Oatman

Understand

Oatman was named posthumously for Olive Oatman (1837-1903). History tells that she was a young Illinois girl kidnapped by (presumably) Yavapai Indians and forced to work for them as a slave. Later, she was traded to Mohave Indians who adopted her as a daughter, had her face tattooed in the custom of the tribe, and eventually released her in 1855 near the current site of the town.

Gold was discovered in the nearby hills in the early 1900s and the town was home to a boom that lasted until the mines closed in the 1930s. The current population of 150 is down from about 23,000 in its boom years. The main street, lined with gift shops, looks like a set from a Hollywood Western, and with good reason: Hollywood dolled up the facades to film How The West Was Won here in 1962. A staged gunfight takes place every day at high noon. On the other side of the equation, if you show up after the tourists go home, you'll start to get a real feel for the place: a town of grizzled miners and dogged entrepreneurs determined to make a living at the far edge of civilization.

While the main street is known alternatively as "Main Street" and "Oatman Road", it is also the Historic Route 66.

• Arizona Tourist board Oatman page

Get in

Follow Route 66 from Kingman or Laughlin. This portion of Route 66 is twisty and narrow and thus not appropriate for larger vehicles.

Another route from Laughlin and Bullhead City is to take Arizona State Route 95 South into Fort Mojave, and turn left onto Boundary Cone Rd. Oatman is about 13 miles (21 km) down the road.

Get around

Those expecting to find transportation available from the Oatman Metropolitan Subway System (OMSS), or even simple bus and monorail transportation, will be disappointed at the lack of options. For those able to put that disappointment aside, the tiny town is completely walkable; however, due to the frequent burro visits be careful where you walk. Parking is available in dirt lots at either end of the main street.