Kingman is located in northwestern Arizona at the intersection
of Interstate 40 and U.S. 93. Kingman is situated in the
Hualapai Valley between the Cerbat and Hualapai Mountain
Ranges at an elevation of 3,400 feet. The city was established in
the early 1880s by Lewis Kingman who located the route of the
Santa Fe Railway. It was incorporated in 1952 and has served as
county seat of Mohave County since 1887.
Kingman is a regional trade, service and distribution center for
northwestern Arizona. Its strategic location relative to Los
Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Laughlin and the Grand Canyon has
made tourism, manufacturing/distribution, and transportation
leading industries.
Favorable Arizona taxes, I-40, Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Railway mainline, and the proximity to the California market
make Kingman a prime site for industries and distributors. The
fully developed Airport Industrial Park, with reasonable land
costs is attracting the attention of manufacturers and distributors
who wish to establish facilities to serve the Western states.
True*Serve Hardware, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and
American Woodmark Corp. is a few of the more than 60 companies
located in the Airport Industrial Park. Northstar Steel has
also completed a major steel recycling plant in Kingman.
Kingman and its historic downtown shops are part of the
Arizona Main Street Program. Kingman is also an Arizona REDI
accredited community.
The scenic mountains around the Kingman area, including the
Hualapai Mountain Park and Cerbat Mountains, offer hiking, picnicking,
camping, and other outdoor activities. The Kingman and
the Colorado River areas offer unique recreational and historical
attractions as do several ghost towns in the area.
Water sports also play a central role in the county’s recreation.
The Colorado River forms the western boundary of Mohave
County. An estimated 1,000 miles of fresh water shoreline exist within
Mohave County along the Colorado River and Lakes Havasu,
Mohave and Mead. The rivers and lakes offer fishing along with
boating and other forms of water-oriented recreation. Nearby
Hoover Dam also have visitor tours.
Kingman has a Multiple Resource Historic District with a developed
walking tour and district map, which can be seen at
Locomotive Park. Other interesting sites may be seen in and
around Kingman including the Beale Wagon Road, Beale Springs,
and the White Cliffs Wagon Road. Historic Route 66, which runs
through Kingman, offers the longest remaining preserved stretch
of old, U.S. Route 66 left in the United States. The recently rehabilitated
Brunswick Hotel and Powerhouse Visitor Center are both
located along Historic Route 66 in the heart of Kingman.
Kingman is in Northwestern Arizona. It is in Mohave County. The town is situated in the Hualapai Valley between Cerbat and Hualapai Mountain Ranges. It is located at the intersection of Interstate 40 (heading west from Flagstaff and east from California) and U.S. Highway 93 (heading south from Las Vegas, Nevada).
Kingman is a great place to use as a hub for taking some fun day trips. It is a town based on transportation and location. Kingman is not far from lakes, Laughlin, ghost towns, Las Vegas, the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Since Kingman has a terrific location, it makes getting there on highways coming out of Kingman easy. Today the population of Kingman is 33,000. The town is at an elevation of 3,336 feet. The climate in Kingman is mild in the winter and cooler in the summer. The low temperatures in the winter are 32 degrees and the highs 66 degrees. In the summer, the high temperatures are 97 degrees and the lows are 58 degrees. Kingman does receive precipitation of approximately 3 inches a year.
In 1883 Kingman was established as a railroad stop. The locating engineer named Lewis Kingman named the stop after himself. Later on, Kingman was chosen to be the county seat for Mohave in 1887. Since that time Kingman has been a unique stop over for many people.
During World War II, an air force base was built in Kingman. Today, the Mohave County Airport is located where the base once stood. It also houses surplus warplanes. In 1928, Charles Lindbergh (the first pilot to solo the Atlantic) made a stop in Kingman. This stop was made during the first 48-hour air mail service between New York and Los Angeles.
Other famous people stepped into Kingman throughout the years. The marriage of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard took place in the Methodist Church in Kingman. Actor, Andy Devine grew up in Kingman. Although he wasn’t born in Kingman, Andy always felt it was his hometown. As a matter of fact, the main street is named after him.
The construction of dams along the Colorado River also made Kingman grow. Once again because of Kingman’s strategic location, it became the perfect stop for fishermen and water sports lovers on their way to Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and the Colorado River. When Route 66 opened and found its way through Kingman, many motel-café-service stations popped up. Kingman continues to be connecting spot for many on their way to Las Vegas, Phoenix or Los Angeles.
Today Kingman uses its location to lure tourism, manufacturing/distribution and transportation industries to the area. The Airport Industrial Park combines reasonable land prices with its prime site to attract such companies as True Server Hardware, Goodyear Tire and Rubber and American Woodmark. There are nearly 60 companies located at the airpark.
Community Features:
There are several attractions you will enjoy seeing in and around Kingman. In Kingman, there are several attractions. The Bonelli House and the Hotel Brunswick/Hotel Beale are great spots that reveal more about the history of Kingman. The Mohave Museum of History and Art and Locomotive Park are more spots to take in the history of the area.
If you are interested in today, you might want to take a short 40-minute drive over to Laughlin, Nevada. Here you will eat great food and casino entertainment.
Just outside of Kingman are many outdoor spots that you will enjoy visiting. One unique spot is the Grand Canyon Caverns, where you will see what the earth is like 21 stories below. Grand Canyon West is another place that you will have an opportunity to look at the Canyon in its beauty. Hoover Dam is an amazing place to visit. You will marvel at is its size and power.
If camping is your thing, then you will have several choices in the area. Packsaddle Campground, Wild Cow Springs Campground and Windy Point Campground are three good camping areas. Along with camping, there are hiking trails near Kingman. The Waboyuma Peak Trail and the Cherum Peak Trail are fun ones to experience.
Many people come through Kingman to get to Lake Mead. This is a spectacular lake, placed in the desert. The views from the lake are one of a kind. Burro Creek is another outdoor place that you won’t want to miss.
There are two special ghost towns located near Kingman. Chloride and Oatman are interesting towns that will take you back to the old mining days in Arizona. You will have a great time at both of these western towns.
Kingman is known for being a stop along Route 66. Route 66 is one of the most famous roads in America. You will learn a lot about the original Route 66 in Kingman. Kingman is located in the middle of the longest remaining preserved stretch of Route 66. You can find out more at the newly rehabilitated Powerhouse Visitor Center.
Bonelli House
The Bonelli house a place to go to take a step back in time. The house is filled with history and you will learn a lot about what Kingman was like when it began as a town long ago.
The architecture of the house is typical of the Anglo-territorial style. The outside is a locally quarried tufa stone, gray in color and cut thick. The purpose of the thickly cut stone was to keep the house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. When you stroll through the house, you will see furnishing of the period. The pieces are common to those found in homes that were as prosperous as the Bonelli’s house. One of the most interesting pieces in the Bonelli house is the large wall clock. This clock was the only clock in Kingman, at one time.
The Mohave County Historical Society manages the home today and takes care of the heirlooms. If you are interested in seeing this piece of Kingman history, the Bonelli House is open Monday through Thursday from 1 pm to 4 pm. It is closed on major holidays.
Hotel Brunswick/Hotel Beale
The Hotel Brunswick and the Hotel Beale are old western establishments you won’t want to miss when you are in Kingman. Both of these structures have a rich history. In 1909, the Hotel Brunswick was built. The hotel has cowboy rooms that will help you relive the old west. This hotel is going to become a bed and breakfast. You will want to plan a day’s stay at this hotel. The Hotel Beale was once the home of Andy Devine, an old time entertainer. Andy Devine’s parents owned the hotel since 1906. It too is decorated in its original western theme. The Devine family no longer owns the property. Today, the Hotel Beale is open for tours. You will have to look into scheduling a tour.
Grand Canyon Caverns
I would have to say that one of the most exciting places that I have been to in the State is the Grand Canyon Caverns. At first glance, you might find the caverns to look like nothing much at all. I want to know that looks are deceiving, especially in the case of the Grand Canyon Caverns. You will begin your tour of the caverns by taking a ride in an elevator down 21 stories. This is an amazing ride. Once the elevator doors open you will discover spectacular sights. The tour follows lit paths with handrails, where you will see the remains of a mummified bobcat and marine fossils. There is even a fake giant ground sloth to allow you to witness what kinds of creatures roamed the area 20,000 years ago.
The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. There are amenities above ground such as a motel, restaurant and gift shop. You can get to the Grand Canyon Caverns from Kingman by taking the old Historic Route 66 east out of town. You will be heading toward Seligman. You will pass by the towns of Valentine, Peach Springs, and Nelson. Before you get to Seligman you should find Grand Canyon Caverns. Look for signs, it is right on Route 66. For more information, you can call 928-422-3223