Oatman - Satellite Oddity - Oatman, Arizona, USA.
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member veritas vita
N 35° 01.558 W 114° 22.991
11S E 738741 N 3879053
Burros, Gold mines, Jackasses, saloons, Donkeys, rickety wooden walkways, and even old prospectors mules that own the road, make the entire town of Oatman a roadside attraction, Featured on Virtual Globetrotting, in Mohave County, Arizona.
Waymark Code: WMNC93
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 02/12/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member bluesnote
Views: 5

"Should you decide to take a leisurely drive along Historic Route 66 and down through Oatman, don't be surprised if your journey comes to a sudden halt thanks to some stubborn jackass in the middle of the road. The town is full of them.

I'm not talking about the people, of course. I'm talking about burros. And they're the reason most visitors stop in Oatman to begin with, whether they're blocking the way or not. Sure, Oatman's got a gold-mine tour, Wild West shootouts and an annual egg-frying contest, but it's the braying beasts of burden everybody comes to see. Come to think of it, it's probably the only vacation spot tourists flock to in order to be surrounded by asses entirely on purpose.

The burros, though they've gotten quite comfortable among humans, are actually wild. It's estimated there are about 600 feral burros meandering between Kingman and Lake Havasu City, and about a dozen of them enter Oatman on a daily basis. They come down from the Black Mountains of their own accord and invade the town as though commuting to work. When the shops begin to close and the tourists start to leave, they head back out again.

They're direct descendants of pack animals that were once used in local mining operations. When the federal government shut the mines down in the 1940s in response to the war effort, workers simply let the burros go. They never really left, though, and due to their obstinate charm, Oatman has survived becoming a ghost town, though just barely. As a nearby sign admits, "If it were not for these burros, in all probability, neither you nor this plaque would be standing here today." Text Source: (visit link)

"Wild burros freely roam the town and can be hand-fed carrots and "burro chow," both readily available in practically every store in town. Though normally gentle, the burros are in fact wild and signs posted throughout Oatman advise visitors to exercise caution. The donkeys are descended from pack animals turned loose by early prospectors, and are protected by the US Department of the Interior." Texy Source: (visit link)
Website: [Web Link]

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