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Oatman, Arizona
 
A Part of America's "Gold'en Past"
 
 
 

We invite you to visit Historic Oatman, Arizona an authentic western Ghost Town and Mining Camp on Main Street USA Historic Route 66 Chicago to LA.

 

Wild Burro's panhandling, gunfighters shooting and ladies dressed in 1890's style strolling, it must be Oatman, Arizona. Just across the Colorado River and up the hill from Laughlin, Nevada on Historic Route 66 is the lively gold mining town of Oatman. In its heyday of the early 1900's to the 1940's, Oatman and its two mile away companion town of Goldroad were the largest producers of gold in Arizona.

During the Second World War the government needed other metals for the war effort, so the miners were taken to other mines and the mines here closed. The gold was just waiting for better times. Then in 1995 the Goldroad mine was opened again and was taking out 40,000 oz. of gold annually. In 1998 they closed again because of low gold prices. They now have great mine tours daily.

 

In 1952, Route 66, the main route from the Midwest to California, bypassed this stretch of mountains to be I-40 from Kingman, Arizona to Needles, California. Oatman and Goldroad became real Ghost Towns.

 

In the 70's Laughlin, Nevada started building up and in the late 80's Route 66 became popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Oatman started becoming very lively again.

 

Oatman's "Wild" Burro's are the descendants of burro's brought here by the miners and when no longer needed were turned loose. They wander the streets and greet our tourists. We usually have about ten burro's and a few babies.

 

 

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