Donkeys, Ghosts, and Gold — Oatman, Arizona
Beginning its history as a ramshackle settlement, Oatman was home to a small group of miners seeking their fortune. Then, in 1915, a $10 million gold find transformed the city into a Wild West boom town. In one year alone its population exploded, and the village quickly became home to more than 3,500 miners seeking their fortunes in the Black Mountains of Mojave County.
In fact, Oatman would continue as a mining town until roughly $2,600,000,000 worth of gold (in today’s prices) was pulled from the Black Mountains and surrounding hills. Mining operations finally came to an end in the 1920s. But, by good fortune, the city found itself along the famous Route 66. So, the former mining town quickly pivoted to become a tourist destination. Suddenly a favourite stop along the legendary highway, the character of Oatman has been preserved. Even today Oatman retains almost all of its original Wild West appearance.
Oatman Hotel
One of the most notable landmarks in the city of Oatman is its historic hotel. Built in 1902, the two storey adobe building features eight rooms and no shortage of ghost stories. First, there is the tale of an Irish Miner (known as Oatie the Ghost), who drank himself to death in 1930, dying behind the hotel. Not surprisingly, locals tell of many ghosts that haunt the hotel’s halls, but two of them are quite famous.
Legend has it that after marrying Carole Lombard, Clark Gable chose the Oatman Hotel for their wedding night. The Oatman became an escape from the paparazzi and their fame, and so they returned many times over the years. Sadly, Carole Lombard met her demise in a plane crash in 1942. While Clark Gable remarried, following his death it is said he and Carole have returned to their oasis to relive a happier time.
The Oatman Hotel Saloon
No mention of the Oatman Hotel would be complete without describing the famous saloon. Thousands of one dollar bills cover almost every available surface. As it turns out, this is the Oatman Hotel’s version of a guestbook. Patrons will often sign their names to one dollar bills and then staple them to the walls, ceiling, and furniture. The result is a rather expensive decor like no other.
Oatman Today
If you find yourself travelling down Route 66, no town has the Wild West touch that Oatman does. Almost every building is rich with western stylings, and western motifs. To add to its charm, the descendants of the original miner’s burros roam the town free and without care. These wild burros only add to the magic of this village stuck in time.
Learn more about Oatman and see more photos at: www.pixeoapp.com
