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 by
Jacqueline Monahan
jaxn8r@msn.com
Photos by Judy Thorburn
Las
Vegas Day Trippin’ – Oatman, Arizona
Just two to three hours from the heart of Las Vegas, Oatman, AZ is a
tiny town full of large legends. Shared with burros, the main street is
jammed with character - like a hippie colony with bikers, tourists and
actual residents, all 100 of them. Watch where you step, though.
The town is open to visitors during daylight hours, roughly 7:00 a.m. to
dusk. It is literally a former gold mining town (now ghost town) turned
tourist attraction. Gold mines thrived in the area from 1904-1931, when
the peak population reached 10,000. When the mines shut down, all the
pack animals were freed, but none left. Their descendents are the wild
burros that have the run of the place. They beg for food and routinely
try to enter the stores.
The placed is said to be named in honor of Olive Oatman, who was
kidnapped by Apache and forced to work as a slave until her1857 rescue;
one of the town’s buildings bears her name. Oatman illustrates the
circumstances and conditions that got the West its wild reputation.
A small dirt road runs through the center of the tiny two-block town.
With whimsical store names such as Fast Fanny’s and Jackass Junction,
the charming stroll will take you past craft shops, head shops, biker
shops, souvenirs shops and an ice cream parlor. A restaurant and bar see
to all of your hunger and thirst requirements.
My trip happened to coincide with a local motorcycle event so bikers
galore and their hogs lined the street. The burros (several white, most
gray, one little guy only two days old) wandered free amid Harleys,
tourists and long-time residents.
The Oatman hotel, with a total of eight rooms boasts the ice cream
parlor (don’t even think about asking for anything sugar-free) and
saloon (with walls covered in dollar bills) on the first floor and a
hotel on the second floor. Built in 1902 the hotel is listed on the
National Historical Building Registry. It is oldest two-story adobe
structure in Mohave County.
One room was Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s honeymoon suite, if you
could call a ten by ten a suite. Hey, it has a bed, what more did you
need in 1939? They wanted remote and you can’t get much more remote than
Oatman, even these days. This is a slice of life without electronics and
satellite communications. Imagine!
Another room is said to be haunted by Oatie, (William Ray Flour) an
Irish miner and hotel resident who died on the premises. One of my
companions, a frequent visitor, asked his permission to enter before she
went into his room. A subsequent photo shows a ball of light over her
left shoulder. Oatie? You decide. Bagpipes are said to be heard in the
night, and residents celebrate Oatie’s birthday every St. Patrick’s Day.
Playful spirits also cause cold rooms, self-flushing toilets, and rising
glasses in the dollar-bill covered barroom downstairs.
Antique stores feature curios and collectibles. There are kitsch and
vintage items for sale: spotted enamelware, lanterns, abalone rings,
gemstones, postcards, clay figures, leather work, tee shirts and other
(ahem) recreational paraphernalia all beckon the visitor.
Stroll Main Street with time to take in all of the stores and
businesses. Talk to the colorful proprietors. Carrots are available at a
buck apiece to feed the adult burros; the babies aren’t ready for that
yet, but they’ll always take a caress. They are friendly and
inquisitive, nuzzling your hand for food and showing no intimidation by
cars, bikes motors, and people. Oatman is their turf, so hand over the
goods or prepare to be shunned.
Weekends here bring classic car rallies, wild west shootouts, shotgun
weddings and a famous July 4th contest to see who can cook an egg the
quickest using only the sun’s power.
Oatman is a slice of yesteryear, slow-moving, behind the times and quite
proud of it. Come and see why for yourself, and bring plenty of carrots.
From Las Vegas:
From Strip, head East on Tropicana or Flamingo a few miles and take U.S.
93/95 south towards Boulder City and the Hoover Dam. Avoid the U.S. 95
turnoff near Boulder City and proceed over the Hoover Dam on U.S. 93.
Follow 93 all the way to Kingman, Arizona Locate Route 66 westbound in
the town. Parallel I-40 for a mile, then cross the railroad tracks and
go under I-40 out into raw desert. Follow this westbound for about 25
miles until you enter the "ghost town" of Oatman, AZ.
For further Information:
The Oatman Hotel
181 Main Street
Oatman, AZ
928-768-4408
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