Oatman Ghost Town

The Oatman Ghost Town is an old town located in the Black Mountains of Arizona.

The town’s rich heritage, coupled with its mystic History, makes it a fascinating destination for curious visitors. The town was named after Olive Oatman.

Oatman Ghost Town, Historic Village, Shops & Restaurants Map, Arizona

History has it that Olive was part of a group that traveled to the West to create a Mormon colony in the heart of California during the mid-19^th century. During this journey, she was taken hostage by the local Yavapai tribe in Arizona and held for five years prior to her release at the present location of the town today.

A few years later, gold was discovered in Oatman, leading to a significant increase in the town’s population. This boom lasted for almost a century before fizzling out after mining operations were stalled. The locals were left with no option but to find an alternative source of income. This is what led to the development of the ghost town as a tourist destination.

The town’s location on US Route 66 made it a popular stopover in years gone by as those traveling between Needles in California and Kingman in Arizona, would need to find a resting place during the journey. Today, the town is a key attraction, thanks to renewed interest on Route 66, as well as visitors exploring Laughlin.

Oatman is home to numerous souvenir shops and a trip to this ghost town would be incomplete without visiting the Oatman Hotel. The popular restaurant and bar is known for its popular tradition of taping signed dollar bills to the hotel’s walls and ceiling, with the approximate number of bills thought to run in to the thousands.

The Oatman Hotel also features the honeymoon suite, made popular by Carole Lombard and Clarke Garble – two of Hollywood’s most celebrated personas.

A distinctive attraction, the Oatman Ghost Town is ideal for going back in time and reliving its epic moments in history. From live gunfights that tell the story of the Wild West to the energetic dancers, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this town. Make sure to look out for the burros that roam freely in the town.