Needles California on Route 66

 

Sage Motel

As I was driving in to Needles and on my way to my hotel, I saw the Sage Motel.  That looks like a Route 66 era motel I better take a picture. A few minutes later I realized that this is on historic Rt-66, which makes sense. It is no longer a hotel, but it is still in use. 1624 W Broadway St, Needles, CA. (Learn more)

Needles is a town of around five thousand people in California right across the Colorado River from Arizona. Needles was founded by the Atchison, Topeka and Sata Fe railway. The railroad, now part of the BNSF Railway, is still a major employer in the city.  If you are traveling the path of Route 66, this will be the first city you come to in California. 

 

Route 66 car wash

Miranda's Car Wash is just two blocks away from the Sage Motel. This do it yourself car wash has a Route 66 mural on the side.  Looking at google streetview tells me it has been closed for about 10 years. and the mural went up sometime between 2009 and 2011.  1644 Needles Hwy, Needles, CA.

Since I was there in April, the weather was nice, but it gets very hot in the summer. Needles often has the highest daily temperature in the United States.

Old Trails Inn

This confused me a bit. It is clearly a former gas station, but the name painted on it is "Old Trails Inn Bed and Breakfast". If you look closely you can see a couple of green cabins behind the building. These are "The Palms Apartments", before that they were the Bed and Breakfast the sign refers to, and before that they were The Palms Motel, and before that they were The Palms Auto Court. (Learn more at Route66Times or TripBucket) 

66 Motel

Another tiny little motel on Route 66. This one was just siz rooms and was established in 1946-1947. It is now apartments so at least it isn't abandoned. 91 Desnak St., Needles, CA. (Learn more)

 

Another former gas station

between the Old Trails Inn and 66 Motel lies this former gas station.  Rt 66 produced a lot of former gas stations and I stopped and took pictures of many of them.  This one turned into an auto repair shop named Kodiaks Garage which, according to Street View was active in 2011 but by 2016 wasn't. Is now closed and for rent. 101 E Broadway St, Needles, CA.

Carty's Camp

Just on the other side of the road from the 66 Motel sign is another former gas station with a big sign that says "Carty's Camp".  The 1940 movie The Grapes of Wrath has a scene where you Carty's Camp is visible. (Learn more) 

Imperial 400 Motor Inn

This motel looks slightly more modern than most, but not new, so it is probably a later addition to the town.   Across a street from it is a Route 66 mural that shows a milkman delivering Meadow Gold milk.  Way off in Tulsa, also on Route 66, there is a neon sign for Meadow Gold (though, it should be noted, the sign was moved there from a different part of Tulsa). 644 W Broadway St Needles, CA.

 

El Garces courtyard

El Garces was a Harvey House Hotel and railway depot. Now it houses the visitor center, chamber of commerce, and is an Amtrak station. 950 Front St, Needles, CA. (Learn more at Wikipedia or LegendsOfAmerica)

 Needles didn't seem to have as concentrated Route 66 relics as other towns, but, then, I tried to go to the visitor center, located in the historic El Garces Transportation Depot, twice and it was closed both times.  I guess that isn't too surprising though, both times it was after 5pm.

 

Amtrak stop

Needles still has an Amtrak train stop at the El Garces Intermodal Transportation Facility.