Jerome – Too Stuborn to Die – How the town survived numerous “near death” experiences with Jay Mark

Presentation Description:

Numerous fires, landslides, floods, labor strikes, polluted air, epidemics, Depression, recessions, financial collapse, one adversity after another. Any one of these might spell the end of a lesser community. But, in Arizona, one town survived these “near-death” experiences, and more; yet managed to survive. Some might even say, “thrive.” This presentation looks at the numerous disasters, tragedies and setbacks Jerome faced in its first ¾ century. And still come out on top. From the time in prehistory when the Sinagua’s mined copper for decoration and ornamentation, to the Spanish exploring for gold and silver, to the modern discoveries of copper riches all within Cleopatra Hill, Jerome exploded to the 4th largest city in Arizona. Less than half-a-century later, its numbers had dwindled to 243. How Jerome remade itself from a major mining center into a tourist-filled, living Ghost Town is a fascinating tale that features many seldom images.

This program is cohosted by San Tan Valley Library.

About the speaker:

Historian Jay Mark’s career includes antiques & bookstore owner, commercial photography, professional theater, radio, and television broadcaster. His background, knowledge and experience contribute to his lively and engaging presentations. A regular contributor of history- related articles to the Antique Register; Arizona Contractor & Community, and The Arizona
Republic, Jay is also a published writer of seven antiques-related books. He is co-author of a history of The Buckhorn Baths in Mesa. Mark has received numerous awards honoring his
service to the community, including the Governor’s Heritage award of the Arizona Preservation Foundation, and the State Historic Preservation Office. Mark remains actively engaged in issues relating to historic preservation, history museums, urban planning, and public policy.