Something very unusual happened in Jerome, Arizona. The old jail there actually moved from its original spot! It slowly slid down the mountain and now sits over 200 feet away from where it was built.
The Sliding Jail in Jerome is a unique historical landmark with an intriguing story. Built in 1903, the jail was initially perched on the side of a hill in Jerome, a town known for its rich mining history and supernatural allure. However, in the 1930s, specifically in 1938, a series of events drastically changed its location and function. Dynamite explosions, set off by copper miners, caused the ground beneath the jail to shift dramatically. This movement resulted in the jail sliding off its foundation and moving a considerable distance - approximately 225 feet - into the middle of one of the town's main streets.
Due to the earth movements from the many mining shafts in the area, the jail was rendered unusable. However, it was not completely destroyed by these movements. In 2017, the Jerome Historical Society acquired the Sliding Jail and began efforts to rehabilitate it. Part of this process included stabilizing the structure with retaining walls to prevent further collapse.
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