Seriously, those burros will steal your ice cream cone in a heartbeat, especially if youre under 4-feet tall! Receptions are memorable at the Oatman Hotel (which by the way, does not rent rooms at present). Kingman, Arizona 86401. 15K. Then the lady from the Making Memories store caught up with me so I asked her about the gun fight. Our visits to Laughlin almost always include a man afternoon visit to Oatman. I sat in the cool shade and watched the gun battle play out. I'm gonna kill you! Oatman is full of bigots and racists. There are many things to do in Oatman, Arizona, and one of them is to go to regular Wild West gunfights. OUTLAW GUNFIGHTERS We specialize in delicious red wines and offer tastings, glasses or bottles. A burro population of over 4,000 lives in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area in Mohave County. During the late 1800s, the Oatman Mountains was rich in gold, silver, and other minerals. Some signs have faded, some new . DIAMOND LIL'S Some people may call them burros, which is just the Spanish term for "donkey." They are one and the same. Through photographs, dioramas and displays, the museum encompasses the history of the Bullhead City area from steamboats on the Colorado 1239 Highway 95 In the 1950s, with the rise and growth of Route 66, it resurfaced a bit, but when the route deviated, it declined again. During our last visit, one got pushy trying to steal my ice cream cone, which definitely wasnt appreciated! 14-year-old Olive and her sister, Mary Ann, 7, were kidnapped by the Yavapai and forced into slavery. Theyre descendants of pack animals used by prospectors in the 1800s. //Scrolling speed Michael & Christine Stone 9/5/2015 @2022 - Back Road Ramblers. She is still a fixture in downtown Oatman operating three retail establishments stop in and visit her. Not much came of the discovery until two lucky prospectors struck it rich in 1915, with a 10 million dollar claim. The gunfighters' brief, improvised narratives are not sophisticated drama ("You slept with my daughter! Wayne & Annette Callow 6/14/2015 Why FNU Moodle Is Very Important For The Students? Oatman is often described as a ghost town, but that isnt quite accurate. Gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors to Oatman, AZ. Ron & Teresa Woods 11/4/2017 I would guess there were 50+ people wandering around which was more than the last time we were there. We want to hear about the latest and greatest story that's happening within our community. The Oatman burros are direct descendants of the beasts of burden used by the gold miners in the late 1800s. Ken & Ginny Resser 10/05/2013 Oatman: The Massacre, Town and Haunted Hotel. | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Tourists have fallen in love with this Arizona ghost town, which sees more than 500,000 visitors annually. On 6/28/1992 at 11:57:34, a magnitude 7.6 (6.2 MB, 7.6 MS, 7.3 MW, Depth: 0.7 mi, Class: Major, Intensity: VIII - XII) earthquake occurred 135.5 miles away from the city center, causing 3 deaths (1 shaking deaths, 2 other deaths) and . Oatman, Arizona is located right on Historic Route 66, on the section between Kingman and Topock, Arizona that has been designated a National Back Country Byway. //pre loader In 1851, the Oatman family embarked on a long journey to California to find a better life. Wayne & Barbara Lofstrand 4/20/2010 newimage3.src = "clipart/ow2.jpg"; If you do wish to, some of the stores sell a cube made of alfalfa hay. Don & Victoria Perfect 6/10/2016 (928) 234-7335, HOME (I'd like to add that a little girl was with her family nearby and was FEEDING THE DONKEYS HOT CHEETOS IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE. We checked the times for the gunfights with both "official websites" and were sure it would be at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm so we decided to take in the 3:30 show as it was January so it wouldn't be so hot they would have to cancel it. The encircling crowd stands within 10 or 15 feet of the action, and these are real guns going off, albeit loaded with blanks. The Gunfighters perform shoot-outs daily at High Noon and 2:15 PM MST in Oatman, Arizona on Historical Route 66 and they have performed at the Pioneer Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. Phoenix, Arizona 85009. Dustin & Tiffany Barker 9/27/2015, Mikko & The town of Oatman, Arizona, a ghost town renewed by tourists from a nearby gambling town, is named in her honor. When the gold ran out -- roughly around the time that the road was paved -- the miners abandoned the burros to fend for themselves. Art & Annette LaBarre 09/18/2021. Meandering wild burros, a wild-west shootout, and a dusty village on a desolate stretch of Americas favorite highway. Gold mining dominated the area for over a decade. While looking up these records on microfilm would be a chore, with online Oatman obituaries, all you need is a name, state of death, and year of death. Greg & Bobbie Gragnon 05/22/2021 Sorry to say that there was never time for just traveling or sightseeing or having fun. The town of Oatman is nestled at an elevation of 2,700 feet. Welcome to Oatman, Arizona a fun and quirky stop along Route 66 in northwestern Arizona. From 1926 to 1952, the Mother Road coursed through the heart of Oatman, sustaining a healthy tourism business. Main Street through Oatman, AZ is tiny, with just a handful of souvenir stores, restaurants, and gift shops that are entirely dependent on tourist dollars. A Texas historical marker was placed at her grave in 1969. The drive will take you through Joshua tree-dotted ridges and needle-topped peaks before arriving at the marshy banks of the Colorado River. Which is to say, all of the time. David & AnnaNora Newman 10/11/2018 Are the scrappy burros worth a trip to the iconic Oatman ghost town? Michael & Patsy Shanen 3/19/2016 We are currently in Lake Havasu City so decided to go to Oatman, AZ. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The official population is 200. A free history walk with literature is all set up on the Sputh end of town and is expanding each year to include more old buildings for all to photograph & read the stories! Can somebody confirm what time the gunfight is these days (I've seen 1:30 and. possible by The Glory Hole & Making Memories Old Time Photos. X. It's 28 miles east of Kingman and 22 miles from Needles on the west side. // Scrolling message settings Many locals claim that ghosts occupy the Oatman Hotel and are often heard whispering and laughing in empty rooms. if (pos == MessageText.length) pos = 1 - DisplayLength; Jan 6, 2018 - Oatman AZ - a staged gunfight in the center of the town. Barron 1/6/2018 The Oatman Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. She currently blogs at Back Road Ramblers and Vermont Explored, where she shares travel tips, adventure destinations, and vacation ideas for the wanderer in everyone. About 400,000 visitors a year come to Oatman so it is better for burros if everyone does not feed them. Joshua & Maegan Ondrik 5/12/2012 No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. Stephan & Renee If weddings arent your thing, you can visit several working artists shops and a couple of museums. GREAT OATMAN BED RACE Saturday January 30 th, 2021 United Eastern Mines stopped operating in the town three years later. Heres the plan for a perfect day in Oatman, Arizona, one of our favorite small-town vacation spots for families. newimage3 = new Image(); I (Ane) visited Oatman about 13 years ago and wanted Tommi to get to experience this cool "ghost town" tucked away in the mountains on Route 66. for (var i=1; i<=Math.abs(pos); i++) Frequent washouts for the first 12 miles leave you repeatedly plowing through sand. Street Gunfight. David & Christy Halt 8/24/2019 This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Jason & Shamarie Gilliam 10/17/2020 Chantelle 3/03/2016 There are plenty of burros waking around and maybe even a ghost or 2. newimage4 = new Image(); Ernie & Chrissy Martin 10/10/2020 House Event this year! Terry & Dawn Pratt 10/20/2012 Oatman's gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors. We spend about two hours in this little town, but enough to make great memories!We really enjoyed strolling through the place, and petting the burros. The shops offer a wide selection of Route 66 souvenirs. Branko & Bernarda Gradisnik Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Arizona. It's free; during our stop they were passing the hat for a local charity. David & Melody Eldridge 9/25/2010, Jeff & Rachel You can catch a rousing show for free every day at noon or 3:30 pm. Oatman, Arizona was sparsely settled starting in 1863 when a small bit of gold was discovered in the surrounding Black Mountains. The discovery of a rich ore body led to a gold rush. If you have time to venture even farther afield, continue south on Route 66 for another 25 miles or so. The towns history dates back to the 1860s, when Johnny Moss staked claims to two mines in the area. The "people in charge did nothing), A donky gets spooked by one of the locals and moves towards me. Arthur & Amber Hansen 12/23/2016, Ronald & Tara Quaint historic town - always a great afternoon. The tourism boom didnt last long in Oatman, thanks to the interstate highway system. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned at the Durlin Hotel after their wedding in Kingman, Arizona in 1939. When we visit, we always stay in Lake Havasu City because we have family there and we fly to Las Vegas because the plane tickets are insanely cheap affordable. Heres the plan for a perfect day in Oatman, Arizona, the best place to eat for miles and miles. If you take Route 66 in either direction from town, you'll be greeted by a plethora of otherworldly viewswatch for Thimble Mountain to the west and Elephant's Tooth to the east. newimage7.src = "clipart/w2.jpg"; We checked the times for the gunfights with both "official websites" and were sure it would be at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm so we decided to take in the 3:30 show as it was January so it wouldn't be so hot they would have to cancel it. Reenactments of old Today, the town survives on tourism and burros. The story goes that several gas stations and businesses were closed and Oatman became a ghost town. 89 Main Street, Oatman, AZ 86433. Box 423 Oatman, Arizona 86433 Phone: 928-577-9139 or 928-234-0344 Wednesday, November 09, 2022 OATMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Will be putting on the. Oatman is tiny, maybe 150 yards of weathered, ill-favored buildings perched along the one road that you drove in on. Oatman is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, United States, located at an elevation of 2,710 feet (830 m). Then the lady from the Making Memories store caught up with me so I asked her about the gun fight. Here are a few more ideas for your Arizona vacation: Tara is a freelance writer and travel blogger with a passion for outdoor adventures. Mike & Jennifer Basgal 8/24/2014 The wood plank exterior and sun-faded saloon sign add to its charm. Arizona Ghost Towns and Wild-West Day Trip from Las Vegas. newimage2.src = "clipart/ow1.jpg"; Join us in Oatman, AZ for the internationally acclaimed Route 66 Bike Week. More and more came to find work during the 1940s war effort and Oatman became an important stop before crossing the Mohave Desert. Read more about the Gold Rush Candy Shoppe in Oatman on their Facebook page. Oatman is definitely one of our favorite backroad adventures and one of our favorite small towns to visit in the United States. The Tri-State Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show. In June, the average high-temperature rises from a tropical 86.2F (30.1C) in May to a torrid 97.7F (36.5C). Crazy Bear Trading Post Gift Shops 24 YEARS IN BUSINESS (928) 768-7400 141 Main St Oatman, AZ 86433 CLOSED NOW 3. 11 of It is an easy drive from the nearby cities of Laughlin and Bullhead City. Believe it or not, weve got more! Roger & Janice Divis 10/26/2020 - April 26, 2012. We took many beautiful pictures!We also stopped by the old hotel to see the little museum and the room where the great actor, Clark Gables and his third wife stayed, while honeymooning in Oatman. Then in 1952, Oatman and its part of Route 66 were bypassed by the opening of I40. Cliff & Christine Finney 8/22/2020 Just before the gunfights begin, they completely block off the street, which is the only route through town. newimage7 = new Image(); Lee & Kayla Whittlesey 3/30/2013 Absolutely worth the drive there. This town if full of toxic people with no redeeming qualities. But now it was already 3:30 and no signs of a gunfight. Road Trips Six Days Touring the Mother Road: Route 66 A great stop along historic Route 66 allows a couple of hours of entertainment for all. Gary & Marilyn Livermore 5/08/2010 scroll = scroll + ""; Edward & Vivian Yannelli 07/10/2021 In the 1960s, Oatman was almost completely abandoned and turned into a ghost town. Jacquline Moore 1/26/2015 Photographs can be taken in costume at the Making Memories Olde Time photo studio. We came to watch the show and have lunch at the hotel. Oatman Ghost Town: What? POTUS landmarks, oddities. It is narrow and winding in places and suitable for vehicles under 40 feet long. Geogia Santos 2/19/2019 10/15/2011 Box 294 Interstate 40 bypassed Oatman in the early 1950s, and by the early 1960s, the whole area was all but abandoned. tourist attractions and odd sights in Arizona, Giant Empty Cross, Large Jesus on Horseback. Johnny & Jacqulynn Hawkins We were there back in 2018 and remember hearing about the gunfight shows, but we were there. Sounds like I do need to get back there. Slow your car down and burros are likely to stick their heads in the windows searching for handouts. However, some mining continued until 1944, when the last mines closed. Arizona was one state I wouldn't have minded retiring in, if retirement hadn't snuck up on me. Note: When we arrived before lunchtime in the summer, there was only one burro, surrounded by scores of tourists.