Gateway to California on Route 66—Needles, CA

In the 1930s and 1940s, Dust Bowl refugees rumbled across the country on Route 66 toward a better life in California. Crossing the Colorado River marked their entry to the state of their dreams, and Needles was the first Californian city they arrived at.

Ever since its founding in 1883, Needles has been a transport hub. What began as a tent town for railroad construction crews turned into a major railroad stop, and Needles was also the largest port north of Yuma, AZ, on the Colorado River.

At this point in history, Needles gained one of its most significant buildings. The Fred Harvey company built the neoclassical El Garces hotel to cater to travelers arriving by train. The restored hotel stands to this day and is free to visit, although you can’t stay overnight there anymore.

However, Needles really came to its own when the Mother Road was born. Motels, garages, bars, and more popped up to serve the incoming masses, first those escaping the Dust Bowl and then motorists roaring through Route 66 just for the heck of it.