American History
Related: About this forum100 years: A Route 66 ghost town was 'frozen in time'. Is it on the brink of a comeback?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/20/route-66-newberry-springs-californiaA Route 66 ghost town was frozen in time. Is it on the brink of a comeback?
Newberry Springs was almost lost to the desert. But as Americas mother road turns 100, locals see hope that the boom times could return
Amanda Ulrich in Newberry Springs
Sun 20 Jul 2025 10.00 EDT
The tiny desert cafe, caught in a desolate middle between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, had only been open for five minutes when the first customers of the day ambled in from the already blistering heat.
It was a Friday morning in June, sand swirling outside across the cracked street and towards the Bagdad Cafes front door. In the same parking lot, a 1950s-era sign advertised a motel that no longer exists. In the distance, only a few surviving businesses remained: a small community center, a veterans organization and a long-standing roadhouse bar popular with locals. A few miles to the north, an entire neighborhood was abandoned in the 1990s after mounds of blowing sand swallowed it whole; today, only rooftops and chimneys peek out from the towering sand dunes.
In small towns such as Newberry Springs, and an even tinier neighboring community 10 miles west called Daggett, residents are hoping the anniversary will bring in a flood of extra visitors. The Bagdad Cafe, where the 1980s cult classic film by the same name was shot, currently sees about 6,000 tourists each month. Locals anticipate that those numbers will double in 2026 and theyre planning other ways to capitalize on the centennial, too.
Were a teeny, weeny, little slice of Route 66, said Renee Kaminski, a co-owner of Newberry Springs historic bar.
But were a mighty one.
more
Baghdad Cafe
with CCH Ponder, Jack Palance
Truly magical
Trailer
https://m.

brush
(60,608 posts)Help us get our kicks on Route 66, please, as it went thru several states from Chicago to San Bernadino..
"...Joplin, Missouri, Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico, Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino."
Help us out, what state?
route66mc.com
https://route66mc.com town.php?ID=516
Historic Route 66 Newberry Springs, CA Information | route66mc.com
Newberry Springs is another mostly lost Route 66 town, but it has a few sites worth seeing. The Bagdad Cafe' used in the movie by that name is here. This is
ProfessorGAC
(73,636 posts)...North of our house.
We're not a ghost town, but a sleepy little community of 6 to 7 thousand and we see lots of Rt 66 cruisers come through this time of year.
Had a 100+ parade of motorcyclists come through a couple weeks ago.
In early June we had a Corvette club come through. Probably 60 Corvettes in that gaggle.
Memorial Day weekend there was a classic car show of about 150 cars and I saw plates from at least 10 other states.
We see this stuff every year. The Route 66 fascination is a real thing.