monument, a full reconstruction of the top building provides the visitor with a realistic view of how the residents lived in the pueblo. The window opening in this image provides another view of the Verde River Valley. The thick stone and masonry walls provided some respite from the summer heat in Arizona. The gallery of images below features other views of the excavation and reconstruction of Tuzigoot. Click on an image below to see an enlarged view and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

Main Street Jerome

Jerome, AZ

Thousands of people travel along I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff every month, unknowingly driving by a historic Arizona mining town only about a 20 minute detour from the Interstate. Like Bisbee, featured here, Jerome is a former mining boomtown. At its zenith in the 1920s, Jerome’s population was around 15,000. The mines were predominantly copper, the largest of which produced some 3 million pounds of copper per month until the mineral played out.

Homes of well-to-do residents along the main road at Jerome

Built on the side of a peak known as Cleopatra Hill, Jerome is laid out vertically along a switchback road that zigzags its way toward the summit. Like Bisbee, Jerome has become a hangout for artisans. Some nice hotels and several restaurants invite the traveler to stop, enjoy a meal and shop.

Jerome Fire Station

The cluster of restaurants and galleries along Main Street (opening photo) is anchored by the Jerome Town Hall and Police Department. A short walk to the north will bring you to the Jerome Fire Department.

Near the largest cluster of shops and restaurants on the town’s main street is the Jerome Mine Museum, operated by the Jerome Historical Society. The price of admission is minimal, and the funds go to support the work of the society. In addition to the museum, the Historical Society operates other historical sites in the town.

For those who are afraid of flying, you have the option to join the Mile High Club in the comfort of the Mile High Inn. We had lunch at the Mile High Grill. The meals we had there were above average, but not spectacular.

Sign posted at the Mile High Inn and Grill

Many of the multi-story residences have their front entrance on the lower portion of the main road. The resident’s second or third floor at the rear faces the main street at the back on the higher section of switchback road. Some houses even have a front entrance on the road at the lower level and rear entrance on the road at the second or third level of the house.

An upper story deck is at eye level with the main road

Located near the largest mine, the Little Daisy Hotel housed mine employees. Rooms were used on a per-shift basis, miners had 8 hours in the room, but had to vacate at the arrival of workers after finishing the next shift. The 44-room hotel closed in 1938 with the end of mining operations.

The Little Daisy Hotel

The Jerome Ghost Pepper Company features a wide variety of salsa and hot sauces. They brag that their ghost pepper sauce is made using the hottest pepper in the world, the Naga Bhut Jolokia from India.

A large “J” is featured at the top of Cleopatra Hill just above the Ghost Pepper Company and Alice’s Restaurant

The view from the town looking down the mountain to the east is expansive, but you should keep going up and over the saddle via the Mingus Mountain Highway. The views on the west side of the mountain are well worth the drive. Take a little extra time and return to the main highway via the west side of the mountain. It will take you longer, but the views will make the trip worthwhile.

Mingus Mountain Scenic Drive

John Steiner