Kingman, Arizona
Encyclopedia
Kingman is located in a desert climate
on the edge of the Mojave Desert
, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau
and the Lower Colorado River Valley
tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F (32 °C) frequently, and summertime lows usually remain between 60 °F (15.6 °C) and 70 °F (21 °C). Winter highs are generally mild, ranging in the mid to upper 50s to lower 60's, but winter nighttime lows can sometimes fall to near freezing (32 °F/0 °C) with significantly lower temperatures possible. Kingman occasionally receives a dusting of snow in the winter though it rarely remains on the ground for longer than the mid-to-late morning.
The record low temperature in Kingman was set on January 29, 1979 at 2 °F (−16 °C), and the record high temperature occurred on August 19, 1915, July 16, 1917, and July 3, 1967, at 111 °F (43.9 °C). The wettest year was 1919 with 21.22 inches (539 mm) and the driest year was 1947 with 3.58 inches (90.9 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 9.85 inches (250.2 mm) in September 1939. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 6.03 inches (153.2 mm) on November 28, 1919. The snowiest year was 1949 with 18.2 inches (462.3 mm). The most snowfall in one month was 14 inches (355.6 mm) in December 1932.
of 2009, there were 27,521 people in all with 7,854 households, and 5,427 families residing in the city. The population density
was 669.7 people per square mile (258.5/km²). There were 8,604 housing units at an average density of 287.1 per square mile (110.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 82.2% White
, .04% Black
or African American
, 1% Native American
, .09% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 3.41% from other races
, and 3.1% from two or more races. 12.2% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 7,854 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples
living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,086, and the median income for a family was $41,327. Males had a median income of $32,036 versus $21,134 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,181. About 8.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections
, is located in unincorporated
Mohave County
, Arizona
, near Kingman.
The United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
has a field office located in Kingman.
has air ambulance
and air charter
services, and daily scheduled regional airline
services to Las Vegas and Farmington.
. It is served by the Amtrak Southwest Chief
route, with daily service between Los Angeles
and Chicago
. The small Amtrak station in downtown Kingman is a historically significant building, constructed in Mission Revival Style architecture
; however, prior to the establishment of Amtrak
in 1971, the structure had fallen into disrepair with the decline of passenger rail service in the U.S.
A total renovation of the building was completed in 2010. (Picture above needs updating)
Kingman also is located on the Southern Transcon
route of the BNSF Railway
. This is the main transcontinental route between Los Angeles and Chicago, and carries 100 to 150 freight trains per day.
, a junior college, is located in Kingman.
Northern Arizona University
has an extension campus located in Kingman.
, was a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) that occurred on July 5, 1973 in Kingman. The explosion occurred during a propane
transfer from a Doxol railroad car to a storage tank on the Getz rail siding near Andy Devine Avenue/Route 66. The incident began when a railroad worker attempted to tighten a leaking connection by hitting a wrench with another wrench or a hammer; this caused a spark that ignited the leaking propane gas. The initial fire badly burned the two railroad employees present, one of whom later died from his burns. The burning propane gas escaping from the valve connection on the rail car quickly heated the liquid propane inside, increasing the tank pressure. This in turn caused increased the leak and fire, further heating the tank car. The Kingman Fire Department responded, and began setting up attack lines to cool the propane car. Within minutes of the initial fire, the safety valve
on the car opened from the dangerously increased pressure in the tank. The stream of propane gas blowing out of the safety valve immediately ignited as well. At this point, two burning streams of propane were shooting out of the car, one horizontal from the transfer valve, and one vertical from the safety valve. The heat from the streams of burning propane continued to heat the tank, increasing pressure to dangerous levels. The fire department was in the process of setting up a deluge gun
to cool the car, which would have delivered far more water than the booster attack lines they initially were using; however, before the deluge gun could be made ready, the pressure inside the tank reached the design bursting limit and the tank ruptured. Almost instantaneously, thousands of gallons of boiling liquid propane flashed to gas with the drop in pressure and simultaneously ignited. The resulting explosion produced a shock wave that was heard and felt for over 5 miles, and a fireball over 1,000 feet in diameter. Burning propane rained down on everything in the vicinity, and the remnants of the rail car were propelled over a quarter mile from the explosion site. The three firefighters closest to the explosion were killed instantly; eight more died from their burns shortly thereafter. In addition to the eleven city firefighters and one railroad worker killed in the disaster, over 90 onlookers gathered on the highway were burned or injured, some badly. The most severely burned, including some of the firefighters, were airlifted
to hospitals in Las Vegas and Phoenix. This incident remains the worst firefighting disaster in Arizona history.
The incident was photographed in detail by a photographer on the roof of his home near the explosion site, and reportedly also was captured on 8mm film by a vacationing family. Because of this documentation, this explosion has become a classic incident studied in fire department training programs worldwide. The Arizona State Archives in Phoenix has 24 cubic feet (679.6 l) of original material, including civil case material and photographs, concerning the "Kingman Explosion." The incident was chronicled in the July 1993 issue of American Fire Journal in an article titled Kingman Revisited.
Firefighters Memorial Park in Kingman is dedicated to those 11 firefighters who died in the BLEVE.
Desert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
on the edge of the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
and the Lower Colorado River Valley
Lower Colorado River Valley
The Lower Colorado River Valley is the river region of the lower Colorado River of the southwestern United States in North America that rises in the Rocky Mountains and has its outlet at the Colorado River Delta in the northern Sea of Cortez in northwestern Mexico, between the states of Baja...
tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F (32 °C) frequently, and summertime lows usually remain between 60 °F (15.6 °C) and 70 °F (21 °C). Winter highs are generally mild, ranging in the mid to upper 50s to lower 60's, but winter nighttime lows can sometimes fall to near freezing (32 °F/0 °C) with significantly lower temperatures possible. Kingman occasionally receives a dusting of snow in the winter though it rarely remains on the ground for longer than the mid-to-late morning.
The record low temperature in Kingman was set on January 29, 1979 at 2 °F (−16 °C), and the record high temperature occurred on August 19, 1915, July 16, 1917, and July 3, 1967, at 111 °F (43.9 °C). The wettest year was 1919 with 21.22 inches (539 mm) and the driest year was 1947 with 3.58 inches (90.9 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 9.85 inches (250.2 mm) in September 1939. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 6.03 inches (153.2 mm) on November 28, 1919. The snowiest year was 1949 with 18.2 inches (462.3 mm). The most snowfall in one month was 14 inches (355.6 mm) in December 1932.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2009, there were 27,521 people in all with 7,854 households, and 5,427 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 669.7 people per square mile (258.5/km²). There were 8,604 housing units at an average density of 287.1 per square mile (110.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 82.2% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, .04% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, .09% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.41% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.1% from two or more races. 12.2% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 7,854 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,086, and the median income for a family was $41,327. Males had a median income of $32,036 versus $21,134 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,181. About 8.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
Arizona State Prison – KingmanArizona State Prison – Kingman
Arizona State Prison – Kingman is a privately run minimum/medium security prison. It is located in unincorporated Mohave County, Arizona, near Golden Valley and Kingman...
, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections
Arizona Department of Corrections
The Arizona Department of Corrections is in charge of the incarceration of inmates in 10 prisons in the U.S. state of Arizona. As of April 2009, the ADC manages over 40,191 imprisoned inmates and over 7,216 inmates who have been paroled or that are statutorily released. ADC is also in involved in...
, is located in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, near Kingman.
The United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
has a field office located in Kingman.
Transportation
Major highways
- Interstate 40
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Interstate 40 in ArizonaInterstate 40 is an east–west Interstate Highway that has a section in the U.S. state of Arizona connecting sections in California to New Mexico. It enters Arizona from the west at a crossing of the Colorado River southwest of Kingman... - U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 in ArizonaIn the U.S. state of Arizona, U.S. Route 93 is a U.S. Highway that begins in Wickenburg and heads north to the Nevada border at the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.... - Arizona State Route 66
- Business Loop 40 and Arizona SR 66 are composed of the remnants of what was U.S. Route 66.
- Arizona State Route 68 splits from U.S. 93 just west of Kingman, and is the primary link between Kingman and Bullhead City and Laughlin.
- With the completion of the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, the proposed Interstate 11
Interstate 11Interstate 11 is a possible designation for a locally-proposed Interstate Highway in the United States to run from Tonopah, Arizona, northwest to Las Vegas, Nevada, by way of Kingman, Arizona. The designation is a local proposal that has not been accepted by AASHTO or FHWA, the agencies normally...
would run through Kingman, replacing U.S. 93.
Airport
The Kingman AirportKingman Airport (Arizona)
Kingman Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located eight nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Kingman, a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It has scheduled service provided by one commercial airline, which is subsidized by the Essential Air Service...
has air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
and air charter
Air charter
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...
services, and daily scheduled regional airline
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
services to Las Vegas and Farmington.
Rail
Kingman has passenger rail service at its train stationKingman (Amtrak station)
The Kingman Amtrak station is located in the historic Kingman Railroad Depot at 400 E. Andy Devine Ave in Kingman, Arizona. Amtrak's Southwest Chief trains stop at the Kingman Station once daily in each direction...
. It is served by the Amtrak Southwest Chief
Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
route, with daily service between Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The small Amtrak station in downtown Kingman is a historically significant building, constructed in Mission Revival Style architecture
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
; however, prior to the establishment of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
in 1971, the structure had fallen into disrepair with the decline of passenger rail service in the U.S.
A total renovation of the building was completed in 2010. (Picture above needs updating)
Kingman also is located on the Southern Transcon
Southern Transcon
The Southern Transcon is a main line of the BNSF Railway between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass, it now serves as a mostly...
route of the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. This is the main transcontinental route between Los Angeles and Chicago, and carries 100 to 150 freight trains per day.
Education
One of the three main campuses of Mohave Community CollegeMohave Community College
Mohave Community College is a two-year, public community college with campuses in Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, and Colorado City, serving Mohave County, Arizona and the surrounding communities. MCC is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which is...
, a junior college, is located in Kingman.
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
has an extension campus located in Kingman.
Kingman Explosion/Doxol Disaster
The Kingman Explosion, also known as the Doxol Disaster or Kingman BLEVEBLEVE
A boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion occurs when a vessel containing a pressurized liquid above its boiling point ruptures.-Mechanism:...
, was a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) that occurred on July 5, 1973 in Kingman. The explosion occurred during a propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
transfer from a Doxol railroad car to a storage tank on the Getz rail siding near Andy Devine Avenue/Route 66. The incident began when a railroad worker attempted to tighten a leaking connection by hitting a wrench with another wrench or a hammer; this caused a spark that ignited the leaking propane gas. The initial fire badly burned the two railroad employees present, one of whom later died from his burns. The burning propane gas escaping from the valve connection on the rail car quickly heated the liquid propane inside, increasing the tank pressure. This in turn caused increased the leak and fire, further heating the tank car. The Kingman Fire Department responded, and began setting up attack lines to cool the propane car. Within minutes of the initial fire, the safety valve
Safety valve
A safety valve is a valve mechanism for the automatic release of a substance from a boiler, pressure vessel, or other system when the pressure or temperature exceeds preset limits....
on the car opened from the dangerously increased pressure in the tank. The stream of propane gas blowing out of the safety valve immediately ignited as well. At this point, two burning streams of propane were shooting out of the car, one horizontal from the transfer valve, and one vertical from the safety valve. The heat from the streams of burning propane continued to heat the tank, increasing pressure to dangerous levels. The fire department was in the process of setting up a deluge gun
Deluge gun
A deluge gun, fire monitor, master stream, or deck gun is an aimable controllable high-capacity water jet used for manual firefighting or automatic fire protection systems. Fire monitors are often designed to accommodate foam which has been injected in the upstream piping...
to cool the car, which would have delivered far more water than the booster attack lines they initially were using; however, before the deluge gun could be made ready, the pressure inside the tank reached the design bursting limit and the tank ruptured. Almost instantaneously, thousands of gallons of boiling liquid propane flashed to gas with the drop in pressure and simultaneously ignited. The resulting explosion produced a shock wave that was heard and felt for over 5 miles, and a fireball over 1,000 feet in diameter. Burning propane rained down on everything in the vicinity, and the remnants of the rail car were propelled over a quarter mile from the explosion site. The three firefighters closest to the explosion were killed instantly; eight more died from their burns shortly thereafter. In addition to the eleven city firefighters and one railroad worker killed in the disaster, over 90 onlookers gathered on the highway were burned or injured, some badly. The most severely burned, including some of the firefighters, were airlifted
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
to hospitals in Las Vegas and Phoenix. This incident remains the worst firefighting disaster in Arizona history.
The incident was photographed in detail by a photographer on the roof of his home near the explosion site, and reportedly also was captured on 8mm film by a vacationing family. Because of this documentation, this explosion has become a classic incident studied in fire department training programs worldwide. The Arizona State Archives in Phoenix has 24 cubic feet (679.6 l) of original material, including civil case material and photographs, concerning the "Kingman Explosion." The incident was chronicled in the July 1993 issue of American Fire Journal in an article titled Kingman Revisited.
Firefighters Memorial Park in Kingman is dedicated to those 11 firefighters who died in the BLEVE.
Famous residents
- The actor Andy DevineAndy DevineAndrew Vabre "Andy" Devine was an American character actor and comic cowboy sidekick known for his distinctive raspy voice.-Early life:...
was raised in Kingman, where his family had moved to from Flagstaff when he was one year old. His father opened the Beale Hotel here. One of the major streets of Kingman is named "Andy Devine Avenue" and the town holds the annual "Andy Devine Days." - Timothy McVeighTimothy McVeighTimothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
was a resident of Kingman for various periods between 1993 and 1995, including immediately prior to the Oklahoma City bombingOklahoma City bombingThe Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
. Co-conspirator Michael Fortier lived in Kingman from the age of seven. - Former Boston Red Sox catcher Doug MirabelliDoug MirabelliDouglas Anthony Mirabelli is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the San Francisco Giants , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , and San Diego Padres before returning to the Red Sox to end his eleven year career...
was born in Kingman. - Miki Garcia, model and Playboy magazine's Playmate for the January 1973 issue, was born in Kingman.
- Former professional PRCA and PBR bull rider Cody Custer was born in Kingman.
- Aviation author and historian Michael B. McComb attended Kingman High School (1981–1985) in Kingman.
- Actor Will SassoWill SassoWilliam "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
has been known to stay in Kingman for extended periods, escaping Los Angeles to get some R&R for his mind, body and soul. - Several members of the rock band The AsphaltThe AsphaltThe Asphalt are an American rock band formed in 2001 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The band was founded by Randy Mazick and currently consists of Randy Mazick , Jason Marino , Clifford Hickle and Nick Turner ....
currently live in Kingman, including drummer Nick Turner, guitarist Jason Marino and bassist Clifford Hickle. - Arizona being a 'neutral' state for the Mafia, and with Kingman's proximity to Las Vegas, members and associates of various La Cosa Nostra organizations, including Chicago and New York, have reportedly made Kingman their home over the years, as well as other areas of Mohave County.
In popular culture
- Pamela AndersonPamela AndersonPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
did one of her 1992 PlayboyPlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
photo shoots at the corner of 4th Street and Andy Devine Avenue (U.S. Route 66), and was brought in to the Kingman Police Department for indecent exposure. She was not charged but asked to write a letter of apology. - Kingman has been featured as a filming location for several movies and television shows. In the HBO Series The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, when Tony SopranoTony SopranoAnthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
was shot in the beginning of Season 6, he fell into a coma and believed he was involved in a case of mistaken identity with Kevin Finnerty who lived in Kingman, Arizona. - In "Otis", an episode of the television series Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
, LJ Burrows is sent to an adult facility in Kingman, Arizona. In a subsequent episode "Buried", LJ is released from the aforementioned facility. - The films Roadhouse 66Roadhouse 66Roadhouse 66 is a 1984 movie starring Willem Dafoe and Judge Reinhold.The film is set entirely in Kingman, Arizona and Oatman, Arizona, two towns on historic U.S. Route 66.-Synopsis:...
and Two-Lane BlacktopTwo-Lane BlacktopTwo-Lane Blacktop is a 1971 road movie directed by Monte Hellman, starring singer-songwriter James Taylor, Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates, and Laurie Bird. Esquire magazine declared the film its movie of the year for 1971, and even published the entire screenplay in its April, 1971...
were shot in Kingman. The movie ManagementManagement (film)Management is a 2009 romantic comedy-drama directed by Stephen Belber and starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn. It premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and received a limited theatrical release on May 15, 2009....
takes place in Kingman. Scenes from the movie Fear and Loathing in Las VegasFear and Loathing in Las Vegas (film)Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a 1998 American drama film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo. It was adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel of the same name....
were filmed at the Kingman AirportKingman Airport (Arizona)Kingman Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located eight nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Kingman, a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It has scheduled service provided by one commercial airline, which is subsidized by the Essential Air Service...
. In the scenes, it is possible to see a clear shot of the Hualapai MountainHualapai MountainThe Hualapai Mountains are a mountain range near Kingman, Arizona in Mohave County. "Hualapai" means "People of the tall Pines" in the Hualapai language...
. Scenes from the 1992 movie Universal SoldierUniversal Soldier (1992 film)Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead...
were filmed in the downtown area as well as a local grocery store and at the Kingman Airport. - Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
and Carole LombardCarole LombardCarole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
were married at a local church in Kingman. - The town is mentioned in the lyrics to the song Bobby TroupBobby TroupRobert William "Bobby" Troup Jr. was an American actor, jazz pianist and songwriter. He is best known for writing the popular standard " Route 66", and for his role as Dr...
's "Route 66Route 66 (song)" Route 66", often rendered simply as "Route 66", is a popular song and rhythm and blues standard, composed in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup. It was first recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole, and was subsequently covered by many artists including Chuck Berry in 1961, The Rolling...
".
Points of interest
- Hualapai MountainHualapai MountainThe Hualapai Mountains are a mountain range near Kingman, Arizona in Mohave County. "Hualapai" means "People of the tall Pines" in the Hualapai language...
Recreation Area - Kingman is well-known for its location on Route 66.
- The city is a gateway to the gambling destinations of Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and Laughlin, NevadaLaughlin, NevadaLaughlin is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States, and a port located on the Colorado River. Laughlin is south of Las Vegas, located in the far southern tip of Nevada. It is best known for its gaming, entertainment, and water recreation. As of the 2010 census, the...
, as well as the Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the Colorado RiverColorado RiverThe Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, Lake Mead National Recreation AreaLake Mead National Recreation AreaLake Mead National Recreation Area is located in southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. The centerpieces of the National Recreation Area are its two large reservoirs: Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. These lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while the surrounding desert rewards...
, Lake MohaveLake MohaveLake Mohave is a reservoir formed by Davis Dam on the Colorado River, which defines the border between Nevada and Arizona in the United States. The lake lies at an elevation of near Laughlin, Nevada, Searchlight, Nevada, Cottonwood Cove, Nevada, and Bullhead City, Arizona, about downstream from...
, and Lake HavasuLake HavasuLake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore. The lake has a capacity of . The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938...
. - Oatman, ArizonaOatman, ArizonaOatman is a former mining town in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, United States. Located at an elevation of , it began as a tent camp soon after two prospectors struck a $10 million gold find in 1915, though the area had been already settled for a number of years. Oatman's...
, a nearby "ghost town" tourist attraction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oatman,_Arizona - Keepers of the Wild, a wild animal sanctuary featuring lions and tigers among other animals. Keepers Of the Wild http://www.keepersofthewild.org/