In 1953, Jerome, Arizona, formed a historical society to preserve a mining town that became virtually a ghost town after once having nearly 15,000 people

Jerome, Arizona, was known as the Wickedest Town in the West, a billion-dollar mining camp on a hilltop. At its peak it held nearly 15,000 people, making it the fourth-largest city in the Arizona Territory. After the mines closed in the 1950s, the population dwindled to a handful of residents. The Jerome Historical Society says the town was virtually a ghost town for more than half a century. It came alive after the Society formed in 1953 and the Mine Museum opened. Its buildings, archives and displays let visitors step back in time and experience Arizona's rough and rugged past.How did Jerome grow into a major mining townJerome's history is full of stories. According to the Jerome Historical Society, they explain how the "Wickedest Town in the West" got its name, and how the men who sought their fortunes in a billion-dollar mining camp lived, played and fought.Jerome stood on a hilltop, which the Society describes as a hilltop haven. It became the fourth-largest city in the Arizona Territory and boasted a population of nearly 15,000. During its heyday, men and women from all over the world made their way to Arizona to find work and, perhaps, a new way of life. That mix of ambition and hardship shaped the rough and rugged character the town is remembered for.Why did Jerome become a ghost town after the mines closedThe mines closed in the 1950s, and Jerome's population dwindled to a handful of people. A town that had once been home to nearly 15,000 was left with only a few residents.The Jerome Historical Society says that for more than half a century Jerome was virtually a ghost town. It was not until the Society was formed in 1953 and the Jerome Mine Museum opened that the town came alive. The Society struggled to keep Jerome going, and it worked towards a dream of turning the town into the "greatest outdoor museum."How did the Jerome Historical Society save Arizona’s historic mining townIn 1956, the Society completed negotiations with Phelps Dodge. The agreement ensured that no more buildings would be torn down in the main part of Ghost City. The Society also succeeded in buying most of uptown Jerome, which secured Main Street. Today, the Society owns eight commercial buildings. The balance of the buildings it had owned were sold back to the community and to people interested in historic restoration.Visitors can still step back in time in Jerome's historic buildings and get a feel for life in Arizona's rough and rugged days. The Society's Mine Museum on Main Street has numerous displays that depict life in Jerome from its beginnings to the present. The Society also preserves the past through its large archives, which hold over 11,000 photos as well as numerous maps, newspapers and documents. These are filed and can be accessed with the help of the Society's archivist, and researchers are welcome. It aims to be the repository for primary materials that document this history and is committed to public and scholarly inquiry.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.