Located approximately halfway between Kingman, Arizona and the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge along Historic Route 66 lies the town of Oatman. Named for Olive Oatman, a young Illinois girl taken captive by Indians in 1851 and later released in 1856, the town experienced a gold rush in 1915 when two prospectors found riches in the Black Mountains. Five decades later, it was a ghost town; until a renewed interest in that notable highway stretching from Illinois to the California coast breathed life into the empty buildings, revitalizing the community and putting Oatman on the map as a tourist destination.
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It's a lot like other Old West towns - there are mock-gunfights in the streets and souvenir shops selling local art and turquoise jewelry, but it's the residents that make this town unique. No, not the human occupants. The four-legged ones.
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Descendants of the burros prospectors once used to pack supplies in and gold out of the hills during their mining days, these friendly (though, still wild - they have been known to bite and kick) beasts are the highlight of any trip to this western Arizona town. Following visitors through the dusty streets, begging for handouts, these wide-eyed critters are hard to resist, although Bureau of Land Management officials are urging shop owners and tourists alike to stop offering tasty treats to the burros due to overfeeding which has led to health issues for these animals.
But, let me ask, could you resist this face?
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(Interesting note - townsfolk place Do Not Feed Me stickers on the baby burros' foreheads).
BLM estimates that there are 1800 wild burros in the Black Mountain herd, and after a day spent strolling through town, they return to the hills at night to sleep under the stars as their ancestors once did.
**Author's note - My husband and I visited Oatman on our way to Laughlin, NV back in 1992. I remember a white burro sticking his head through the open driver's side window. Too funny!
Also, there is a burro named Cocoa in my Hidden Springs series.
4 comments:
Love this, Kristine. Cripple Creek, Colorado has a few wild burros that are descendants from the burros used in the mines. I never knew they existed until one day we saw them walking the streets and found out why. (I thought they got loose from someone's home) They knew their way around town and where to go for food. Not quite sure where they sleep at night, but I believe someone shelters them during the cold winter months. Thank you sharing.
Growing up on the East coast, moving out west was an eye-opener as far as critters go. I remember driving through Utah and seeing a couple of horses just standing in the road. No homes or anything around for miles. It took me a minute to realize they were wild Mustangs. And roadrunners look nothing at all like that one on Saturday morning cartoons! lol
Hi, I enjoyed reading this blog, it is very interesting and I would not mind visiting the town of Oatman, the burros sure look cute! Thank you so much for writing this. Have a Great weekend. God Bless you.
Hi, Alicia. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Oatman is definitely a fun town to visit.
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