David & Christy Halt 8/24/2019 The Oatman burros were brought by the Spanish explorers to be used to work the mines. Prizes are awarded to the winners and everyone is invited to fry. newimage0 = new Image(); The Tri-State Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show. Follow the signs for Oatman, 23 miles. 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. Geogia Santos 2/19/2019 AU$192.03. Dave & Shela Hogan 10/08/2016 Oatman has about 20 that come to Oatman daily to enjoy the company of visitors. Website Jerome Winery. Oatman has a colourful history and named in honour of Olive Oatman, a young lady who was travelling west with her family. Tara- My dad, who lived in Arizona at the time, had been mentioning Oatman for years, and the only thing that stuck in my head was the troupe of feral burros that live there. Douglas & Shari Harrison 1/08/2011 Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. 14-year-old Olive and her sister, Mary Ann, 7, were kidnapped by the Yavapai and forced into slavery. Great spot, absolutely great people, friendly and fast service. Believe it or not, weve got more! A burro population of over 4,000 lives in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area in Mohave County. So we went to the saloon and there was no piano player. She said she didn't know because she was going in for surgery the next day but I should ask the piano player in the saloon. This is the longest uninterrupted stretch of Route 66 that still remains today. Took the Route 66 trip and going to Oatman was a must. Jan 6, 2018 - Oatman AZ - a staged gunfight in the center of the town. Heres a travel tip - come early for a good parking spot as the town fills up fast. Mark & Jennifer Easterday 4/07/2012 Weather in June . Preston & Carrie Trosper 6/23/2012 The Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters is the oldest group of cowboys in Arizona. We had been here before but made the trip out of the way with some friends so they could take in the gunfight. Loyal & Martha Arends 02/17/2021 Oatman had some rough times, however. Steven Groden & Barbara Affannato The friendly performers ask the crowd to gather around in the street while they act out a heist, complete with loud gunshot blanks. MacIntyre 3/25/2009 At one time it was legitimately described as a ghost town and once had a population in excess of 10,000 residents. 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. Because of its location on Route 66, local commerce eventually shifted toward accommodating motorists traveling between Kingman, Arizona and Needles, California. scroll = scroll + MessageText.substring(0, DisplayLength - i + 1); We are currently in Lake Havasu City so decided to go to Oatman, AZ. David & Jessie Myers 03/15/2021 Tom & Tassie Ogryzek 4/04/2016 newimage8.src = "clipart/og1.jpg"; 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. Oatman Az Gunfight Schedule is a small town in Nevada that has had a gold rush. newimage10 = new Image(); They have a gunfight in the street and we caught just the end of it but what we saw was very entertainingYou wont be disappointed with your trip through this small mining town but be sure to have your phone ready and something for the nosey burros to eat, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The burros became an integral part of the area and thrived in the rugged desert terrain. Prizes for showmanship, youngest, oldest, and the farthest traveled fryer, makes this event eggciting! Lee & Kayla Whittlesey 3/30/2013 April 27, 2022 - May 1, 2022. 11, Sign up for our newsletter to receive all the latest news, travel tips and special offers. Seriously, those burros will steal your ice cream cone in a heartbeat, especially if youre under 4-feet tall! Thomas & Venessa Smith 12/03/2014, Kelly & Kipp & Pam Smith 10/8/2017 Want to give it a go? So we went to the saloon and there was no piano player. newimage5.src = "clipart/dl2.jpg"; (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. Oatman is about 38 miles west of Kingman, AZ on Historic Route 66 (AKA Oatman Highway) but because a good portion of the road is a very narrow windy road with a lot of curves and switch backs, it takes hour to an hour and a half to make the drive. Gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors to Oatman, AZ. Two shootout groups, the Bitter Creek Outlaws and the Ghostriders, simply walk out into traffic, block the street with tourist onlookers, and loudly blow each other away several times daily (only on weekends in the off-season). Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. An afternoon is all youll need to explore thoroughly, but if you have time, I recommend meandering along the back roads, which will give you a glimpse of the hardscrabble life that existed here in years past, But first, park your car on the street, and take a tour of an iconic Arizona ghost town that refuses to die. Box 423 Oatman, We would like to catch the gun fight. Crazy Bear Trading Post Gift Shops 24 YEARS IN BUSINESS (928) 768-7400 141 Main St Oatman, AZ 86433 CLOSED NOW 3. Oatman certainly prospered during a decade-long gold rush, but when the mines dried up, so did everything else. They are so friendly and adorable! The appointments are almost over, so today we took our first day trip since becoming fulltimers! Reenactments of old Wild West gunfights take place in the town at least twice a day. When the mines went under, prospectors turned the animals loose to fend for themselves. We specialize in delicious red wines and offer tastings, glasses or bottles. The Durlin Hotel was originally built in 1902 and then rebuilt in 1924 after the fire. Unfortunately, you can no longer spend the night in the Oatman Hotel, but you can visit the bar, restaurant, and museum during the day. 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. Hawkins 3/17/2013 A gunfight occurs every day at noon and 2:15 in the middle of Oatman's main street, a stretch of Historic Route 66 now known as Oatman-Topock Highway. By 1931, the area's mines had produced . 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. Olive eventually won her freedom and became a local legend. Dale & Tenia Evans 5/01/2013 Most people in Oatman, AZ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.9 minutes. Learn more about oatman historic mining. David & Kaisi Williams 10/10/2020 Bullhead City, Arizona 86429. This rally, now in it's second year, is the official motorcycle rally for Oatman, and the entire stretch of Route 66 from Needles CA to Seligman AZ. Her book is available by calling the Oatman Chamber of Commerce at (928) 768-6222. So be patient. Brett & Mary Cohen 12/28/2013, Chris & Melissa The eight-room hotel did a booming business with local miners, who began the practice of covering the hotels walls and ceiling with signed and dated one-dollar bills. It's a small village in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona. We have been to Oatman, Az. Oatman was a mining town; in 1915, a gold mine was discovered, which stopped working completely after World War II. Today, the town survives on tourism and burros. Heres the plan for a perfect day in Oatman, Arizona, the best place to eat for miles and miles. var pos = 1 - DisplayLength; Oatman Highway is a stretch of the original Route 66 O atman, AZ is one of those towns that motorcycle riders always seem to talk about, particularly if you live in the southwestern United States. Terry & Dawn Pratt 10/20/2012 Robert & Cindy Rucker 4/20/2020 var DisplayLength = 50 We took our dog with us and there were at least 8 or 9 other dogs as well. Oatman, Arizona is home to a large burro population. The last 10 miles are a procession of shoulderless, blind, hairpin switchbacks up and down through crumbling desert hillsides, with occasional boulders in the road to tickle your tires and undercarriage. Gunfights are staged on weekends for visitors to Oatman, AZ. The history of Oatman is a story of give and take, from a turn of the century boomtown to todays small but unique and memorable tourist destination. //from www.a1javascripts.com Add your social media links and bio and promote your discounts, menus, events. We waited on the street for about 10 minutes and finally gave up and went for a bite to eat.Had we known there was not going to be a gunfight we may not have driven the hour out of the way to disappoint our friends, it's not that the gunfight is the only thing to do in town but I'm not a big fan of being lied to. After the burros, the Ghost Riders draw the most tourists. 9/18/2010 Peach Springs, Arizona 86434. We havent actually visited Oatman in July and because we are cold-weather creatures, I cant imagine that we ever will. I dont recommend buying chocolate unless you want to eat it ASAP. They returned quite often to enjoy the peace and solitude they wanted until the unfortunate death of Lombard in a plane crash just 4 years later.The locals are very friendly and the Burros will accompany you into the shops. Rick & Dorothy Cathers 10/30/2009 It began as a small mining camp when two prospectors struck a $10 million gold find in 1915, though the vicinity had already been settled for a number of years. Brad & Kelly Blake 8/08/2009 Oatman started getting lively again. Larry & Tari Piel 5/1/2018 Pete & Tamie Luchetta 7/16/2016 Oatman is one of only a few functioning municipalities with regular Wild West gun battles in its street. Jerry & Mary Santana 10/03/2009 Oatman Chamber of Commerce P.O. 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. 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. The towns biggest mine closed in 1924, and by 1941, the government ordered the closing of Oatmans remaining mining operations as part of the countrys war efforts. AZ But first, park your car on the street, and take a tour of an iconic Arizona ghost town that refuses to die.