Although I’ve lived in Arizona for 29 years, there’s always more to discover, more places to visit. Clarkdale is one of these towns that is somewhat obscure as it isn’t publicized to the same degree that places like Bisbee, Tombstone, or Prescott are. Nevertheless, it is totally worth the visit. Like many other Arizona towns Clarkdale’s origins were based on mining of precious ores like copper, gold, and silver. The town was named in honor of William A. Clark who owned a copper mine in nearby Jerome. Naturally, Clarkdale began life as a copper smelting town in 1912, but unlike most mining communities it was quite progressive and state-of-art for that era.
Clarkdale was notable for having both telegraph and telephone services, electricity, running water and sewer services, whereas for many other mining related settlements – an emphasis on modernity, cleanliness and hygiene was not always the case. Much like Litchfield Park discussed in a previous post, Clarkdale is also a good example of a planned community. As such, the town prospered for quite some time smelting the copper ore from the Jerome mines, until the Great Depression of the 1930s hit and then depletion of the ore deposits caused Clarkdale to fall on hard times, population decline and faded into obscurity.
Fortunately, that dismal state of affairs would not continue indefinitely and over time Clarkdale has evolved into a pleasant arts and retirement community. The town also has well preserved Spanish Colonial-type architecture much like other small Arizona towns such as Ajo and Litchfield Park mentioned in my previous Armchair Travelogue posts. Presently, Clarkdale is a delightful town for an exploratory stroll to check out the sights, being fairly compact and easy to get around. Since it’s 3,545 feet above sea level, it offers magnificent views of the surrounding Verde Valley region.
The best times to visit Clarkdale would ideally be the winter months from mid-November through March to enjoy more ideal temperatures – although I made this visit in June. Despite the Arizona summer temperatures which can reach well over 100 degrees every day, places like Clarkdale at the higher elevations are still more tolerable to visit during May-September (average temp is 84 degrees) than areas like Phoenix. Having lived in Phoenix for decades — I know all too well how intolerable it can be when the broiling summer temps can easily be 110 degrees or higher days on end.
So, visiting places like Clarkdale, or Cottonwood, in the summer is a comparative treat rather than spending too much time in places like Phoenix, in the lower elevations some 90 miles to the south. In any event, one of the fun things Clarkdale is known for is the Verde Canyon Railroad. Back in the mining heydays it was an industrial appendage only serving the needs of the copper smelter. Nowadays, it apparently serves as a delightful excursion train for tourists (I still need to engage this when I visit Clarkdale again in the near future) providing a four hour trip between Clarkdale and a ghost town called Perkinsville.
The website suggests that booking an autumn reservation would be the best time (as I suspected) for enjoying the balmiest temps and viewing the gorgeous fall colors. It’s also suggested that this 38-mile train tour may be an ideal opportunity to catch some glimpses of wildlife while enjoying a warm beverage from a comfy window seat! Of course, as the Verde Canyon Railroad has only increased in popularity over the years, it’s best to arrange the trip as early as possible regardless what time of year you’re visiting Clarkdale. In conclusion, the town may be of interest to film buffs since it has served as a filming location for several movies over the decades, including noir stories like Desert Fury (1947) and the popular action comedy Midnight Run (1988).
For more information about a visit to Clarkdale and attending special events, check out the following websites:
