Haunted Jerome

The historic artist’s community of Jerome, Arizona is located on a mountainside above the Verde Valley. During the town’s heyday in the 1920’s, the Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation turned the town into a “billion dollar copper camp” but once the deposits ran out in 1953, the mines were shut down and the population dwindled. Years before, it was called the “Wickedest City in the West” but today, a small group of year-round inhabitants support and artist’s colony, art galleries, antique shops, colorful restaurants and bars and a number of museums devoted to days gone by. Not surprisingly, the living inhabitants are not the only ones to linger in Jerome!

There are many ghosts in Jerome and some of them reside at the town’s Community Center. It is said that many of the local citizens called the place “Spook Hall” because of the odd happenings that take place here. In fact, locals have become so used to their resident phantoms that a newsletter called the “Jerome Ghost Post” was published for awhile! The ghost of the Community Hall is actually a young woman who has been seen at the front of the building, walking toward a hotel that used to be the site of prostitution “cribs”.

One of these “ladies of the evening” is also said to haunt the Inn at Jerome, located on Main Street. During the copper camp’s heyday, it was said that more than 120 prostitutes plied their trade in the town. One of the madams, Jennie Banters, was said to be the richest women in northern Arizona. The Inn at Jerome is Jennie’s former home and while it is no longer a brothel, Jennie has remained behind. In fact, one of the eight rooms here is called the “Spooks, Ghosts and Goblins” room. Jennie and her phantom cat have frequently been reported in the house. The cat often vanishes before guests can pick her up and loves to brush against people in the kitchen. Jennie often moves things about in the kitchen as well and keeps the maid busy by rearranging furniture, moving objects and rotating the ceiling fan.