Check Out Arizona State Historical Parks
There are some unique experiences awaiting you in Northern Arizona. Both Jerome’s Douglas Mansion and Fort Verde in the town of Camp Verde bring history alive for those who explore these State Parks.
The Douglas Mansion has been an eye-catching landmark in Jerome since 1916, when James S. Douglas built it on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine. The house featured a wine cellar, billiard room, marble shower, steam heat, and, much ahead of its time, a central vacuum system.
This former home is now Jerome State Historic Park. The museum features exhibits of photographs, artifacts, and minerals in addition to a video presentation and a 3-D model of the town with its underground mines. One room, the Douglas library, is restored as a period room. There are more displays outside along with a picnic area offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Verde Valley.
The park is open 8:30 am to 5 pm Thursday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
More information: AZStateParks.com/Parks/JERO
Fort Verde State Historic Park gives visitors the opportunity to experience life through the eyes of a frontier soldier. The fort was a base for General Crook’s U.S. Army scouts and soldiers in the 1870s and 1880s. Today it is the best-preserved example of an Indian Wars period fort in Arizona.
Visitors can experience three historic house museums, all furnished in the 1880s period and listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places. Living history programs are scheduled periodically. The park also offers picnic tables, RV and tour bus parking, and is ADA Accessible.
On Feb. 18-19 the park will host its annual Buffalo Soldiers event to celebrate African American Heritage Month; enjoy living history presentations, riding demonstrations and more. April 14-15 the park hosts History of the Soldier offering visitors a living history timeline of military and civilian encampments from the Revolutionary War to the present day.
The park is open 9 am to 5 pm Thursday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
More information: AZStateParks.com/Parks/FOVE
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