I just love walter.. Lots of -Love & Prayers, Virginia, Your email address will not be published. . Picked from a list of illustrators by Cat, Jasmine had already encountered Walter online. It was, of course, Walter the Orphan Donkey. In 1915, two miners struck a $10 million gold find, and within a year, the town's population grew to more than 3,500. Walters mom was very young and didnt recognize that Walter was her baby. He is definitely perfect for the position.. Oatman Chamber of Commerce P.O. In the northwest corner of Arizona, discover a town full of rugged characterand burros. We never imagined how much Walter would change our lives for the better, Blake said. OFFERS Kingman Smart . His parents keep his devoted Facebook fans up-to-date on his daily adventures and love how much attention Walter has brought to their little town. He even lays on the couch next to me for naps.. Please share this post with all your loved ones and help make their day better! Thank you so much. Home of the 6927 E Brooks Blvd. "Walter's mama rejected him because she was too young. Posted by Walter the orphan from Oatmans happy new life on Sunday, January 5, 2020. We have wild burros that roam the town, Brad Blake told The Dodo. His owners, Kelly and Brad Blake, took him into their home after they found him abandoned in the barn. But in a town with more donkeys than people, Walter the Oatman Burro may have had an unfair advantage. Over the years, the population of donkeys (or burros as Ive always called them), grew. Facebook/Walter the orphan from Oatman's happy new life. Come and meet the amazing wild Oatman Burros. Walter was a baby when Kelly and Brad Blake took him into their home in Oatman, Arizona. We are now sending orders for Walter's new book. Just this past weekend, they took Walter to a Special Olympics fundraiser in Bullhead City, where he was, of course, the most popular creature in the room. Subscribe, Admin Offices Walters mama rejected him because she was too young. . The second and the most important reason. A bit over a year ago, she left Oatman with her son Smokey &a few of the other Oatman Burros. The main road to Oatman is the famous historical Route 66. Recently, an Oatman gift shop called "New Digg'ns" took to the social media to post an adorable video of a wild baby donkey who chose to take a nap right in the middle of the road! The pictures were quite warm and really conveyed the purity of the story! For many years she has been working as a journalist for papers including the Mohave Daily News and The Needles Desert Star. He lives inside our Home in Oatman Arizona. We have three German shepherds and they all took to baby Walter from day one, Blake said. It is inhabited by a bunch of wild donkeys (or as they call them - burros). its citizens. Once the mines went out of business, the Oatman burros were turned loose. Family-owned vineyard, winery and tasting room. This past July, one of the resident donkeys, Nadine, gave birth to a young un but the new mother had no interest in her baby. We walked all around town and visited Walter, The Donkey-Mayor of Oatman. Considering my love of critters, Oatman has long been a favorite Route 66 destination. DISTILLERY in AZ, Desert Diamond Distillery invites visitors to Desert Wonder Tours provides specially designed commercial short tours in the Mohave Desert area. Hazel is quiet and shy. If you look closely, Oliver has a heart on his right haunch. Don't Threaten. Walter, the orphaned donkey from Oatman, became a mayor the same way Cat Smith became a writer - thanks to a misfortune that turned into a career. The first 500 copies were signed by the crew in Walters home. Oatman's location along Route 66 has been the town's saving grace. Copyright 2022 Walter the Wonder Donkey - All Rights Reserved. We are so honored to have won the, Awarded to any formally recognized Kingman business that has made a deliberate and focused effort, by its nature or through a specific project, to improve our local quality of life while maintaining a rigorous standard of work excellence. You have permission to edit this article. They all love and appreciate what he does and represents for our town.. . The Blake's reside in Oatman, Arizona, an old western mining town that dates back to 1903 and has burros roaming freely in town. Reels. He was nominated by the chamber due to his having been such a good ambassador for Oatman so far, Blake said. She has an amazingly loving personality and is the best mother! Follow Walters New Lifeon his Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/walterthewonderdonk/, and his website to find unique Walter merch: https://walterthewonderdonkey.com/, Walter making an appearance at a local school. When walking down Main Street, you will be reminded multiple times to watch your bags because she will grab them and will run off with your goods. All Right Reserved. Kingman Smart Buyer 928 Media Lab. The Oatman burros share common lineage but each has unique special personality & traits. Most of these burros keep to themselves in one of the several herds throughout the mountains and surrounding desert, but a few of them come into town every day. 2023 Simon & Schuster, Inc. and Author Solutions, LLC - A mining boom town, which name the community in honor of Olive Oatman (who was kidnapped as a young girl by a local Mojave tribe the rescued in 1857), has seen it's share of good times and bad. She absolutely loves a good butt scratch! It took me two months to write it, Smith said of her debut as a childrens writer. His donkey mama wasn't quite sure what to think about him. Box 423 Oatman, Arizona 86433 Phone: 928-577-9139 or 928-234-0344 . Home. Enjoy the 2130 W Van Buren St The Blake's are high school sweethearts. 15.4k Followers, 24 Following, 212 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Walter (@walterthewonderdonk) walterthewonderdonk. Be sure to contribute your pics and experiences in our group Explore Northwest Arizona ! Walter was adopted, Brad explained. Oatman Chamber of Commerce P.O. Named for a young Illinois girl who was captured by Indians, Olive Oatman, the town was once a booming gold mining town. 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Filing Jurisdiction, Entity Type, Registered Agent, File Number, Filing Status, and Business Category. So many people have shared with us how Walter has given them happiness in their lives, said Brad Blake. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Be Nice. Low 46F. We want him to be an emotional support animal, Blake said. Before we get into how Brad and Kelly Blake came to be the guardians of this social media darling, lets first talk about where the three of them live. FINALLY!!??????? "Nothing like 'Opal' being so Dang cute & taking a nap right on Route 66 in Oatman , AZ ," they wrote. Material copyrighted by Winslow.Town - 2023 . The book is also available for purchase in Oatman, and can be found at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts and local libraries. Explore. In Oregon, there are donkeys on the Warm Springs HMA only. Annabelle is an absolutely beautiful Burro inside and out. The BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich was excellent. But really, its not surprising considering how cute he is and how popular animals are on social mediaespecially with a touching origin story like his. You have permission to edit this article. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Between a fire in the 1920s and the largest mining company closing operations, the town virtually died off. Many thanks to Brad, Kelly, and Walter for brightening a brisk winter day in Winslow. As pack animals, they could handle heavy loads for provisions, ore, and equipment needed by the miners. The more popular he becomes on social media, the more hes wanted at events. All photos were used with the explicit permission of the Walter the orphan from Oatman's happy new life Facebook page. Kingman, Arizona 86401. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism There are restaurants, souvenir shops . In result, Oatman got a new life. After he was grown, the people of Oatman elected Walter as their mayor. Destiny is Walters grandma. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Social media users from throughout the United States have followed Walters adventures on Facebook, and the town of Oatman has gained almost unprecedented exposure through videos and images posted on social media. However, little donkey Walter disagrees. The two met when they were eight-years-old when their families became friends. Great . The BBBQ Bacon cheeseburger was also very good. Fun day in Oatman, Arizona. Walter was born next to the old schoolhouse, which happens to be the set of a 1962 epic Western movie, How the West Was Won. Brad was the one who managed to make the baby finally start eating, saving it from death. Whether heading west to east or east to west on the Mother Road, be sure to check out the quirky landmarks and destinations of Arizonas Route Motor into Kingman, Arizona's heart of historic Route 66. When she gave birth to Hank in October of 2020, the glimmer in her eyes returned.]. Scared Pittie Gets So Happy When He Meets This Guy And His Pack Of Dogs, To learn more about Walter and his family's adventures, you can. Be Proactive. Start your day with heartwarming and hilarious animal stories that will make you fall in love. Running right through the middle of Oatman is a stretch of the historic Route 66, the famous road that was the main highway route across the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s. Sales were brisk, and another 3,000 copies have been shipped. For further information, contact A. Smith at 928-763-3072 between 9 am -12 noon and 2 pm until 4 pm. Ember @2020 - pawsplanet.me. 127. All photos were used with the explicit permission of the Walter the orphan from Oatman's happy new life Facebook page. Now, they are talking about an animated film. walter the orphan walter the wonder donkey gift store. 1110 W Washington St, #155 We hope you enjoy our site and take a moment to drop us a line. These beloved burros are known as The Magnificent Seven. Books cost $12.95 each and ship in two to four weeks. You can watch Walter and his parents' adorable reunion here: Walter is constantly giving back to the local community by working with a number of charities, as well as volunteering as an emotional support donkey. She was a successful Crime and Courts Reporter, appeared as a correspondent for the television network Investigation Discovery (ID) in 2015. Your entire office will be able to use your search subscription. Learn how your comment data is processed. His siblings are German Shepherds and are very protective of Walter. The BLM asked the couplewho had known Walter since he was 10 hours oldif they would adopt him and the animal-loving couple, of course, said yes. Laughlin Chambers most prestigious event of the year a black tie affair honors those in our Colorado River Region who have gone above and beyond in their endeavors; making our community a better place with each action they take. The Mohave Museum of History and Arts is dedicated to the purposes of preserving the heritage of northwestern Arizona and of presenting Our rides vary in length starting at 30 minutes, for beginner to advanced-level riders. Don't knowingly lie about anyone The Blakes were filled with joy and took Walter home to their house, where his new life began. Through photographs, dioramas and displays, the museum encompasses the history of the Bullhead City area from steamboats on the Colorado 1239 Highway 95 Because it's very rare to keep these animals as pets. He hops and brushes his body against me to love on him. Winds light and variable. Required fields are marked *. But for now, all eyes are on Walter, the adorable donkey who was rescued by long-time residents, Brad and Kelly Blake. And don't forget to pick up a souvenir or twofrom biker gear and mining memorabilia to donkey puppets and Southwestern art, you can find it all in the shops that line the towns main drag. Donkey And Old Tractor T-Shirt. BLM came to Oatman and attempted to reunite Walter and Nadine. OATMAN, AZ.It was bound to happen. Cat Smith With Brad Blake, Illustrated by Jasmine Smith, With Kelly Blake. As soon as Walter sees his dad, he comes running, hopping up and down in excitement. We'd love to hear eyewitness The sweet sleepy-head has been called "Opal" and the gift shop owners commented about her being "dang cute" as she napped on Route 66. Mom Nadine, From Walter's Facebook Page racist or sexually-oriented language. Walter is the newly elected mayor of Oatman, a genuine Arizona ghost town situated along the famous Route 66. For about a decade, the Oatman mines were among the largest in gold production in the West. Oatman was a mining town; in 1915, a gold mine was discovered, which stopped working completely after World War II. Check this out! that is degrading to another person. Meadview, Arizona 86444. The burro has become such an integral part of Oatman's identity that the town now plays host to an annual Burro Biscuit Toss, where residents and visitors alike compete to see who can throw a dried-out, gold-painted burro dropping the farthest. A book about the orphaned donkey and the amazing town he calls home! I am looking forward to when the books about Walter come out! Be Nice. A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. For more information about Walter attending your event, use the Contact Us Form. Even though Oatman is abandoned by people, it is not empty at all. Winslow Community Pride: Garbage and Gardens, https://walterthewonderdonkey.com/shop/ols/all?sortOption=descend_by_created_at. its citizens. Wherever Walter goes, he brings joy, part of why Brad and Kelly want to share Walter with the world. 2. We are avid readers to our grandkids and g. grandkids and want to add this book to thier library. that is degrading to another person. Due to the rough terrain in the region, the preferred beasts of burden were burros who were able to subsist on the dry desert grasses, were hardy and sure-footed. By now, you would have to be living in a cave here not to know who Walter is! What a wonderful story, and such wonderful subject matter! We are already halfway through book two.. I will email this to you as well: https://walterthewonderdonkey.com/shop/ols/all?sortOption=descend_by_created_at, What a wonderful story about Walter! Because of his following, the Blake family makes sure to keep his fans . we spotted a spotted donkey and made a beeline to . Similar Designs More from This Artist. If Walter ever needs a helping hand, his brothers and sisters are always happy to show him how things are done. Now the once-sickly donkey has grown to be 150 pounds and lives in the Blakes house as if he were another one of the dogs. Walter was just a baby when Kelly and Brad Blake adopted him into their sweet home in Oatman, Arizona. He was in a bad place until he got a new home. It was January 2020. The second and the most important reason. Watch. He keeps his momma, the shop owners and visitors on their toes with his mischievous ways! Nothing was working, so we were called and asked if we would like to adopt him. We had a beer at one saloon and ate lunch at the Oatman Hotel-Restaurant-Saloon. Theoretically wild - watch out, they will try to steal anything that looks like food! Walters mother lacked enough maternal instincts to care for him. If you take Route 66 in either direction from town, you'll be greeted by a plethora of otherworldly viewswatch for Thimble Mountain to the west and Elephant's Tooth to the east. But Walters dog-like personality really comes out whenever his dad returns from a business trip. Healthy Treats. The authors will also be working with the publisher for an animated film and will be making book signings and personal appearances with Walter, that will be scheduled in the near future. Meet Walter a sweet donkey who just wants to fit in. Utilize our advanced search form to filter the search results by Company Name, City, State, Postal Code, Is the only place to buy the book is Oatman, Arizona? In the 1960s, Oatman was almost completely abandoned and turned into a ghost . Oatman, Arizona, located in the Black Mountains of Mohave County got its start as a mining camp after prospectors struck gold in the area in the early 1900s.Later, it became part of Route 66.. Often described as a ghost town, it doesn't quite fit the category, but, close enough, considering that it once boasted over 10,000 people and now supports just a little over 100 people year-round.