10/31/2025
FREEPORT-MCMORAN FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE
The Jerome Historical Society is extremely grateful to the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation for the $37,000 grant we were awarded. This will allow us to install a high efficiency heating and air conditioning system in our Mine Museum building, located on the corner of Jerome Ave. and Main Street in Jerome, Arizona. We can now remove the swamp coolers from our museum, whose moisture takes a toll on our photos, documents and even the historic ceiling tiles. The Jerome Historical Society will be responsible for financing the balance of the cost of the new system, and its installation.
This historic structure was home to the Fashion Saloon in the mining days. After it was destroyed in the 1898 fire, the owner rebuilt it using reinforced concrete. Although this construction kept it from being burned to the ground again, it has escalated the price of installing today’s heating & air conditioning systems.
Due to the generosity and partnership of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, we can now take on this project and insure a stable environment for the Society’s archives on display. Although our museum is small, it’s content gives visitors a realistic understanding of our mining town history. On average we have over 20,000 tourists visit per year.
