Mission Statement:
"To Promote & Support The Business Community."
Vision Statement:
"The Voice And The Choice Of Business."
History
The
pre-history of our area belongs to the Anasazi, the
"Ancient Ones," and their Native American descendants,
principally the Haulapai, Havasupai and Mohave tribes.
Before being subdued by the settling of the West, these nomadic
tribes roamed the area from northern Arizona's Verde Valley
to the southern border of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River
as far south as Quartzite. Their artistry typified nomad culture:
distinctive basketry, woven blankets and pottery for food
and water.
Visitors may hike, camp, hunt, fish or raft on nearby
Haulapai lands by obtaining permits from the tribal headquarters
in Peach Springs.
Spaniards searching for gold explored the area as early
as the 1500's and were followed by Anglo explorers in the
early 1800's.
In 1857, Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale and his team of explorers
came to survey a wagon route along the 35th parallel to the
Pacific Ocean. His survey party used camels for transportation,
a novelty that never caught on. Nonetheless, the Beale Road,
which stretch from Ft. Defiance, New Mexico to the Colorado
River, became a popular path for prospectors seeking fortunes
of gold, silver, copper and turquoise. 
In the early 1880's, Lewis Kingman surveyed a railroad route
between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Needles, California, which
for much of its length paralleled Beale's road.
The fledgling settlement along the track's route was designated
"Kingman" after the enterprising surveyor in 1882.
Framed businesses popped up everywhere and, in 1887, Kingman
was declared county seat of Mohave County, spurring the construction
of a courthouse and county jail.
After World War II, the need for the Kingman Army Air Base
ended and the town turned increasingly to the tourist market.
Historic Route 66 paralleled the railroad route, leading millions westward to
California throughout the early 20th Century. The travelers
brought prosperity to Kingman as a trade and transportation
center and Route 66 became an essential part of Kingman's
personality.
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Andy Devine's Story
Kingman's favorite
native son is world famous character actor Andy
Devine.
Read the
whole story! |
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| Kingman, Arizona: The Heart of
Route 66 and gateway to the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon! |
Located at the intersections of Interstate 40, US 93 and Historic Route 66, Kingman is situated in the scenic Hualapai Valley between the Cerbat and Hualapai mountain ranges. Kingman is a historic city with 62 buildings on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Kingman is a hub of activity for history buffs and nature