Jerome Junction - Arizona Ghost Town

JEROME JUNCTION

NAME: Jerome Junction
COUNTY: Yavapai
ROADS: 2WD
LEGAL INFO: T16N, R2W
CLIMATE: Mild winter, warm summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime

COMMENTS: Take the old railroad bed all the way to Jerome - 26 miles. 34˚ 46.525’ N
112˚ 25.760’ W. To get there, take E Perkinsville Rd from SR-89 in Chino Valley. Turn left at Jerome Junction Rd.
The site appears to be in private property, however, it can be seen from the road and pictures can be taken.
REMAINS: Foundations and railroad equipment. Remains are mostly foundations, remains from what appears to be the actual station and railroad “junk”.
It seems like the old railroad bed, or part of it, is now part of the Chino Valley Peavine Trail and is off limits to all motorized vehicles, however, it is open to horses, bicycles and pedestrians.

Jerome always gets the glory but Jerome Junction deserves some also as it served as a railroad stop between Prescott and Jerome. Established in 1894, Jerome Junction served the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix railroad for 15 years. The railroad was built precariously on the side of Woodchute mountain and once went over the side. Miraculously, the engineer survived. When the Santa Fe railroad was built into Clarksdale, the train made its last run and Jerome Junction became a ghost town. Jerome Junction, Arizona served two railroads and not just one. The first was the Santa Fe, Prescott, & Phoenix ( which is a Standard Gauge railroad (Rails spaced 4ft 8.5in apart) running a roughly North-South direction and was later absorbed into the larger Santa Fe RR. The other railroad Jerome Junction served was the Narrow Gauge (Rails spaced 3ft apart) United Verde & Pacific which ran in an easterly direction toward Jerome, AZ. The line was just over 26 miles lone and the use of narrow gauge track, locomotives and rolling stock was not only cheaper, but the equipment was smaller and was the only practical way of getting a railroad into Jerome, AZ. The UV&P was known for its incredibly sharp curves and steep grades as it traverse the jagged and serrated topography of Woodchute Mountain. Railroads are a very important aspect of US history and often I see it being left completely out of a ghost town's history. Even if a railroad is fairly obscure, with a little effort one can at least track down a RR's name. I've spend many countless hours researching a lot of these forgotten railroads and railways, both Standard and Narrow Gauge. Though on the flip side of the coin I do greatly appreciate the resource your website provides! It has been a great tool and asset in some of my personal projects with model railroading and writing historic fiction. Sadly I do not have any historic photos of Jerome Junction, AZ, but they can be found by Google image searching the town name. I have not visited the actual town site either, but it is on my "Bucket List". A.J. Davis	Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia Jerome Junction Courtesy Felipe Garcia

Jerome always gets the glory but Jerome Junction deserves some also as it served as a railroad stop between Prescott and Jerome. Established in 1894, Jerome Junction served the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix railroad for 15 years. The railroad was built precariously on the side of Woodchute mountain and once went over the side. Miraculously, the engineer survived. When the Santa Fe railroad was built into Clarksdale, the train made its last run and Jerome Junction became a ghost town.

Jerome Junction, Arizona served two railroads and not just one. The first was the Santa Fe, Prescott, & Phoenix ( which is a Standard Gauge railroad (Rails spaced 4ft 8.5in apart) running a roughly North-South direction and was later absorbed into the larger Santa Fe RR. The other railroad Jerome Junction served was the Narrow Gauge (Rails spaced 3ft apart) United Verde & Pacific which ran in an easterly direction toward Jerome, AZ. The line was just over 26 miles lone and the use of narrow gauge track, locomotives and rolling stock was not only cheaper, but the equipment was smaller and was the only practical way of getting a railroad into Jerome, AZ. The UV&P was known for its incredibly sharp curves and steep grades as it traverse the jagged and serrated topography of Woodchute Mountain.

Railroads are a very important aspect of US history and often I see it being left completely out of a ghost town's history. Even if a railroad is fairly obscure, with a little effort one can at least track down a RR's name. I've spend many countless hours researching a lot of these forgotten railroads and railways, both Standard and Narrow Gauge. Though on the flip side of the coin I do greatly appreciate the resource your website provides! It has been a great tool and asset in some of my personal projects with model railroading and writing historic fiction. Sadly I do not have any historic photos of Jerome Junction, AZ, but they can be found by Google image searching the town name. I have not visited the actual town site either, but it is on my "Bucket List". A.J. Davis

Jerome Junction
Courtesy Felipe Garcia

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