In 1915 a large claim of gold was found in Oatman, and so begun a quest to find more. Within fifteen years it was estimated that 36 million dollars worth of gold had been mined in the area. It became a ghost town, however, when the interstate was built, and Route 66 that runs through the town became unpopular.
Honestly we weren’t here for the ghost town itself as much as for the wild burros. When the miners left Oatman they let their burros go and they have flourished ever since, not ever roaming too far from their place of abandonment. They weren’t parading around town as they often do, but we were fortunate enough to spot them on our way out of town, happily grazing in a gorgeous field of wildflowers, dwarfed by the towering Black Mountains. They were more than anxious to stop everything for some fresh carrots that we brought in the hopes of this very encounter.
Very fun photos! That burro has a sense of humor apparently. So, is the town occupied at all?
There are 100 people that live in Oatman. In the 1920s there were 10,000! What a difference the prospect of gold makes.
I loved the excellent photos and succinct written description.
Why thank you! Since a pictures says a thousand words I don’t have to say as much…