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Newberry Springs and the New Bagdad Cafe |
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| The area around Newberry Springs has been a source of water in the arid Mojave Desert since the earliest days. The site of Camp Cady is located a few miles from present day Newberry Springs, and was a resting place and watering hole along the Mojave River for wagon trains coming to California in the 1850's on the old Mormon Trail. In the 1880's the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad hauled tank cars of water from Newberry Springs to the stations and towns in the area making life in this arid land possible. |
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Bagdad Cafe, a movie centering on old Route 66, was filmed in the Newberry Springs area. The Bagdad Cafe located in Newberry Springs is not the original Bagdad Cafe, the original cafe was located in the town of Bagdad between Amboy and Ludlow on old Route 66. Nothing remains of the old cafe in Bagdad. The Newberry Springs cafe is a Route 66 survivor though and was once known as the Sidewinder Cafe. After the movie was filmed here the name Bagdad Cafe just seemed to stick. It is open for business today serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. | |
Daggett, California, Made Famous in the Grapes of Wrath |
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The old California Inspection Station mentioned in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath was located in Daggett. The Inspection Station featured in the 1939 move version of his book was built in 1930 and used until 1953 when this newer Inspection Station replaced it. This was the third Inspection Station built in Daggett. When the Interstate came and replaced Route 66 the Inspection Station was moved to Needles on I-40. Today the old station provides shade for numerous trucks, machinery and engine blocks. | |
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Daggett was founded as a mining supply center to support the silver mines in Calico. A narrow gauge railroad hauled the silver ore to Calico Station which had the stamp mills for processing the ore. In 1883 the name of the town was changed to Daggett in honor of the new California Lt. Governor. In its early days it was a major shipping center for the silver and borax industries. Some of the old buildings are still standing in the old downtown section of Daggett. The old Stone Hotel built in 1883 was once the "office" of Death Valley Scotty, and Wyatt Earp is said to have stayed here on his way to mining claims in Parker, Arizona. |
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| Daggett's beloved landmark on the southwest corner of Main Street is a quaint and unique structure that was once a cafe from the 1930s. It served travelers on the Mother Road for many years and is still a traffic stopper today. With its delightful curved-roof design and steep roof it is reminiscent of a Russian home built for the snow country; strangely out of place in the Mojave Desert. Perhaps the original builder came from Siberia (California that is). |
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All Roads Lead to Barstow Here |
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Barstow, is where the old trails meet. The Old Mojave Trail, The Old Mormon Trail (now I-15), and Route 66, now replaced by I-40 come together here in the high desert. This old railroad map from the 1880's shows the route that will become Route 66 half a century later. The area of present day Barstow is shown as Grapevine and Waterman; Barstow wasn't even named yet! | |
| In 1858 Army dragoons camped here and called the area Camp Sugar Loaf. The area became known as Grapevine when a trading post was established in 1864. The name was changed to Waterman Junction in 1881. Then in 1886 a depot for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (Santa Fe RR) was built here and the town of Barstow was officially founded - complete with post office. Barstow has been an important hub of the Mojave Desert, first with the railroads and then with Route 66. Today two major Interstates meet here in Barstow. |  |
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| Barstow, named after William Barstow Strong, was the president of the Santa Fe Railroad at that time.The beautiful Railroad Depot, Casa Del Desierto was built in 1910 and also served as a Harvey House. Today it has been restored by the city of Barstow and is the site of the Route 66 Mother Road Museum. Next door to the museum the City of Barstow has just opened its new Railroad Museum. You haven't seen Barstow if you haven't seen these great museums! |
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| There is still much of Old Route 66 to see in Barstow. The famous El Rancho Motel, built with railroad ties from the defunct Tonopah & Tidewater RR, and El Rancho Cafe are Mother Road landmarks. And who could forget the Route 66 Motel on Main Street (Route 66)? | ||
Click anywhere along Route 66 on the map below to go there ... |
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NAVIGATION NOTE: Buckle up and hold on to your mouse! These pages are arranged like the map above, Pacific Ocean being West Route 66 and the Colorado River East Route 66. I have set up this site as if you were traveling from EAST to WEST, much like the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath. You can click on the Route 66 shields to "travel" the Mother Road in either direction though. Clicking West Route 66 or East Route 66 will take you to the next town or area on the map in that direction. |
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Photographs taken between January 2000 and September 2002 Courtesy Western Trails
Vintage Post Cards Courtesy PostCards From the Road
(c) 2003 GRandallWebDesign 
