Overview of the Town

The History of Camp Verde

History abounds in this geographical center of Arizona. Archaeologists estimate that humans have been in the Verde Valley for at least 11,000 years. The earliest inhabitants were Indians. A skillful farming people, the Hohokam moved into the Valley around A.D. 600. They were experts in irrigation procedures. The Sinagua were pithouse dwellers and dry farmers who moved into the Valley around 1125. The villages at Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot reached their present size in the 1300s and were abandoned in the early 1400s by the Sinaguan. The Yavapai were in the Valley when Captain Antonoio de Espejo and his band of Spanish conquistadors took possession of "great riches" in the Verde Valley in 1583.

Military occupation of the Verde Valley began in 1865 to protect settlers farming along the Verde River -- Clear Creek junction, five miles south of Camp Verde. Mining and farming disrupted the lives of the Tonto Apache and the Yavapai. The late 1860s and early 1870s saw major conflicts in the Valley. The first military post (1865) overlooked the farms at West Clear Creek. The next post, Camp Lincoln, was located one mile north of the Fort's present site, and was used from 1866-1871. The present post was built during 1871-73. Camp Verde has been renamed Fort Verde in 1879 to signify permanence. The post was abandoned in 1891. Local citizens began a museum in the administration building in 1956 and donated several buildings to create Fort Verde State Historical Park in 1970.

Jerome, sometimes nicknamed "The City in the Sky," was at one time the most talked-about mining camp in America. It was a roaring mining town. Jerome's modern history began in 1876. Three prospectors staked claims on rich copper deposits, which they later sold to the United Verde Copper Company in 1883. Eugene Jerome was the venture's principal backer. A new owner, William A. Clark, brought in a narrow-gauge railroad to reduce freight costs. By the early 20th century, the United Verde was the largest producing copper mine in the Arizona Territory. In 1912, James S. Douglas purchased and developed the Little Daisy Mine. Copper production peaked in 1929. The population at that time was 15,000. Loss of profits brought Jerome mining days to an end in 1953. By 1955, Jerome's population was less than 100, giving it the title of "ghost town." It is now a veritable paradise for artists, photographers and history buffs.

John James "Jim" Thompson squatted in Oak Creek Canyon in 1876, becoming its first permanent resident. Three years later, the Abraham James family became the first settlers of the site which in 1902 was named Sedona. Ranching and farming were originally the base of the region's economy. Due to its magnificent scenery, Sedona is a popular attraction for visitors.

Cottonwood, named after the beautiful cottonwood trees along the Verde River, was a farm settlement in the late 1870s and developed along with the progress of Jerome, providing homes for the miners, smeltermen and their families. Cottonwood was incorporated in 1960 and is the business center of the Verde Valley.

Just two miles north of Cottonwood is the town of Clarkdale, which was planned and built in the early 1900s to serve the employees and management of the smelter company which smelted copper ore from one of Jerome's mines. Most of the houses are original structures, and its quiet, tree-lined streets make it a favorite choice of retirees. Clarkdale was incorporated in 1957.

Verde Village is located south of the town limits of Cottonwood. It is a large development of new housing with a comfortable suburban feel and beautiful views. It was developed in 1970 and is not incorporated.

Bridgeport is also located east of the town limits along both sides of the Verde River and is an area of farms and ranches that still has a "rural atmosphere."