KINGMAN

From all the neon signs and traffic and hustle and bustle of all sorts of commercial pursuits the newcomer would be justified in surmising that Kingman, Arizona, is a real city. While it is to all intent and purpose, it is unincorporated which, technically, leaves it out of the "city" classification; actually it is over half of Mohave county's estimated 10,000 population congregated in a mile square area straddling the Santa Fe Railroad and Highway 66 out in a wide canyon just before these two travel arteries wiggle their ways through the Black Mountains in northwestern Arizona enroute to the Colorado River and points west. But this unique situation was well considered by the citizenry, and is all to the good. Kingman is complete with electricity, water, sewage disposal plant, paving, police and fire protection-without the costs and additional taxes of municipal government. The usual functions of city government are handled by the Mohave County Board of Supervisors, the policing is done by County Deputy-Sheriffs, the paving and sewerage were managed under Arizona's liberal "group bonding" law, and the water and electricity are owned by the Kingman Water Company and the Citizen's Utility Company, which also owns the local telephone system, tied into a telephone company repeater station for long distance service.

This however is of now, and shows the spirit of the folks who settled there. Kingman is not a miracle town that blossomed full grown over night. It is fairly old as towns go in this country, pre-dating Arizona's statehood by twenty-nine years. Mohave County's minerally rich mountains have been prospected and mined since 1858, while a few hardy ranchers branded calves with one hand and fought Indians with the other. But it wasn't until 1883 when the old Atlantic & Pacific Railroad (later to become the Santa Fe) laid their rails through Mohave County that Kingman came into being. Or rather, at this particular spot for some undoubtedly good railroad reason they made a dot on their map and called it Kingman in honor of Lewis Kingman, one of the locating engineers.

The site was marked by a modest little depot that had gotten creaky in the seams as a box car. Off hand it seemed that this was going to be a lonely little edifice, but before the track crew had much more gotten out of sight several tents and a couple of board houses sprang up to keep it company. Transportation had been the big drawback in Mohave General view of Kingman, Arizona, looking south from a hilltop. The seventyyear old rail fence is a portion of the original rail fence used on the famous Babbit ranch in Northern Arizona.

The famous Tom Reed mine and mill in nearby Oatman, Arizona, are reminiscent of a day when gold and silver mining was a major industry in Mohave County. While the tempo of mining has been curtailed since 1942 many experts expect the region to someday spring to life.

Past rugged country in the Black Mountains can be seen the silvery gleam of the Colorado River as it winds its way just below Davis Dam.

The Colorado River can be seen gleaming in the distance in this view from the top of Union Pass in the Black Mountains on State Highway 68, the Kingman-Davis Dam route.

Rugged scenery marks the route of State Highway 68 through the Black Mountains from Kingman to Davis Dam. These mountains are pock marked with innumerable mines.

Practically all essential professions and businesses are represented. An up-and-at-'em Chamber of Commerce and several other service clubs do their best to make the world Kingman conscious. The Mohave County Miner, weekly newspaper, was started over fifty years ago at Mineral Park by Anson Smith, later known far and wide as "the father of Boulder Dam." In time, like the County Seat and many other early enterprises, the paper moved to Kingman, where it still enjoys a growing circulation even in these days of big dailies and news, while it is still happening, on the radio. Kingman has put lace and ruffles on traditional western hospitality; like a thoughtful host, everything has been thought of for your comfort and pleasure. Besides tourist accommodations and eating places to meet the requirements of practically every taste and pocketbook, for those seeking fun and entertainment, there are two movie theaters, an assortment of night clubs and bars, a golf course, a swimming pool, and in season, softball, football and basketball games. Then, as though to put a frosting on these everyday doings, each year at Labor Day the community pitches "Dig-N-Dogie Days," parades, dances, rodeo, miners' contests, a celebration to end celebrations until next Labor Day. Kingman is the largest unincorporated County Seat in the United States. Whether you get there around Labor Day, or some Saturday night, or maybe just a plain Wednesday, you will immediately sense the friendliness and note the truly cosmopolitan atmosphere, done up western style. Cow ponies and sleek automobiles park side by side; railroaders, immaculate in striped overalls and forever looking at their watches, fall into step with high-heeled boots and tall Stet-sons; groups of prospectors and miners in stained denims and needing a shave, peer at ore samples through little magnifying glasses; business men and waitresses hurry along, smiling and speaking as they go; Indians in violent reds, pinks and purples sit comfortably on the sidewalks in the shade of buildings sipping soda pop. Everything is free and easy, and somehow different. But after all, there's only one Kingman.

Kingman is noted as a city of fine churches and homes. This view shows the St. John's Methodist Church and, in the background, a seventy-year old adobe brick home.

The Kingman Country Club is a popular gathering place. Seen in this view beyond one of the oiled sand greens of the golf course, the modern and spacious club house commands a view of the entire course from its position atop a rocky hill. Playing a number 2 shot on hole No. 7. The number of strokes sometimes taken on this hole is astounding.