This was travel day. We got up and had one last breakfast at the Coffee Pot before saying good-bye to Sedona. We've had a great week and the only thing we didn't accomplish was getting up to the Grand Canyon. Their high was going to be 37F for the day we were planning to go and we didn't want to ruin the experience that we had from the last time. Something for our list the next time we visit 8O).
We went up to Jerome before heading to Scottsdale. Jerome was established in 1896 and was built on the side of a mountain. Jerome became a notorious "Wild West" town, a hotbed of prostitution, gambling and vice. On 5 February 1903, Jerome was proclaimed to be "the wickedest town in the West".
By 1929, the population had risen to 15,000, hard to fathom that many people living on the side of this hill. By the 1950's the population had dropped to 50 people. We met a lady in one of the stores today, that grew up in the town at that time. A very interesting conversation!
The town is a contrast of buildings that are restored, run down or abandoned and there is very little level ground.
This "Pig" was sitting outside the "House of Joy" a former brothel. One of many that existed in the old town.
A side shot of the House of the former brothel.
Our favourite store in town by far is Nellie Bly, a shop full of kaleidoscopes. The staff there are very friendly and informative.
The view from the back window. All properties just drop right off at the back.
I picked up a "Taleidoscope", a very cool instrument. Here's an example of a picture I took though it. Notice anything strange??? 8O)
We then made a quick trip into Clarkdale to revisit the Verde Railway station. It was over-run with "old" people the other day and you couldn't move in their gift shop, so we stopped in after the train had left today and had the place to ourselves! Picked up a "squashed penny" and a few other things.
We then proceeded on to Scottsdale, dropping about 3000 feet in altitude. We checked into the Scottsdale Villa Mirage where we'll be staying for the next week. Things move a lot faster here than Sedona! Thank god for our GPS!
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