Book Review: Kingman-Arizona

 Kingman-Arizona: City in Mohave County by Roman Malach, printed by Graphicopy, New York, 1974, Arizona Bicentennial Commission. 

This is a brief version of the history of Kingman Arizona up through 1974.  Kingman started in 1882 as a railroad town.  It was originally called Sheffield's Railroad Camp for the individual who first platted the city and sold lots.  However the name Kingman took hole after the individual who decided a train stop was needed here.  In 1887 the county seat was moved from Mineral Park to Kingman.  A few things I found interesting.  There is the mention of a slaughterhouse in Kingman.  This makes me think that Slaughterhouse Canyon takes it name form the meat packing rather than the weeping ghost.  He quotes the phone book and local businesses which informs me that there was a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kingman before 1940.  (This would be the Oak Street Baptist Church at  Oak and Sixth streets.)

Harvey House was an important restaurant for travelers on the train.  It was next to the train station.  The original courthouse in Kingman was a rented building which became the Commercial Hotel.  The first constructed courthouse was close to where the courthouse is now.  It wasn't until 1915 that the current courthouse was built.  Fourth of July rodeos were held, and at times cars were used to form the arena.  Kingman also had a ball team which would play with other nearby communities. 

 

Port Kingman was established by Charles Lindbergh and the airport was dedicated i 1928.  The original airport was by Bank and Airway.  It was part of a series of airports from Las Angeles to New York called the Transnational Airline later to become Trans World Airline.  

Kingman was incorporated in 1952.