VIVIAN

NAME: Vivian
COUNTY: Mohave
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: ??
CLIMATE: Very hot summer, Mild winter
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fall, spring
COMMENTS: Approx. 2 miles west of Oatman. Up a sandy wash that is best travelled with posi-traction or 4 WD.
Vivian is often mistakenly reffered to as the fore-runner to Oatman, but is actually a totally seperate town that pre-dated Oatman's heyday.
REMAINS: Stone walls, tanks, foundations, small powderhouse, railroad grade.

Area occupied as early as 1860's, post office operated from 1904 to 1909. James H. Knight served as postmaster. There were many stores and saloons. A narrow gauge railroad served the town, transporting ore to Milltown, several miles away, and 17 miles further to the Colorado River across from Needles, CA. Vivian served the Leland, Midnight, and later the Vivian mines. By 1909 the Leland and Midnight mines were idle, with one 700 foot shaft under water. Waters from the Colorado River washed away six miles of the railway, which ended full scale mining until 1929. In 1937 a 125 ton mill was built, which employed 50 men. Full time work ended during WW2, with mining being declared non-essential to the war effort. This dealt the death blow to Vivian.

Submitted by: Cary Nickel

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