Smart, durable and tenacious as well as obstinate, mean and downright ornery, the burro may have contributed more to civilizing the rugged southwest, including the deserts and mountains, than any other animal. In the barren, nearly waterless hills, the burro adapted well and became indispensable to prospectors.
The new unpaved Prescott-Jerome Road, built over part of the old road, completed during 1921, is now State Route 89A. When the new unpaved Mingus Mountain Road was completed during 1923, local citizens planned for “Mount Mingus” to become the 2nd national park in Arizona.
For more than 1,000 years, Verde Valley residents have been diverting water from springs, creeks and the Verde River for domestic and agricultural uses.
The United Verde Copper Company smelter at Jerome closed after 32 years and was relocated at Clarkdale for 35 years closing in 1950, leaving only the concentrators running until the Jerome mines closed.
“While Jerome is always spoken of as one of the greatest copper producing camps in the world, the fact remains that some very rich gold ores have been discovered."
The area of what is now the City of Cottonwood developed as 3 individual, separate villages in the area named “Upper Verde” by the residents in 1876. Land in the Cottonwood and Carrollton villages was claimed by settlers in 1875. Carrollton became the east part of the 1917 Smelter City development.
Residential and agricultural development had been nearly impossible without water. Homes were located near a spring, creek, irrigation ditch, or river. Most irrigated land was located below a ditch and various types of waterwheels and mechanical devices were used to raise water to the few cultivated areas above the ditches.
Beginning in 1865, the civilian economy of the Verde Valley was based on supplying the needs of the military through contracts and employment of individuals for freighting and other services. The Sutler Store provided for the needs of both military and civilians residents.
United Verde Copper Company smelter began Aug. 1, 1883, and resumed Aug. 1, 1887.
In 1952, the dream of having an airport “was only a gleam in the eyes of two enthusiastic and dedicated airmen, Joe Moser, then chairman of the Sedona-Oak Creek Chamber of Commerce’s airport committee, and Ray Steele, one of its most active members. They supplied the push that turned an impossible dream into reality.”
“Camp Verde was the scene of atrocious murders when Robert M. Rodgers and Clinton D. Wingfield, who ran a store at that place, were shot and killed by an unknown man."
During World War I, a few days after the new state-of-the-art smelter began producing copper, investigation into the murder of James Lowry revealed the existence of pro-German traitors and a dangerous conspiracy to interfere with copper production. Federal troops arrived in September.
When the cook at the Eat-Mor Sandwich Shop got up this Monday morning and started his day’s duties at 5 o’clock, he did not imagine that his gasoline coffee urn would explode and cause a loss estimated as being over $10,000, but that’s what happened.
The turbulent waters of the Verde River were diverted into an old channel to prevent further damage to the town. Nature will aid in the building of a dam.
The creation of a comprehensive Mine Museum at Jerome was underway by the Jerome Historical Society as the Phelps Dodge Corporation was finally closing its Jerome mines and Clarkdale operations.
The fate of the residents of Clarkdale, a "Company Town," would be determined by the owner of the town who would also develop or sell the smelter site and adjacent land for industrial and other uses.
Jerome's greatest disaster was a rockslide on March 23, 1931, that covered the ore in the open pit mine, and resulted in the closure of the United Verde Copper Company (UVCC) smelter at Clarkdale on May 21, 1931.
Under the surface of eight mining claims the owners, engineers, miners, and investors expected to find extensive mineral deposits containing copper, gold, and silver. They found water.
One of the oldest businesses in Cottonwood was a garage constructed on the Alonzo Mason property before it was subdivided.
A fire in the center of Cottonwood on the east side of Main Street during February was followed by a fire that destroyed most of the west side of Main Street on April 20, 1925. One year later, most of the buildings had been rebuilt.
Almost exactly in the center of town, on the east side of Main Street, three big frame buildings containing four businesses burned during the last part of February. On the west side of Main Street fire destroyed 13 stores, a warehouse, 10 homes, several small garages, and took the life of Rev. Brooks on April 20, 1925.
A large group of people gathered on the hill above the steam shovel pit to witness the blast of 55 tons of high explosives, the roar of broken rock cascading downward, and the vast clouds of smoke rolling toward Jerome.
Architect Arthur Kelly designed the newest, most modern, most comfortable, and most attractive hotel in the area. It had already rented some of its 60 rooms before the official opening on Nov. 1, 1917.
Members of the Garrison family have operated businesses in Cottonwood since 1919, and their “new” building is nearly 100 years old.
Most of the first mineral claims located by prospectors during the early part of 1876 would be purchased by the United Verde Copper Company.
Houses built in 1929 were sold at auction in 1951 to be dismantled or moved to clear the site.
The Camp Verde Indian Reservation was abandoned Feb. 27, 1875.
An 1878 map shows “Settlement” as a place on the Rio Verde. This is the area where the Fort, Dutch Camp and old Camp Lincoln were located in 1865.
This article in a New York newspaper was not appreciated by Jerome residents.
Eugene Jerome saw the town named in his honor and the United Verde Copper Company smelter and mines.
What was once a huge gray cement structure holding ore during the days of the United Verde Extension Mining Company (UVX) Smelter became one of Cottonwood’s most modern commercial centers when it opened as Clemenceau Plaza on Jan. 7, 1973.
Material had been removed from the Verde Valley’s "salt mine" for hundreds of years by Native Americans, whose artifacts and burials began to be discovered during 1926. Soldiers, settlers and miners dug and hauled the material beginning in the late 1860s until it began to be commercially mined in 1923.
“The whole United Verde Extension company showed a pile of style on the occasion of the ‘blowing in’ of their new hotel” on New Year’s Day.
A glimpse at a booming town 105 years ago
The high temperatures had been 50 degrees during the days before the storm. Verde Valley residents had not expected to see snow when they woke up Wednesday, and they had not planned to be snowbound for a week or more.
The Village of Cottonwood became a "Boomtown" after the United Verde Extension Mining Company (UVX) announced plans to construct a smelter south of town.
"We have erected a neat and comfortable adobe school house, 20 x 22 feet, in which there is now a school in progress, being taught by Mrs. Rubottom, recently from Kansas."
The ever-increasing population is virtually unaware of the waste that has been laid upon the Verde Valley.
The United Verde Copper Company (UVCC) smelter at Clarkdale was blown in May 26, 1915. Only two years later disruptive members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), named “Wobblies,” called for a strike.
James H. A. Marsh, an experienced builder and contractor from Prescott, was hired by Mary Grace (Vineyard) Willard to build her new brick home. It was to be built in the Queen Anne architectural style and her sons would assist with the construction.
The main smelter building was surrounded by 17 large and small buildings. On top of the hill, dominating the landscape, the great smokestack stood 425 feet tall. This new smelter, the most modern smelting plant in the world, was designed to operate with 300 men per shift.
The reserve was established during 1871, then revoked on April 23, 1875. After the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the federal government recognized the Yavapai-Apache Tribe.
The wagon trains from Missouri brought many settlers to the Verde Valley during August of 1875. The first Sunday meeting was held in the shade of the largest cottonwood tree near the home of Parson James C. Bristow on Oct. 3, 1875, at Middle Verde.
The new school in Cottonwood officially opened on Aug. 30, 1972.
W. A. Clark shortened the working day for some employees and plans to hire more men for both shifts. The capacity of the refinery would soon be doubled.
It is reported, with other gossip, that the soiled doves are rampant against the fire ordinance and that they have threatened to burn down that part of Jerome that escaped the flames.
Many believed the fire was of incendiary origin and expected parties to be arrested. The guilty were not publicly identified or punished.
A bullet had already penetrated the left shoulder of Night Officer J. W. Hudgens before he began shooting at Dave Schriber.
As a resident of Cottonwood he was known for his buildings, businesses, and involvement in the community.
The United Verde mine and smelter are hiring more employees and warmer weather is prevailing.
