The Wild Burros (and More) of Oatman – Oatman, Arizona
Are you looking for something different to do? Do you enjoy the unusual? Then you will want to visit the small community of Oatman. Oatman was a gold mining town until the 1930′s. At that time there were nearly 10,000 people living in the town, today there are must 150. The town is just 4 blocks long but filled with Old West charm which attracts nearly 500,000 visitors per year!
The community was founded around 1906 and is hidden in the desert of the Black Mountains approximately 28 miles from Kingman on Route 66. It is the community that had Clark Gable and Carole Lombard as guest on their wedding night.
The building of I-40 was the demise of Oatmans population in 1951. It appeared that the community, then down to just 25 people, would not survive but it did due once again to the re-emergence of the mine and the movie "How the West Was Won" which was filmed here in 1962. There are tours given of the Goldroad Mine which was opened originally in 1900 after Jerez’s discovery of gold.
There are also the wild burrows that still wander through the streets of the town. The animals are the descendants of the domesticated donkeys that worked the mines in 1942. There are enough burros that when there aren’t a lot of visitors in town the four-legged creatures almost outnumber the two-legged ones. Here you can see burros walking down the street like they own it (which they may). You can feed the burros which is something that will leave a pleasant smile on your face when you get home, how many of your friends can say they have fed a wild burro?
Walk down the plank sidewalk; tour the saloons of which many contain their original storefronts. Enjoy a night at the Oatman Hotel which was built in 1902 and refurbished in 1924. The hotel is listed on the National Historic Building Registry with its 10 rooms and a donation of just $35 a night. The room called the Clark Gable room costs a donation of $55.
Enjoy the gunfights in the street, visit the Outlaw Willie’s Gold Mine Emporium and enjoy the taste of the real Old West in this friendly, little bitty community.
Directions: Oatman is 211 miles northwest of Phones. Take US 93 to Kingman, then go southwest on Historic Route 66 (Oatman Road).
Tours: Tour the Gold Road Mine (departs every 30 minutes). Call for ticket prices: 928-768-1600.
You will need to bring your own bag of carrots to feed the burros. Watch the gunfights in the street on weekends and ask the locals about Oddie.
Phone: Chamber of Commerce 928-768-6222 or Visitor Information: 928-524-3048.
Related posts: