On the map Kingman, Arizona appears to be a small desert crossroads. And from its inception in 1882 that is exactly what the town has been. But it is more, much more. It is the crossroads of the past and future.
For centuries a Native American trade route that connected he villages of the Hopi and pueblos of Zuni with tribes on the coast of California crossed the area around present Kingman. This was the trail followed by Father Garces during his expedition in 1776. And it was also the trail followed by early American explorers and pioneers.
The territorial era Mohave Prescott Road included Beale Springs near present day Kingman as a stop. Connecting Fort Mohave and Hardyville on the Colorado River with Fort Whipple and Prescott, the territorial capital, this was a vital road of commerce on the frontier. The junction of this road and the Beale Road that followed the Native American trade route was near Kingman.
The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad followed the Beale Road. Establishment of a railroad construction camp is the cornerstone for the City of Kingman, and its development as a transportation hub.
Thirty five years later the National Old Trails Road followed the railroad. In 1915 more than 20,000 people followed that road to the Panama Pacific Exposition in California. And Kingman’s hotels and service industry boomed. The town grew then, as now, as people discovered Kingman as a place of moderate climate, of opportunity, and because of its central location.
In 1926 the National Old Trails Road was replaced by Route 66. Then came U.S. 466 and U.S. 93, I40 and soon, I11. But it was not just the trails, the railroad and the highways that made Kingman a transportation hub.
The aerial survey of the Grand Canyon was completed by using Kingman’s airfield established in 1919 as a base. Then in late 1928, Charles Lindbergh arrived in town to oversee construction of Port Kingman. The town would become a terminal for T.A.T, the country’s first successful passenger air service. Kingman had become the crossroads of the past and future.
The Kingman Army Airfield established in 1942 became one of the largest flexible gunnery schools in the country. After the war the expansive base served as a storage depot for military aircraft. And then it morphed into the Kingman airport and industrial park with nearly unlimited potential.
As more and more people discover Kingman as a place to live, to raise families, to open a business or establish a company, or to retire, housing costs have soared. But there is an alternative.
Apex Manufactured Homes is an industry leader with decades of experience. Their manufactured homes offer one of the best dollar for dollar values in Kingman. And with several styles to choose from, there is a home for most any budget or need.
From three bedrooms to meet the needs of a growing family to something a bit smaller for the recently retired, Apex Manufactured Homes is ideal for anyone looking to call Kingman. Come discover the crossroads of the past and future, a special place with a bright future.
Written by Jim Hinckley of Jim Hinckley’s America