Diana Stoneberg 
Clarkdale is located on the banks of the Verde River in the north-central part of Arizona. It was founded in 1912 and was established as a company smelter town William A. Clark, for the copper mine that he owned by the name of United Verde Copper Company near Jerome, to give housing and services to the employees of the copper smelter.
In 1912, the construction on the smelter began along with that temporary structure of buildings were erected for a store and post office. Later on, three streets of homes were built for those looking for cheap housing. The area was called Patio Town and the rest of the town was divided into two sections which were designated as Clarkdale East and West. They are known as Lower and Upper Town. The first construction in the main section of Lower Town was a two-story hotel. The hotel was built to accommodate the employees. Later on, dwellings were built. The Upper Town constructions began in 1914.
When the streets of the town were laid out, names were sought that could assist the newcomers and visitors in finding the places easily. It was one of the most modern mining towns in the world. The man behind the planning of the city was able to achieve that. It was an early example of how a planned community looks like.
Currently, Clarkdale is like a modern day Mayberry, with a quaint, town square where there are music concerts throughout the summer. Halloween is celebrated in style here with the whole town handing out hundreds of pieces of candy.
The craftsman style homes are each unique in their own way. The copper museum is truly amazing. And the local bar has some of the best bands every weekend. A great place to live and play.
