Ghost Towns and Mines

Ghost Towns and Mines http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html This site on Route 66 is famous for “Roy’s Diner” and its large 50’s-era sign. As of August 2009, the gas station was open for business, and it appeared that the diner was also open. The diner and its iconic sign have been featured in movies, TV commercials and music videos. Amboy was named in 1883 but dates back as far as 1858. The primary businesses of the town are the Santa Fe/BNSF railroad; and the chloride works on nearby Bristol dry lake. But it was catering to travelers that really kept the town going, and the town pretty much died off after Interstate 40 opened in 1973. For many years Amboy was owned by Buster Burris, one of the most colorful characters of the Mojave desert. He sold the town shortly before his death in 2000 at age 92. The motel and school have been closed for many years. The post office was still in use in the early 1990’s, but I believe it is no longer open. There are several other abandoned buildings in and around the town. Another famous feature is Amboy Crater, a volcanic cinder cone a few miles to the west. It is surrounded by large fields of black lava. Last updated August, 2009. Click here to see video of a BNSF freight train passing through Amboy. Return to Ghost Towns list IMG_2326 July 2009 -- This is one of the chloride plants on Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#0 1316b536-6213-46f2-998f-5fa8ffcf1c0d http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_2326/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_2326/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_2326<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p class="Caption">July 2009 -- This is one of the chloride plants on Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA.<br/></p></div></div> IMG_2327 July 2009 -- The chloride works include includes miles of shallow canals for evaporating brine on Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#1 6782d3a7-cd70-4773-afd9-f22d56937376 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_2327/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_2327/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_2327<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">July 2009 -- The chloride works include includes miles of shallow canals for evaporating brine on Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3837 August 2009 -- Abandoned houses in Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#2 1e09f5f6-1583-4aa5-82fc-15597f2a9142 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3837/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3837/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3837<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">August 2009 -- Abandoned houses in Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> Amboy1 March 2000 -- Aerial view of abandoned buildings in vicinity of Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#3 4d3bd501-6c80-4953-882f-f24b932c0804 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/Amboy1/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/Amboy1/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Amboy1<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">March 2000 -- Aerial view of abandoned buildings in vicinity of Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3841 August 2009 -- Part of an old sign found in Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#4 323ab40a-b9f6-4734-b819-8c8a032df333 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3841/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3841/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3841<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">August 2009 -- Part of an old sign found in Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3843 July 2009 -- More abandoned structures in Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#5 88d2ef30-f76e-401d-9c38-a21ec0a8dd7a http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3843/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3843/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3843<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">July 2009 -- More abandoned structures in Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3848 July 2009 -- This is part of the Hill Brothers Chemical Company’s “chloride flaker plant” which processes minerals from Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#6 c7ed58df-de6a-4d83-91ca-617d65a6c133 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3848/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3848/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3848<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">July 2009 -- This is part of the Hill Brothers Chemical Company’s “chloride flaker plant” which processes minerals from Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3849 August 2009 -- I like the weathered appearance of these old industrial structures in Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#7 6174b5c8-8a61-469a-808a-02bf5b1716cc http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3849/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3849/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3849<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">August 2009 -- I like the weathered appearance of these old industrial structures in Amboy, CA.</p></div></div> IMG_3850 August 2009 -- Tank cars lined up outside the chloride flaker plant in Amboy, CA. http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA.html#8 f341eb7f-6aa0-4551-b52d-7b1b090d1207 http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3850/thumb.jpg http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Amboy_CA_files/Media/IMG_3850/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">IMG_3850<br/></p><p class="Caption"><br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">August 2009 -- Tank cars lined up outside the chloride flaker plant in Amboy, CA.</p></div></div>