The Gold Strike
Miners dug a massive 1,270-foot shaft searching for copper, but miraculously struck a rich vein of gold. The Haynes Copper Co. established a new mining camp distinct from the main town of Jerome.
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The original shaft was incredibly deep, but the copper veins they initially found were only 3 to 15 feet wide. This made them economically unfeasible to mine, until the surprising discovery of gold changed the camp’s fate forever!
1890
1901
Camp Flourishes
The population skyrocketed as miners flocked to the area. A bustling settlement took shape on Cleopatra Hill.
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Boasting housing, boarding houses, and significant mine infrastructure, the town grew large enough to establish its own dedicated post office which operated from 1908 to 1922. Eventually, the gold ran dry, and the camp sat barren and dormant for decades.
The Resurrection
Don and Terry Robertson leased the barren land and resurrected it into an authentic, open-air ghost town experience.
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When the Robertsons arrived, only a single 1909 boarding house remained. Using a 1914 gas-powered sawmill, Don built the ghost town board-by-board, later relocating authentic historic buildings from Jerome including a dentist’s office and a one-room schoolhouse.
1981
2016
Robertson Legacy
The peaceful passing of Don Robertson left a legacy of “American ingenuity, grit, and the Industrial Revolution.”
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The family kept the mine open as a tribute. In 2017, they hosted a massive “Celebration of Life” car show, ensuring Don’s vast collection of 100+ vintage vehicles and industrial machinery lives on for future generations.