January 22, 2011 ~ THE DESERT-MINING & GHOST TOWNS
Gunfights, wild burros and nostalgic tales of gold ….that’s Oatman! East of the Colorado River between Bullhead City and Needles along Historic Rt. 66 lies the authentic old western town of Oatman, AZ (see it in the “Oatman, Arizona” album). In the heyday, the town produced millions of dollars in gold, but, like the typical stories of boom to bust, Oatman was no different. When things dried up, the miners released the burros they had brought with them in the late 1800’s, and their descendants roam the streets today. As with many old western towns, fired destroyed most of the buildings, but the Oatman Hotel built in 1902 was spared. Clark Gable and Carol Lombard honeymooned here in March 1939, and their honeymoon suite is still one of the major attractions.
On a different trip across I-40 near Barstow CA in late December, we decided on a whim to swing by Calico Ghost Town. We’d seen the sign many times but had never visited. It was now very late in the afternoon just before sunset. We made our way about 6 miles from I-40 to the parking area and hustled to walk the town before dark. Developed in 1881 in the little town of Yermo, Calico was the largest silver mining camp in California from 1881 to 1896. By 1896 the silver rush had ended, and by 1904 Calico had become a ghost town. But, this historic little mining town lives on. One-third of Calico's original structures still stand and the remaining buildings have been reconstructed. Several rock and mud structures line the streets including the remains of the Maggie Mining Company, Hank’s Hotel, a couple of Saloons and downtown stores, and a neat little home made out of bottles. You’ll see the town in our “Calico Ghost Town” album.
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