Goffs, California -- Route 66 Ghost Town

I'm sorry about the weird formatting on this post. I have no idea why the background is not all the same color.
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Goffs was established in 1883 to support the Railroad. Its primary function was to house and support "helper" locomotives that helped pull trains up the steep grade from Needles. As the years passed, railroad traffic in the area expanded. The same basic line of travel used by the railroad was also used for wagon travel. These wagon routes were eventually used by early automobile traffic and became the National Old Trails Road. This road was used so much by people driving towards the west coast that it became part of the original U.S. National highway system and renamed Route 66 in 1926. This of course brought more traffic through Goffs.

When combined with the hefty number of railroad employees in the area, Goffs was a busy little town. By 1911 there were enough children in the area, to justify a school house. Before the very busy I-15 was built through the Mojave desert, people driving
to Las Vegas from the coast had to pass through Goffs to reach the dirt Arrowhead Highway that would take them north to Las Vegas and Searchlight.

Things were great in Goffs until the 1930's. That is when the old triple whammy of progress hit them:

• Whammy 1 took place on December 4, 1931, when Route 66 was re-aligned to bypass Goffs by about 5 miles. The town suffered greatly, but was able to hold on because of the steady presence of the railroad. 
• Whammy 2 took place a few years later when the railroads starting using more efficient steam locomotives that didn't need to stop for water as often. This greatly reduced their reliance on Goffs.
• Whammy 3 took place at the end of the decade when the railroads started to abandon steam locomotives completely, because of the advent of the diesel locomotive.

The Goffs school stayed open until 1937 when the kids remaining in the area were transitioned into the Needles School District.  

The school house sat there deteriorating for decades until an an amazing couple bought the property, rehabilitated the building and established the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association.  They turned it into a museum, research center and storage facility for thousands of documents and relics from the past. There is so much on the property, that it would be easy to spend most of a day there.  If you are ever in the area, I recommend that you do just that.

Okay, I'm done talking...

The only place that survived the 1930's in Goffs was the general store. During World War II, it was VERY busy. The reason for this will be the subject of a future post. It involves one of the most interesting and little known facts about the Mojave Desert.

 If you need a project, it's for sale...

One of the many relics on the property. Yes, it is what you think it is. Has anybody reading this ever lived in a place where one of these was your main bathroom? I have.

 This photo and rest are all relics from the past.

 An original National Old Trails Road sign

 There are so many amazing pieces of history just laying around the area.

 The original wagon road heading west.

Yes, it is a Volkswagen Beetle. 
Yes, it has been beaten flat and nailed to a couple of poles. 
Yes, this is the kind of fantastic sight you will only see in our amazing deserts!

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