The Forgotten Desert

On the old Route 66 alignment through Arizona's Black Mountains sits Oatman — a gold town the miners left to the burros, on a road so winding the highway eventually went around it instead. Wild burros in the street, a famous hotel, and the story of what happened when America stopped driving through. Disclosure: This video was created with the assistance of AI tools, including AI-generated narration, and was designed, directed, and reviewed by the channel creator. Companion guide: "The Forgotten Desert: 10 Ghost Towns & Historic Stops" — link in the description.

Jerome was once one of the richest copper towns in America — a city of some 15,000 people clinging to the side of Cleopatra Hill. Then the mines closed, the town emptied to fewer than a hundred holdouts, and Jerome was called the largest ghost town in America. This is the story of how it died — and how it quietly came back. Disclosure: This video was created with the assistance of AI tools, including AI-generated narration, and was designed, directed, and reviewed by the channel creator. Companion guide: "The Forgotten Desert: 10 Ghost Towns & Historic Stops" — link in the description.