Oatman, Former mining settlement in Black Mountains, Arizona.
Oatman is a former mining settlement in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona. Wooden sidewalks run past weathered buildings while wild burros wander between souvenir shops and old-time saloons.
The gold discovery in 1915 turned this small settlement into a mining center with 10,000 residents before operations ended during World War II. The town sat on historic Route 66 until a new highway diverted traffic in the 1950s.
The name honors Olive Oatman, who was taken captive by Native Americans in the 1850s and later became a well-known figure in the region. Today visitors see old mining buildings converted into shops and establishments where locals sell goods and share stories from the past.
Visitors should arrive between 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM to watch the Ghost Rider Gunfighters perform street shows on the main road. Shops sell feed for the burros, and tourists should not give the animals their own food.
Wild burros, descendants of miners' pack animals, roam freely through the streets and approach visitors looking for food. The 1902 hotel displays thousands of dollar bills on its walls and ceiling, a tradition miners started to store money for future visits.
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