Kingman

About Kingman, Arizona

Facts, Trivia and useful information

Elevation 3,333 ft (1.016 m). Population 36,146 (2024).
Time zone: Mountain (MST): UTC minus 7 hours. Summer (DST) no DST⁄ PDT (UTC-7).

Kingman is the county seat of Mohave County, on Route 66 in the northwestern part of Arizona. Its motto is "The Heart of Historic Route 66".

Classic Route 66 at Mr. D'z Diner

Kingman's History

The neon sign of the "Hill Top Motel"

Human beings have lived in this part of Arizona for over 10,000 years since the Paleoindians hunted in the area.

Their Native America descent, were the Patayan people who lived along the Colorado River basin. The Havasupai and Hualapai groups of the Patayan were farmers who planted crops of squash, corn and beans in the watered areas, including what is now Kingman. They still live in the region and along Route 66.

Spain added Arizona to their province of New Mexico but did not settle it. Missionaries from California explored the area in the 1700s. Arizona passed to Mexico after its independence from Spain in 1821; but it lost it to the U.S. after being defeated in the 1846-48 war.

The government sent Capt. Lorenzo Sitgreaves to explore the region in 1851. He was followed by Lt. Edward "Ned" Fitzgerald Beale who surveyed a route along the 35^th parallel from Fort Smith in Arkansas to California. His route passed through Kingman. He discovered what are now known as Beale Springs (read more on page #2).

Mr. Lewis Kingman in 1885.

During the Hualapai War (1866-1870) an outpost was established at Beal Springs. It became an Indian Reservation after their defeat. The natives were moved out in 1874 and the camp closed.

The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad (later the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad) reached the area in the early 1880s. A station was built, and Kingman was founded in 1882. Its post office opened in 1883.

Kingman became the county seat in 1887 (formerly it was located at Fort Mohave) and it grew in importance as a shipping point for the region's mines and ranches.

The National Old Trails Highway (N.O.T.), a rough and primitive highway reached Kingman in 1914.

The N.O.T. guidebook of 1914 reported that Kingman had "Good hotels, Harvey House, camp grounds with shower bath and rest rooms."

Route 66 was created in 1926 and followed the N.O.T. roadbed. The building of Hoover Dam (1931-36) and the World War II airfiled contributed to the town's economy. By 1952 mining had dwindled so the Route 66 alignment through Sitgreaves Pass and Oatman was replaced by a new one, that ran along level ground, through Yucca.

Interstate 40 bypassed the town in 1979 closing an era.

Where to Stay in Kingman

Lodging & accommodation in Kingman sponsored content.

>> Book your Hotel in Kingman

More Lodging Near Kingman along Route 66

Find more lodging & accommodation close to Kingman; there are plenty of lodging options in the cities and towns along Route 66; click on the links below to find your accommodation in these towns:

Find a hotel in Kingman

Weather in Kingman

Location of Kingman on Route 66

The area around Kingman has a "cold semi-arid climate". Its altitude gives it much colder winters and cooler summers than that experienced in the neighboring lower lying desert areas closer to the Colorado River.

Snow ocassionally falls in winter with some 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) per year. Rainfall takes place 36 days every year with 19.3 in. of rain (263 mm). April, May and June are the driest months while August is the wettest.
Average temperatures during the year: range from the summer high (Jul) 97.8°F (36.6°C) and summer low 67.2°F (19.6°C) to a winter high (Jan) 55.9°F (13.3°C) and a winter low 31.1°F (-0.5°C).

Tornado risk

Kingman is well to the west of the Rocky Montains so there are virtually no tornados in the area. Tornado Risk: read more about Tornado Risk along Route66.
 

Map of Route 66 through Kingman Arizona

Getting to Kingman

You can reach the town along Historic Route 66 in Arizona from Selimgan in the east or Topock in the west. Or via I-40 between Barstow and Oklahoma City, from Las Vegas, Nevada, by US 93.

Alignment map in Kingman

>> See our custom Map with US 66 alignment across Kingman.

1926-40s course of Route 66

The first alignment of US 66 out of Kingman (1926-early 1940s) went along 2nd St. southbound and ran to the east of the later alignment, sandwiched between the tracks (See map) and the hills.

1940s to 1952

The highway was realigned in the 1940s and it was used until the freeway was built in 1979. This roadway ran to the east of I-40 westwards all the way to McConnico (see map of this alignment), where it turned west following the 1926 alignment.

There is a missing section here, 1,000 ft. long -300 m- that is cut by the freeway. We marked it with a black line in our custom map of Route 66 in AZ.

From here the higway headed west towards Cool Springs and Oatman along current state Hwy 10 (see map of this alignment).

After 1952

Route 66 was aligned in 1952 along the course that I-40 follows nowadays from Kingman all the way to the Colorado River through the neighboring town of Yucca.

Tour along Route 66 in Kingman

Downtown Kingman "Then and Now"

Begin your tour at the old Powerhouse and head east along Andy Devine Ave. (Historic Route 66). Pass Mr. D'Z and on the next corner is an Old Gas Station now a car wash (Street View).

On the same block, by the Post Office is a classic restored Neon Sign that reads "Desert Drugs - Walgreen Agency". The pharmacy was located across 3rd St. You can see the sign in the 1940s postcard below.

On the following block there are two landmark hotels that predate Route 66.

Below is a vintage postcard of Route 66 in Kingman in the 1940s showing the central part of Downtown Kingman. The description on the postcard says: "KINGMAN, ARIZONA A modern and friendly city in the extreme western part of Arizona, on U. S. Highways 66 and 466 between the Grand Canyon and Pacific Coast, junction point for Hoover (Boulder) Dam and Las Vegas, Nevada".

A postcard with a view (1940s) of Route 66 in dowtown Kingman

Downtown of Kingman as it looks today:

Brunswick Hotel

313 Andy Devine Ave.Built in 1907 to provide another lodging option to those arriving by train. It is in the middle of the block.It is faced in stone and has an inverted "L" shaped green-neon sign with the hotel's name on it. See image above.

Beale Hotel

319 Andy Devine Ave. A two-story building on the northern corner; built in 1899 of local stone and brick and refurbished in 1916. It was the first "big" hotel in town.

Old Trails Garage

315 Andy Devine Ave. Don't miss the blue neon sign with white letters on the front of the Old Trails Garage. The garage was built in 1915 on the National Old Trails, the first highway through Kingman.

It has an original blue Packard dealership sign, with white letters "Packard - Ask the man who owns one", ca. 1930, recently restored.

Across the road from the Beale hotel is a gigantic chuckawala lizard statue, 7 feet long.

Across the street on the corner of 5th St. is an old Texaco gas station, now a "U-haul" it has its canopy over two concrete pump islands.

Kingman Club's neon sign. Kingman. Click for St. view

Kingman Club

Drive round the block to E. Beale St. and see the recently refurbished Kingman Club Neon Sign flanked by two Martini glasses. An original 1950s sign. On the next block, to your right is the old railway station.

AT&SF Railroad Depot

South side Andy Devine between 4th and 5th St. Built in 1907 in a Mission Revival style, it replaced the former one, gutted by fire (Street view).

The Amtrak Southwest Chief route stops at Kingman every day on its service between Los Angeles and Chicago. Don't miss the "Mining Monument" built in 1904, torn down in the 1940s and rebuilt in 2016, on the southern tip of the depot.

Old Texaco Gas station

Across the street on the corner of 5th St. is an old Texaco gas station, now a "U-haul" it has its canopy over two concrete pump islands.

Now a U-Haul, it was a Texaco. Kingman. Click for St. view

1960s postcard detail showing the Texaco. Kingman. Click image for full view. Source

Kingman Water Tank. Inscribed "Welcome to Kingman - Heart of Historic Route 66". A. Whittall

Water Tanks

Ahead, to your right are the water tanks (see photo above), with the phrase "Welcome to Kingman - Heart of Historic Route 66" and just ahead, to your left is a historic café.

Casa Linda Café

511 E Andy Devine Ave.

This restaurant and café dates back to 1933 and with some minor changes (doors, windows, neon sign) is there, beside US66.

Vintage postscard Casa Linda. Source

Former Casa Linda Cafe. Click for Street view

Great Sign with a circular hole

Great sign with a circular hole. A. Whittall

525 E Andy Devine Ave. Now TNT Auto Repair, it has a great sign over its entrance. It looks vintage, with a circular hole through the sign.

On its southern wall is a mural with a Route 66 map and a VW bus on it (Street view). Ahead to your left is a former Cafe.

Lockwood Café

711 E Andy Devine Ave. Now the St. Michael Catholic Church, it was built in 1937 and it had an Indian curio shop next to it (1940) which is presently a motorcycle spare parts shop. Both can be seen in the "Then and Now" images below.

The original Café neon sign is still hanging from the building.

Vintage postscard Lockwood Cafe
Source

Lockwood Café today. Click for street view

Mobil Service Station

731 E Andy Devine Ave. The remains of a 1951 Mobil gas service station. The office, canopy, garage and even the sign (with the classic 1960s Mobile logo shield shape still there).

The old Mobil Service Station as it is today:

Two blocks to the east, to your left is the Arcadia Court Motel:

Arcadia Court

909 E Andy Devine Ave. The Arcadia Court (court was the 1930s name for what we now call a motel), opened in 1938 a few blocks to the north of the downtown part of Kingman. Arcadia is a good name for a motel: it was an utopian ancient land of harmony with nature.

It is still operating under a similar name: "Arcadia Lodge" with its great mid-1960s neon sign.

A view of the Arcadia Court in a 1930s postcard

Arcadia Lodge nowadays.

Next to the Motel are two other US66 icons, a restaurant and a gas station.

Jade Restaurant

909 Andy Devine Ave.The Jade was a Chinese restaurant established by Charlie Lum in 1951 (who was born in Canton, China in 1912, and moved to Kingman in 1922 with his parents).

He put it next to the Arcadia Motel to ensure a good flow of customers. Although the place has closed, the neon sign is gone, but the building is still standing -but changed- as you can see below.

The Jade in a 1960s postcard. Source

Former Jade Restaurant nowadays

Service Station

Old Gas Station, Kingman. Click for St. view

941 E Andy Devine Ave, beside the Jade Restaruant. It is a 1954 service station with a two-bay garage and a flat roofed canopy over the gas pumps. Now it is an auto repair shop.

On the following block (Route 66 now starts to curve towards the north) is a motel (left):

Travelodge

1001 E Andy Devine Ave. The "Ramblin Rose" used to be the "Travelodge motel", a classic US 66 motel opened in 1958. The 1960s postcard gave a very brief outline of its location: "Kingman TRAVELODGE In Mohave County - Sportsmen's Paradise." As you can see below it has kept its original looks, and in those days, the parking lot was full.

>> You can Book a Room in this motel.

A vintage early 1960s postcard of the Travelodge - nowadays it is the Ramblin Rose

The Travelodge Motel is now the Ramblin Rose motel.

Old Alignment on Chadwick Drive

As the road curves to the north, there is a section along what is now Chadwick Dr., that was the alignment of Route 66 until the 1940s when a cut through the hill straightened the alignment. (Map of this segment).

On the left, after the northern tip of the "old" road is another motel:

Brandin' Iron Motel

1403 Andy Devine Ave. The back of the postcard says: "BRANDIN' IRON MOTEL Mr. & Mrs. R. A. Bewley, Owners & Operators American Express Credit Cards Member The Diners' Club".

Brandin' Iron Motel in the 1960s

The motel opened in 1953. It had a "U" shaped layout. When Route 66 was widened through Kingman access to the motel was restricted (you can see that in both images) and it closed in the 1990s. It was remodeled in 2001 and now houses apartments with a "Pueblo" stucco walled style.

The Brandin' Iron Motel is no longer a motel.

Across the highway, to your right is a memorable Route 66 icon, the "El Trovatore Motel".

El Trovatore Motel

1440 E. Andy Devine Ave. Built in 1939 by John F. Miller who owned a hotel in Nevada and bought a ranch in Arizona in 1935 after the completion of the Hoover Dam. The complex initially had 30 units and later, he later added another 24.

>> You can Book a Room in this motel.

Trovatore is Italian for "Trobadour" or "bard", "minstrel". It is the name of an opera by Giuseppe Verdi. But "El" is a Spanish word for "the" (in Italian it is "Il"). So the motel's name combines a Spanish and an Italian word!

A vintage postcard of the Trovatore Motel

Trovatore Gas Station and former Cafe and Restaurant

Next to el Trovatore, to its right (south side) and passing the service station built in 1968, now an auto-repair shop at 1420 E Andy Devine Ave., is the classic Trovatore Café "On the Top of Town". It later became Coco's restaurant "Designed for family dining".

Vintage postscard Trovatore Cafe
Source. Click image to enlarge

Trovatore Café today. Click for street view

Hill Top Motel

Fantastic Neon Sign

Keep northbound, and 750 feet ahead, on the left is another motel at 1901 E Andy Devine Ave.
Established in 1953 and remodeled in 1959, it is still open and taking care of travelers along Route 66 and operating under the same name Hill Top Motel:

The 1940s postcard below proclaims "The New U.S. Highways 66 and 93... 1 Mile East of KINGMAN, ARIZONA Telephone Blue 534... Individual controlled Panel Ray Heat... York Refrigeration... The Most Scenic View in Kingman... Ceramic Tiled Baths, with Tub and Shower Combination... T.V. in all rooms. George and Eleanor Allen, Owners & Operators".

What this motel looked like back in the 1940s

Below is its current appearance; the building seems very similar, and the neon sign is identical (red instead of black and with some other words on the lower part), the trees have grown and the lawn is not so green, but it is the same classic motel. It is pictured at the top of this page.

Another Mobil Station

Across the street at 1918 E Andy Devine is a tire shop (Affordable Tires), formerly a Mobil station which dates back to 1939 (the year World War II began). The two bay garage and office are clearly visible nowadays.

The card shows the Mobil sign facing a now gone "400 Motel" where the Walgreens now stands. You can see the still extant Siesta Motel neon sign behind the Mobile station's canopy.

postcard Mobil in Kingman. Source
Click on it to enlarge

Old Mobil nowadays. Click for street view

Siesta Motel

Next to the old Mobil, to your right is the "Siesta Motel" at 1926 E. Andy Devine Ave. What a great name for a motel! "Siesta", the traditional Hispanic afternoon nap.

The motel opened in 1929, barely three years after the creation of Route 66. The building is still there, though nowadays it is an apartment complex.

An old 1950s postcard of the Siesta Motel

A view of the Siesta Motel today

Keep northbound and look to your left after crossing N. Stockton Hill Rd., at 1967 E Andy Devine is a "space age" motel:

Orchard, also Astro and Space Age Inn

The motel opened in 1964 as the Astro Motel, it was part of a chain that spanned California, Utah, Arizona and even reached KS.

The word "Astro" comes from Greek, and means star, celestial body, something from space.
Later it changed its name to "Friendship Inn Space Age Motel" and now it it the Orchard Inn. It has the "avant garde" Googie style that distinguished the Astro chain motels.

There are more Astro Motels along Route 66:

• The Barstow Astro
• Winslow Arizona Astro
• Pasadena
• San Bernardino - Astro Motel

Astro Motel retro postcard

Village Inn Pizza

Next to the "Astro" is the Village Inn Pizza - Motel Restaurant (the "A" shaped building) from 1972 (or 1969 depending on the source) now named Vanny Inn -closed.

Orchard Inn

Bell Motel (Gone)

Across the road, on the eastbound lane of Route 66 (right) was the now razed Bell Motel, which later was the Desert Lodge. It was built in 1945 and was mentioned by Rittenhouse in his 1946 guidebook to Route 66.

See its 2015 View while it was still standing, and its 2021 View, razed. And don't miss this 1950s postcard.

Next to it, on its north side you can still see the Hill Crest Motel.

Hill Crest Motel

At 2018 E Andy Devine Ave. This motel dates back to 1935; it was upgraded in 1950, and again in 1985, and it is still standing here on Route 66.

On the back of the postcard pictured below you can read: "S. Highways 66 & 93. East Entrance of..Kingman, Arizona. Back of card: Hillcrest Motel U.S. Highways 66 & 93. East Entrance of KINGMAN, ARIZONA Telephone. Green 251... Air Conditioned & Air Cooled… Ceramic Tiled Baths, with Tubs & Showers... Wall to Wall Carpeting… Fireproof. Restaurants Nearby".

A view of the Hill Crest Motel from Route 66 in the 1940s

The building (with less trees) has survived relatively intact and a diner occupies its office. The current view of the former motel is shown below.

Old Hill Crest nowadays

Former Denny's

Former Denny's Diner. A. Whittall

At 2011 E Andy Devine Ave. To your left, on the north side of US 66 is a former Diner.

The current "Rutherford's Family Diner" which we photographed in 2016 was from 1993 until 2009 the "Silver Spoon Family Restaurant". But before that it was a Denny's Diner with a classic "Boomerang Roof" (Street View). This was a design from the early 1960s by Armet & Davis. There are more on Route 66, listed below.

• Barstow Denny's Diner
• Denny’s Diner in Needles CA
• Gallup NM Denny's
• Denny’s Tucumcari Diner
• Albuquerque's Whole Hog Cafe

Kingman Motel, Tideway Cafe and Flying-A station

Old fading Motel Neon Sign. A. Whittall

The large vacant lot between Route 66, Johnson Ave., Kingman and Main Avenues at one time was the Kingman Motel.
Don't miss the old Motel's Neon Sign behind the former Denny's restaurant -you can see it in the photo of the former Denny's and in this other photo.

The motel had its office on the corner of Johnson Ave and E Andy Devine and was "C-shaped" a single story, gable roofed complex. You can see it in this aerial photo from 1965.

Its postcard says: "U.S. 66, East End, Kingman Arizona... A Modern, 21 unit Motel. Electric Heated. Air-Cooled. Quiet. Cafe & Service Station on Premises."

The place was razed between 1997 and 2005.

On the northern side of the property, was a Flying-A gas station owned by Al Bell. It included the Tideway Cafe ran by Bell and Harry Tindle. There is a shop that sells poterry and birdbaths on the premises now, but you can still see the former gas station building and the surviving angled pump islands (red arrows in the image). The same rock bluff can be seen on the left of both images (red arrow) and the northern wing of the motel can be seen beneath it in the 1960s photograph.

West of this point begins a long stretch of urban road without any significant Route 66 motels until you approach I-40. Then you will see the former "Ranchito Motel", on your left at Airfield Ave.

Ranchito Motel

2803 E Andy Devine Ave. This motel built in 1940 and refurbished in 1955 is now the High Desert Inn.

The sign has changed and moved a few feet to the left of the image. But basically it is very similar to what it used to look like.

Lo's and Former ABC Neon Signs

On Tucker St. to your left is one of America’s "Coolest Neon Signs", Lo’s Chinese American Food restaurant's sign.

Lo's Chinese Restaurant Neon Sign. A. Whittall. Click for St. view

Wine-glass shaped Sign, La Catrina Source, click for St. view

La Catrina

Back on Route 66 to your right, on the eastbound lanes is a wine-glass shaped sign of a Chinese restaurant, that later was an Indian food restaurant and now is Catrina, offering Mexican food.

Ahead, to your right, on the south side of the road is what once was the King’s Inn Motel.

Former King’s Inn Motel

At 2930 East Andy Devine Avenue, Kingman, King's Inn Motel boasted on its postcard that it was a member of Best Western Motels and "Kingman's newest. 53 Luxurious Rooms with Free Sauna - Room Coffee - TV. - Phones... Excellent Rated... Lowell & Dorothy Dale, Owners-Managrers."

It is stil there, now it is the Best Western Plus King's Inn and Suites a four-star hotel. With the same "L" shaped layout on the southern wing.

>> You can Book a Room in this motel.

It's "Heated Pool" with "pointed" corners is stil there" as you can see in the Then-and-Now photos below.

Vintage postcard King’s Inn Motel. Source

A view of the King's Inn today.

Pony Soldier Motel

Across the road, to your left stands the former Pony Soldier Motel at 2939 E Andy Devine Ave. This hotel is now the Route 66 Motel. It opened in 1963. At that time Route 66 no longer passed through Oatman but was still the main route through Kingman. It was owned by "Mr. and Mrs. Tom White."

It looks unchanged, except for the name on the original sign.

Pony Soldier, now the "Route 66 motel":

Lido Motel

Ahead, at 3133 E Andy Devine Ave. is the Lido Motel.

Lido Motel Neon Sign. A. Whittall

The motel was built in 1952, when Route 66 was realigned through Yucca, bypassing Oatman. It was remodeled in 1965.

In 1969, a Shell Service Station was built on its northern side in a ranch-style with a wide gentle sloping roof, and a vertical stone column resembling a chimney that carried the Shell sign. The filling station building is still there.
See this Street view of the Lido sign and the former Shell.

Skyline Motel

Pass under the Interstate, northbound along Route 66, and 1.2 miles North of I-40 is the last motel of this itinerary.

At 3801 E Andy Devine Ave. This motel with an "L-shaped" layout opened in 1955 and was successively remodeled in 1960 and 1973. Now it is a place that rents apartments. The original sign with a typical Route 66 shape has also gone.

Skyline Motel classic postcard (early 1960s or late 1950s)

Continue your Road Trip along Route 66:

This marks the end of your city tour of Kingman. On our Kingman Page #2 we describe more local attractions, outdoors, parks, and tours. The next towns on your road trip are Yucca if you choose to drive along I-40 or Oatman, along the 1926-52 US 66 alignment.

Other Attractions and Tours in Kingman

Keep on discovering and exploring Kingman and its attractions.

• Chloride, a mining ghost town
• Santa Claus Arizona
• Grand Canyon Skywalk.
• Camp Beale Springs
• Hualapai Mountain Park
• White Cliffs Wagon Road
• Colorado River & Laughlin Nevada (Little Las Vegas)
• The Alignment of Old Route 66 from Williams to Kingman

Lake Havasu City

>> Book your Hotel in Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City, the lake and London Bridge. Source

The resort town of Lake Havasu City is 60 miles from Kingman (map with directions). Located on Lake Havasu, on the Colorado River, it has beaches along the lake's scenic shoreline, an active nightlife and the original London bridge that you can take a Tour to visit. Brought to Arizona all the way from London, England.

>> Book your Hotel in Lake Havasu City

Some sponsored content

Credits

Banner image: Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, Arizona by Perla Eichenblat
Jack DeVere Rittenhouse, (1946). A Guide Book to Highway 66.

Social Media