Continued (page 3 of 3)
Our final stop wound up on the cover of this issue: The Robinson Victorian Home. One of the newest homes in Jerome, it was completed in 2009 and was built by Gil and Judy Robinson. The 5,000-square-foot house, currently owned by Darryl and Jaime Williams (Jaime is the daughter of the original owners), includes two Airbnb rooms on the bottom level, a hot tub on the deck, a home brewery off the kitchen and a fantastic cupola topped with a weathervane (where our cover was photographed).
“Gil and Judy built another house in Apache Junction, but it was very modern,” says Darryl, who grew up in Jerome. “They were inspired by Jerome’s history when they built this house.”
The Jerome Historic Home and Building Tour also includes stops at Spook Hall, in the center of town, and Haven United Methodist Church, where refreshments will be served. Lawrence Memorial Hall, aka Spook Hall, was built as a garage in 1917 and turned into a J.C. Penney Co. department store in March 1937. It closed its doors on Dec. 23, 1953. In 1954, Richard E. Lawrence (postmaster and member of the historical society) sold the property to the Jerome Historical Society, and it was later renamed in his honor. Today, the hall is a community gathering spot. It is also where the home tours begin.
Haven United Methodist Church held its first services in 1900 at a location near its current space, which was built in 1927. During Jerome’s ghost town days, there were only two members in its congregation, according to the church’s website. The glass windows were made especially for the church by Los Angeles Art Glass Co., and local artists contributed to the interior. The church cost $2,000 to build – land included – but an early newspaper story says the (mostly uninterested) residents of Jerome contributed less than $1,000. Most of the funds came from the Philadelphia City Missionary and Church Extension Society and the pastor’s friends in California. It seems the wickedest town in the west was quite content to stay that way.
The 50th Annual Jerome Historic Home and Building Tour takes place May 16 and 17. Tickets are $20. For more information, call 928-634-2900 or visit www.jeromechamber.com.
MORE SEDONA HOMES AND REAL ESTATE: 2005 Art and Architecture Tour, local wine cellars, contemporary home design, 2006 Art and Architecture Tour, new home construction, real estate values, artisan-made furniture, home décor
