Shot of the Day – 26 – Little Daisy Hotel, Jerome, Arizona

Little Daisy Hotel, Jerome, Arizona (December 1978)

Beck and I were married in 1977. Our Best Man, Don married Marcia in 1978 in what was a most memorable, summer, multi-day party. That December, we flew to Arizona to spend the holidays with them.

We drove from Tempe north to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. On the way back, we spent a night in Jerome. The early 20th century was good to Jerome. The economy boomed due to the huge cooper mining complex in the area. The town’s population peaked at 15,000 in the 1920’s but after the Depression and WW II, demand for copper declined, the ore petered out and the mine closed in 1953. When we were there, the place was almost a ghost town with a population under 100. Artsy-craftsy types kept the place going and now it is a popular destination with 450 permanent residents, a state historical park and attractions for tourists interested in the area’s mining history.

During our “practically a ghost town” visit, most of the old buildings were abandoned and we spent the night in a modest rent-a-room above a saloon. The next morning, I walked the quiet streets with the camera.

In 2014, I posted a story about Mt. Shasta in California. The climax image in that note was a closeup of the snow-covered mountain. It had no sky and the curves and texture of the mountainside gave a different perspective of what one usually sees above the trees. I think the interesting aspect of the Daisy Hotel shot is the background. Note that Jerome is a hillside town. No two streets are on the same level. From that elevated view, I’m shooting down into the valley. It’s all ground, haze and morning light…making for an odd ‘sky’ above the hotel. You could say it was the right place at the right time.