A Day in Jerome, AZ

Wednesday, August 19, was the 37th anniversary of the marriage between my wife and me, and we are still going strong. I guess that makes us something of an anomaly in these days, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

We married for better or worse. I got the better part, she got the worse. But we still love each other and cannot imagine life without each other, especially now as the grand kids start growing up.

So for our anniversary, we spent a quiet day in Jerome, Arizona, a

My Bride of 37 Years at Jerome, Arizona

remarkable little town built on the side of a steep mountain.  Jerome is sometimes called “the vertical city” and when you visit you can see why!

It was started in the 1880′s as a copper mining town and did quite well until after World War II, when the mine shut down. In its first year of operation, it gave its investors $55 million in earnings– at a time when a dollar then would buy about $30 or more in today’s currency.

The town is rich in history, but to my displeasure, it is now mostly a collection of artist shops (selling everything from very good works to trinkets disguised as art), wine shops and touristy klatsches.

There are some good restaurants in town, and some world class ice cream! Also, the small museum in the heart of town was worth the $2 admission price.

All in all, a nice way to spend a lazy August day, a mile high and 20 degrees cooler than the Valley of the Sun!