The U.V.C.C. Clarkdale smelter was built through the vision of William A. Clark, owner of the United Verde Mine in Jerome, and was constructed between 1912 and 1915 to replace the outdated Jerome smelter. On May 26, 1915, the first furnace was blown in, sending sulfur-laden smoke from the 400-foot steel stack. In 1922 the Cottrell Plant with a new 430-foot brick stack was added. During the peak year of 1929, hundreds of workers handled 1.75 million tons of ore, producing 12 million pounds of copper bullion monthly. Phelps Dodge Corp. purchased the plant in 1935, and the furnaces shut down in 1950. Few buildings remain, but the true legacy of the smelter is the memories of the men who devoted their lives to the copper industry.