Roy’s- Amboy, CA

As an East Coast native raised on Road Runner cartoons, On The Road, and Thelma and Louise, I love a good drive through the desert. A long, hot, dusty drive, shared only with an occasional distant train. Between Las Vegas and Palm Springs, several lonely roads lead westward, along which reminders from the halcyon days of Route 66 remain.

Route 66 for many of us is a mythical creature, brought to life by Kerouac and Steinbeck, but decommissioned long before we could drive. Replaced by the soulless Interstate system, that while efficient, killed off many small towns long before Walmart and outsourcing. However, portions of the road remain, and along those portions are relics of an earlier era. One of those relics is Roy’s, a compound that contained an auto repair garage, cafe, motor court, and one iconic sign.

Founded in 1938, the business boomed in the Postwar years. People took to the road in record numbers and needed gas, food and lodging. By the 1950’s the garage and cafe were open 24/7, and the operation employed over 70 people. On February 1, 1959, the iconic neon sign was added, and along with the Mid Century modern lobby, a Googie superstar was born.

However, by the 1970s, the end was near. In 1972, the opening of Interstate 40 dealt Roy’s a death blow. Westward traffic now passed nowhere near Roy’s, and business disappeared overnight, dropping to near zero. Roy died in 1977, as did much of the town of Amboy in the following years. The 1990’s saw the property used as a film location, chosen for its weathered, forlorn look. After falling into foreclosure, the property was purchased by a preservationist in 2005. Today, it is wonderful place to stop and poke around. Although the Mother Road is long gone, its spirit remains in the places left behind.