Chloride, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chloride, Arizona
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Chloride town center
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Location in Mohave County, Arizona
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 Chloride, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Chloride, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Mohave |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.51 sq mi (3.90 km2) |
| • Land | 1.51 sq mi (3.90 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,022 ft (1,226 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 229 |
| • Density | 151.96/sq mi (58.67/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
| ZIP code |
86431
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| FIPS code | 04-12910 |
Chloride is a small town in Mohave County, Arizona. It was once a busy silver mining camp. Today, it is known as the oldest mining town in Arizona that has been lived in continuously.
In 2020, about 229 people called Chloride home. The town is a census-designated place (CDP). This means it is a community that looks like a town but isn't officially a city. Chloride has its own ZIP Code, which is 86431.
You can find Chloride on the side of the Cerbat Mountains. It's about 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Kingman. Kingman is the main city, or county seat, for Mohave County. Another small place called Grasshopper Junction is just 4 miles (6.4 km) west.
Contents
Chloride's Mining History
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The Arizona Central Bank building in Chloride.
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A map showing the railway route in 1930.
How Chloride Began
People first found valuable minerals in this area way back in the 1840s. They discovered silver, gold, lead, zinc, and even turquoise. Chloride was officially started around 1863. But mining didn't really take off until the 1870s. This was after a peace agreement was made with the Hualapai Native American tribe.
Growth and the Railway
To help with mining, a railway was built from Kingman to Chloride. It opened on August 16, 1899. Miss May Krider drove in the very last silver spike. At its busiest, Chloride had about 5,000 people living there. It even used to be the county seat for a while.
A Changing Town
By 1917, the number of people living in Chloride dropped to 2,000. By 1944, it was almost a ghost town. A small graveyard can still be seen just west of town. In 1960, the population was 135. By 2020, it had grown a bit to 229 people.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 135 | — | |
| 2020 | 229 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
A Famous Author's Visit
A well-known American author named Louis L'Amour visited Chloride between 1927 and 1929. During his visit, a big fire broke out in the town. L'Amour helped the townspeople try to put out the fire. They formed a bucket brigade, passing buckets of water to fight the flames. Sadly, most of the town still burned down.
Climate in Chloride
Chloride has a cold desert climate. This type of climate is often called "BWk" on climate maps. It means the area is very dry and can have cool winters.
See also
In Spanish: Chloride (Arizona) para niños
