Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Jerome,
Arizona - The Wickedest Town in the West
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
I visited family this year in Prescott Valley,
Arizona. One day, we decided to go wine tasting in Jerome. Come take a
look at this town with a history!
Located near the top of Cleopatra Hill between Prescott and Flagstaff,
Arizona lies Jerome.
Once a thriving mining camp full of miners, bootleggers, gamblers, and
prostitutes, Jerome is now a bustling tourist destination full of artists,
musicians, wine tasting rooms and gift shop proprietors.
Main Street in Jerome, Arizona today
As a
copper mining camp, Jerome grew from a settlement of tents into a roaring
mining community, once known as The Wickedest Town in the West. At one
point, Jerome boasted of a population of 15,000 people in the 1920's.
Little shops and stores in Jerome
Men
and women from all over the world made their way to Jerome to find work in this mining town which was producing 3 million pounds of copper per
month.
After
WWII, demand for copper decreased dramatically, and the Phelps Dodge Mine
was closed in 1953. Since there was no work, the remaining population of
under 100 people promoted the town as an historic ghost town.
In 1967 Jerome was designated a National Historic District by the federal
government.
Today Jerome is a thriving tourist and artist hub with a population of
around 450 people.
A
run down shack from the Olden Days perched up on this hill
By the early 21st century, Jerome had
art galleries, coffee houses, restaurants, a state park, and a local museum
devoted to mining history.
Curvy roads and buildings nestled into
the side of the hill
You would never guess by
looking, but about 525 million years ago,
this part of northern Arizona was at the bottom of a
shallow sea. The copper ore was created by an underground volcano and
seismic shifts of the land which brought it to the surface.
Quaint shops can be found today
This little shop is
Vino Zona, which gives great wine tastings. It is owned by a delightful
woman named Ginger who also runs the Hotel upstairs, called The Kelly House.
Vino Zona and The Kelly House
The Kelly House used to provide rooms for the miners during the copper boom.
The room below (now Vino Zona) was an ice cream store.
This hotel housed the Mine Management
The
Ghost City Inn was built in 1885 and is where the Mine Management lived. In
the 1920's The Garcia's bought the property and owned it until the late
1970's.
Today, it's called Ghost City Inn, Bed
and Breakfast
In the
1930's a bootleg still exploded upstairs, causing the whole 2nd floor to
burn. Later, in the 1970's, the first floor was made into an art gallery,
and the home became a Bed and Breakfast in 1994.
Jerome Grand Hotel
The Jerome Grand Hotel used to be the United Verde Hospital which was constructed in 1926.
The old hospital that United Verde replaced was constructed in 1917, but the
south wing was damaged during a fault shift caused by mine blasting. The
United Verde Hospital was considered the most modern hospital in Arizona and
possibly the Western States until it closed in 1950.
The
Jerome Grand Hotel was updated in 1994.
Another view of the Hotel, up a narrow road, no guard rails!
Some
consider the Hotel to be haunted, with
strange occurrences having been documented over the years. There were a
couple of TV shows on the “spirit” nature of the Hotel and a number of
psychics have visited the property.
Since
the Hotel used to be a hospital, apparently the psychics said the "Head
Nurse" was rather cranky, making complaints about the original Dispensary
desks being moved. When the Asylum Restaurant opened in 2003, the
desks were placed back into near the original position, and the "Head Nurse"
has quieted down! - well, at least about the desks!
Quaint white picket fence
Jerome has a quaint,
small-village feel to it now. I don't think it comes any where near it's old
reputation of The Wickedest Town in the West... But it gives good views, has
several decent restaurants in town, and you could always come and stay at
one of the inns and do some wine tasting!
Jerome Grand Hotel
Located in: Asylum Restaurant
200 Hill St, Jerome, AZ 86331
Phone: +1 888-817-6788
Website:
http://jeromegrandhotel.net/
The
Kelly House
View, Vibe, and a wine shop underneath. The best view in Jerome.
www.thekellyhousejerome.com
Vino
Zona – Super fine Arizona wine
Sip
amazing AZ wine in down-to-earth Jerome style
www.vinozona.love
vinozonajerome@gmail.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/vinozonajerome
Southwest Wine Center
Verde Valley Campus
601
Black Hills Drive
Clarkdale, AZ 86324
(928) 634. 6566
www.SouthWestCenter.org
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About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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