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Story by Jackie Rowland Murray
Wild burros panhandling, gunfighters shooting, and antique buildings on the historic Route 66 means that you are on the main street of Oatman, Arizona, just across the Colorado River and up the Black Mountains from Laughlin, Nevada.
The history of Oatman is a story of give and take, from a turn of the century boomtown to today’s small but unique and memorable tourist destination.
This gold mining town of 15,000 Goldrush prospectors, miners and townsfolk in 1915, is now a lively tourist town of about 150 inhabitants. Oatman and it's sister town, Gold Road, a few kilometres north, were the largest gold producers in Arizona.
Then in 1942, the US federal government needed metals other than gold for the Second World War effort and the miners were sent away and the gold mines closed. The gold is still there and in 1995 the Gold Road mine was reopened and about 40,000 oz of gold a year is being taken out of it.
In 1926, the iconic Route 66 highway stretched from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA, bringing folks from the "Dust Bowl" of the Midwest to jobs in California. More and more came to find work during the 1940s war effort and Oatman became an important stop before crossing the Mohave Desert.
Then in 1952, Oatman and its part of Route 66 were bypassed by the opening of I40. The story goes that several gas stations and businesses were closed and Oatman became a ghost town. But then in the 1970’s Laughlin, NV started to grow and in the 80’s Route 66 became a popular destination for people from all over the world to see the real America. Oatman started getting lively again.
The Oatman burros were brought by the Spanish explorers to be used to work the mines. When the mines were mechanized the burros were turned loose. Oatman has about 20 that come to Oatman daily to enjoy the company of visitors. There are usually a few foals in this tiny ‘herd’ of wild burros – only referred to as ‘wild’ as they are never penned in.
About 400,000 visitors a year come to Oatman so it is better for burros if everyone does not feed them. If you do wish to, some of the stores sell a cube made of alfalfa hay. Some tastier treats like carrots contain sugar and like us, these burros don’t get enough exercise to work it all off the extra calories.
The Ghost Rider Gunfighters have been putting on gunfight reenactments daily for over 25 years. These gunfights are scheduled for noon, 1:30.2:15, and 3:30 depending on how many visitors are in town. They are for your and their fun. Donations are taken up to help maintain Oatman’s community facilities (not funded by tax money) and local charities. Parson Tom and his wife Sheriff Littlebit can perform weddings, either shotgun or traditional, on the street in a gunfighter situation, or at the Little White Church. Photographs can be taken in costume at the Making Memories Olde Time photo studio. Receptions are memorable at the Oatman Hotel (which by the way, does not rent rooms at present).
If weddings aren’t your thing, you can visit several working artist’s shops and a couple of museums. Prospector Bob will teach you to pan for real gold and on some days you will be entertained by our strollin’ minstrel, Billy Bob, and whip cracker, Big Mike.
The two main annual events are the Bed Races every January, when teams of five hardy souls push and ride a bed down the main street, make a bed at the end and race back to the finish line. Fastest times win cash and prizes. Here’s a travel tip - come early for a good parking spot as the town fills up fast.
The other annual event is The Egg Frying on the Sidewalk contest on the fourth of July. At high noon, a shot is fired and contestants from all over the world have 15 minutes to fry the most edible looking egg using any solar powered device. Prizes for showmanship, youngest, oldest, and the farthest traveled fryer, makes this event ‘eggciting’!
Other events occur during the year to entertain, and to thank our veterans for their service to the country. The next event will be on Veterans Day, November 11, thanking and honoring all our veterans and enlisted personnel.
Don’t miss the chance to step back into history with a visit to this historic Wild West boomtown.
For directions or more information, contact the Oatman Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 423, Oatman, AZ 86433 or visit www.oatmangoldroad.org
Jackie Rowland Murray, author of "Oatman – History, Recipes and Ghost Stories", is the president of the Historical Society. Her book is available by calling the Oatman Chamber of Commerce at (928) 768-6222.