THE ADVENTURES OF FLAT STANLEY IN ARIZONA; DAY SIX

TODAY'S WEATHER; ARIZONA 80 DEGREES - LAYTON UTAH COLD AND SNOWY

TODAY WE DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP TO OATMAN A OLD GOLD MINING "GHOST TOWN", THAT IS ONLY ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY FROM OUR HOUSE. WE WALKED DOWN MAIN STREET AND SAW ALL THE OLD SITES, FED THE BURRO'S, WENT ON A TOUR OF AN OLD GOLD MINE, THEN ON OUR WAY HOME WE DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE OFF ROADING AND EXPLORE NEAR BOUNDRY CONE, THERE WE SAW DIFFERENT TYPES OF CACTUS, A BEAUTIFUL HAWK, SOME WILD FLOWERS. WE HAD A TON OF FUN.

FUNNY STORY, AS I WAS TAKING PICTURES HERE AND THERE WITH STANLEY, I WAS UNAWARE THAT I HAD DRAWN QUITE A CROWD WHO WERE ALL STANDING AROUND WATCHING ME, ALL OF A SUDDEN A WIND CAME UP AND STANLEY BLEW AWAY, I QUICKLY CAUGHT HIM AND RE-POSED HIM FOR THE PICTURE, WHEN I HEAR THIS DEEP VOICE SAY "THAT LITTLE FELLOW JUST DOESN'T WANT TO STAY PUT DOES HE". I LOOK UP TO SEE TWO FULL BLOWN BIKERS STANDING THERE.

Oatman began 0ver 100 years ago as a mining tent camp and quickly became a flourishing gold-mining center. In 1915, two miners struck a $10 million gold find, and within a year, the town's population grew to more than 3,500.

In its heyday of the early 1900's to the 1940's, Oatman and its two mile away companion town of Goldroad were the largest producers of gold in Arizona.
During the Second World War the government needed other metals for the war effort, so the miners were taken to other mines and the mines here closed.
Then in 1995 the Goldroad mine was opened again and was taking out 40,000 oz. of gold annually. In 1998 they closed again because of low gold prices. They now have great mine tours daily. We had fun on the tour we got to see some real gold and also some fools gold. We will send
a piece of the fools gold for the class to look at, it fooled many miners.

In 1952, Route 66, the main route from the Midwest to California, bypassed this stretch of mountains to be I-40 from Kingman, Arizona to Needles, California. Oatman and Goldroad became real Ghost Towns.

In the 70's Laughlin, Nevada started building up and in the late 80's Route 66 became popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Oatman started becoming very lively again.

Oatman's "Wild" Burro's are the descendants of burro's brought here by the miners and when no longer needed were turned loose. Each morning they come into town looking for food. They wander the streets and greet the tourists. Burro pellets and carrots are for sale at many of the shops -- the burros will eat all day if you feed them. -- Shortly before the sunset they will wander back to the hills for the night.

Enjoy the slide show of our trip to oatman.

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