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Jerome State Historic Park Open 8 am
to 5 pm every day except Christmas.
 In 1916 James Douglas built the
Douglas Mansion of adobe bricks made on-site, covered with stucco and painted
white. The mansion overlooks the United Verde Extension mine, nicknamed "The
Little Daisy." and was equipped with a central vacuum system and steam heat.
Douglas designed the mansion to accommodate and entertain
visiting mining officials and investors and was reportedly a gracious and
generous host.
Inside are maps, ore samples and the story of the town. On the
second floor, the 3D model of the town with the tunnels beneath it merits the
trip. The park shows a video of the history of Jerome continuously all day, and
each month features a different additional video. Viewing is free with your
admission to the park.
James "Rawhide Jimmy" Douglas was born in southern Quebec,
Canada in 1868. From 1881 to 1885 Douglas and his brother, Walter attended
school in Toronto. In 1883 his father became a mining consultant for Phelps
Dodge. He moved from Manitoba Province to Arizona in 1889 to farm, but instead
he took a position with his father's company. In 1911 Major A.J. Pickrell owned
the United Verde Extension (UVX). Using Douglas' knowledge and contacts, the
two secured a stock option and sold shares for development of a shaft. They
sold the stock for fifty cents a share in 1912. By 1916 UVX stock was worth $42
per share. Your grandfather or great-grandfather could have made some
money!
When the ore was exhausted, Douglas relinquished his US
citizenship and returned to Canada, where he died in early 1949.
Douglas Mansion/State Park on the State Parks website.
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