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Set high on the side of a mountain sits Jerome’s Grand Hotel, Arizona’s mile high historic landmark. Located in Jerome, Arizona between Sedona and Prescott this mile high historic landmark is a sight to see.
The building itself started out as the United Verde Hospital, opening January 1927. In 1930 it was written up as the most modern and well equipped hospital in Arizona and possibly the western states. The building itself was built to withstand the blasts of up to 100,000 pounds of dynamite set off by the mine in Jerome and is fireproof. It is amazing how this 30,000 square foot, five level building of poured in place reinforced concrete was constructed on a 50 degree slope. It is an engineering marvel even by today’s standards.
The Otis elevator is fully operational and provides service to all five levels of the hotel and has never been modernized. Traveling speed of 50 ft per minute it takes 45 seconds to reach the top level of the building. Purchased by the Altherr family in 1994, from the Phelps Dodge Mining Corp, this is one of the best preserved buildings in the state of Arizona. Extreme measures have been used to protect the interior and exterior integrity of the building. The hotel features Jerome’s Bistro Restaurant and Lounge.
The town of Jerome began in 1876 when three prospectors staked claim on the rich copper deposits. By the early 20th century the United Verde was the largest producing copper mine in the Arizona territory. The Little Daisy Mine shut down in 1938. Phelps Dodge took over the United Verde in 1935, but loss of profits brought the operation and Jerome’s mining days to an end in 1953. Rich with culture this now famous ghost town built on the side of a mountain, is a wonderful sight to see and experience for the paranormal enthusiast or the history buff. The Jerome Grand Hotel is on the top of my recommended list for U.S. enthusiasts to visit.
The minute you walk into this historic building you can feel it’s ominous past all around you, like stepping back into days gone by. As you walk through the corridors of the hotel you can’t help but feel the essence of those long gone. The hotel and the town itself have been featured in several paranormal television programs and magazines. If ever in Arizona this hotel is a must to visit and the town Of Jerome and the story of the men and women who once worked this old mining town is a wonderful tale indeed. You can’t help but feel their presence all around you when you enter the Jerome Grand Hotel.
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