Originally called Vivian, the name was changed to Oatman in 1909.
Some speculate that the name came from Olive Oatman, a young girl
who was captured by Indians in 1851. According to legend, she was
found and released in 1857 near the present-day site of Oatman.

The mines closed down in the late 1930's and if it wasn't for
Route 66 Oatman might have withered and blown away in the hot
Mojave winds. When Oatman was bypassed by the new alignment of
Route 66 in 1953 it almost did go the way of most ghost towns,
but it managed to hold on and today is a popular tourist spot.