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View Larger Map Chloride, Arizona, about twenty five miles north of Kingman, dates to the 1860s and is the sole survivor in a string of mining camps that once dotted the Cerbat Mountains. In recent years the town has become popular with folks looking for peace and quiet during their retirement.
As a result the dusty, well worn remnants from the towns glory days, such as the train depot and general store, now have company in the form of new homes built to present the illusion of age and modern double wide manufactured homes. An active chamber of commerce promotes the communities heritage, scenic beauty, and original festivals, such as Jimmy Hoffa's birthday celebrated at Yesterday's Restaurant, and as a result on most every weekend the streets actually become crowded in the diminuitive business district.

 
GHOST TOWNS OF ROUTE 66 
GOFFS, CALIFORNIA

The town of Goffs dates to the establishment of a railroad siding on the site in 1883. The location was chosen primarily for its location as a summit between the Colorado River Valley and the valley of the desert floor to the west.
By 1890, the siding had morphed into a supply center for area ranches, prospectors, and mining operations in the surrounding mountains. The establishment of a short line connecting the mines at Searchlight with the main line at Goffs fueled additional growth.
During the early teens the wagon road that predated the railroad morphed into the National Old Trails Highway. The junction for this road, which became Route 66 after 1926, with the Arrowhead Highway, the primary automobile road connecting Los Angeles with Salt Lake City, added to the prominence of Goffs.
The first blow came with consolidation of railroad activities in Needles and Barstow. The second came with a realignment of Route 66 in 1931 that transformed Goffs from a busy crossroads into an isolated desert community.
By 1937, the population had evaporated like a July rain in the Mojave Desert. The school built in 1914, once the pride of the town, was closed, a symbolic end.
Goffs, and the mission styled school, received a brief and inglorious resurrection during World War II as army troops garrisoned in the area as part of the largest war games in history, preparation for the invasion of North Africa.
The school served as a Cantina. Many of the empty buildings in Goffs served as firewood.
After the war, and until 1954, the school was converted into a home. After its abandonment vandals and weather took their toll and by 1982 the east wall had collapsed and the roof was sagging badly.
Jim and Bertha Wold purchased the property and stabilized the building. In early 1990 Dennis and Jo Ann Casebier acquired the school as well as surrounding property and astounding transformation began.
Under the tireless leadership of the Casebiers, the Goffs school has been transformed into a stunning museum chronicling the history of this forgotten town broiling under the desert sun. The grounds have morphed into a staggering display of life in the deserts of California during the past 150 years.
The Goffs school and museum complex just may be one of the most overlooked attractions on Route 66. 
CORT'S GRAND ADVENTURE  


He glanced down and kicked at the cracked pavement.  In that moment, he flashed back to a scene some 40 years earlier.

"Get away from that wet concrete!" his mom had commanded, then turned back to the discussion between his dad and the contractor.

Now, that concrete was no longer new, far from it, and his Dad had been dead some 5 years.  Meanwhile, his Mom lay in a nursing home, close to death, and he was contemplating selling the building ... and the concrete ... to new owners, who may or may not keep up the Route 66 traditions.

He didn't want to sell the place, but he didn't think he could keep up with it either.

It was a dream of his Dad's ... and, as it turned out, his Mom's, too, though she never admitted it.  His Dad had a fascination with Route 66 ... and just HAD to own SOME business along Route 66, "for nostalgic purposes", he had explained at the time.  So, with only some savings and a gritty determination, his parents bought a run down place along Route 66 ... and contracted some renovations ... including new concrete along the walkways ... that same concrete that now held their son's stare.

He sighed heavily, and took his stare away from the concrete to glance at his cell phone.  A prospective buyer was already 30 minutes late.  Figures, he muttered to himself.  He kicked at the cracked concrete again, and turned around in the warm sun, looking for a car that may or may not show up.  He looked back at the building and couldn't believe 40 years had gone by ... so quickly.

He glanced again at his cell phone, and hit the redial button.  The prospective buyer answered, and explained:  "Sorry, we're not coming.  I don't think we really want that place after all."

Good, he thought.  At least I don't have to deal with this today. TO BE CONTINUED -

He jammed the cell phone back into his pocket, glanced at the building once more, and turned and started to walk toward his car.  He kicked again at the pavement, wondering if his parents ever wondered if they made the right decision moving here.  He knew they did.
 
Fig Springs Station
In the classic work by Jack Rittenhouse, "A Guide Book to Highway 66", page 110 it was noted, "At 18 mi. (from Kingman, Arizona) you pass Fig Springs Camp, abandoned as the Guide Book goes to press. Here you start the climb up the Black Mountains ahead."
This photo courtesy of the Mohave Museum of History & Arts in Kingman shows the station circa 1940. The above photos show the site as of the fall of 2009.
This section of Route 66 was bypassed in 1953.
ROUTE 66 TIP #20
In Williams, Arizona, there is a delightful little picnic area near a small lake just a few blocks south of Route 66 on Fourth Street. While not the best idea for drivers of vintage cars, or shortly after summer storms, there is an even more interesting treat found just a few miles further south on this street.
This would be the maze of forest service roads that provide access to White Horse and Dog Town lakes. Both lakes have excellent picnic and camping sites. There are also a wide array of opportunites to simply tail gate a lunch under the towering pines.

The Hassayampa Inn in historic Prescott, Arizona, less than 50 miles south of Route 66, is a true gem with a near perfect blend of historic authenticity and modern convenience. The attention to detail in its restoration and preservation allows for the illusion of time travel as there is a sense of stepping back into a simpler, more dignified time with the first step into the lobby. 
A central location to the delightful historic district as well as court house and city offices make it an ideal lodging choice for business or recreational travelers. Excellent cuisine in the historic, on site dining room add to the ambiance as well as the practicality of choosing the Hassayamapa for a night or weekend. 
Hassayamapa Inn website
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