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Oatman,
Arizona - Page 2 |
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The
Oatman Post Office today, April, 2008,
Kathy Weiser.
This image available for
photographic prints and downloads
HERE!
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During the Second World War, the
government needed other metal types for the war effort, so the miners were
taken to other areas and the
Oatmanmines were
closed, leaving the gold to wait for better times.
Route 66 was changed to make an easier route
south of the mountain passes in 1952. By this time,
Oatman no longer held the clout that it
had earlier when the
Mother Road
was first implemented.
In the end,
Oatman's
original fight with
Yucca
for placement of
Route 66
all came back around when the new road in 1952 bypassed
Oatman
and it's hazardous roads in favor of
Yucca.
Oatman
was soon reduced to a
ghost town
with a population of only 60.
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In the
1970s, nearby Laughlin,
Nevada
started building up as a popular gambling mecca, and in the late1980s
Route 66
again became a popular destination for tourists from all over the
world.
Oatman started
becoming very lively again.
Then, in 1995 the
Gold Road
mine was reopened, taking out 40,000 ounces of gold annually. In 1998,
the mine closed again because of low gold prices. it then provided
gold mine tours for several years; however with the current price of
gold (in 2008), the tours have ceased as the mine is reopening once
again.
Oatman today is a tourist
town. The main street is lined with shops and restaurants. Wild
burros, descendants of those brought by long ago miners, wander the
streets. Gunshots are heard as the Ghostrider Gunfighters perform
daily, displaying blazing six-gun shootouts in the middle of main
street.

Gunfight in
Oatman,
Arizona,
December,
2004, Kathy Weiser.
The road to
Oatman from
Kingman
is very narrow with several sharp hairpin curves. No vehicles over
forty feet in length are allowed on this road. The road from
Golden Shores is not nearly as steep or sharp. Once in
Oatman, there is
limited parking. RV's or those traveling with trailers can often have difficulty finding a
parking spot.
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When traveling westbound Route 66, Oatman
Highway continues another 20 miles to Golden Shores. The landscape
along the way is dotted with mining remnants of more prosperous times.
©
Kathy Weiser/Legends
of America, updated March, 2010.
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Wild burros continue to wander the streets of
Oatman, looking for a tourist to feed them, Kathy Weiser, April, 2008.
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Numerous historic buildings continue to stand
in Oatman,
such as the Olive Saloon. Today, these old
structures
house shops and restaurants, Kathy Weiser,
April, 2008.
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Also See:
The Haunted Oatman Hotel
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Mining remains south of
Oatman,
Arizona, Kathy Weiser,
April, 2008.
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Join our
Ghost Town Forum
for information, questions, and Ghost Town experiences!
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From the Rocky Mountain General Store
Mother Road
Emporium -
Route 66 -
ah, what great memories she brings. Well, at the
Rocky Mountain General Store, you will find all kinds of memoriabelia
to bring you more! Our
Mother Road
Emporium has added dozens of
Route 66
Postcards,
Books,
Historic Signs,
photographic
prints and more.
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