Unit 7
Activity 2
From ghost town to tourist spot
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This small town, like so many along Route 66, should be dead. Doomed by the rise of modern highways and the harsh Mojave Desert environment, Amboy should look like its abandoned neighboring towns. Yet, on a crisp November day, Amboy thrummed with friends and travelers swapping stories about the area's history, the family that saved it, and the road that led them there.
“It's the mother road,” said Digger Simpson, 61, gesturing towards the legendary Route 66 that once was the nation's main artery for travel from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. “It's Americana – it's mom-and-pop restaurants and gas stations,” he added, reflecting on the nostalgia that drew him from Twentynine Palms to Amboy to celebrate Albert Okura, the man credited with injecting life back into the town.
In 2005, Albert – founder of the southern California chicken restaurant chain Juan Pollo – bought Amboy, a town just under 200 miles east of Los Angeles, and spent years painstakingly restoring its buildings. [...]
Once the conduit for westward travel, Route 66 became obsolete in the 1970s when Interstate 40 was completed. Towns like Amboy [...] also withered.
“If it weren't for Albert, Amboy probably would have succumbed,” said Joe De Kehoe, author and Eastern Mojave Desert historian.
Today, the road itself has become the destination. Drawn by its Old West allure, visitors from around the world still travel the road.
For those travelers, Amboy is a pitstop to a bygone era. Roy's gas and service station, established in 1938, continues to serve travelers with fuel, souvenirs and root beer. The adjacent mid-century modern building that once housed Roy's Café is now staged to look like the original owners might emerge to hand over keys to one of the motel cottages. [...]
“It is a cool location,” said Aaron Okura, 30, Kyle's younger brother. “Just the out-of-the-way kind of cool that makes it appealing on TikTok.” [...]
For Albert, Amboy was more than a business venture – it was an enduring tribute to his family's resilience. It was also a symbol of his patriotism and passion for preserving U.S. history.
“It's the mother road,” said Digger Simpson, 61, gesturing towards the legendary Route 66 that once was the nation's main artery for travel from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. “It's Americana – it's mom-and-pop restaurants and gas stations,” he added, reflecting on the nostalgia that drew him from Twentynine Palms to Amboy to celebrate Albert Okura, the man credited with injecting life back into the town.
In 2005, Albert – founder of the southern California chicken restaurant chain Juan Pollo – bought Amboy, a town just under 200 miles east of Los Angeles, and spent years painstakingly restoring its buildings. [...]
Once the conduit for westward travel, Route 66 became obsolete in the 1970s when Interstate 40 was completed. Towns like Amboy [...] also withered.
“If it weren't for Albert, Amboy probably would have succumbed,” said Joe De Kehoe, author and Eastern Mojave Desert historian.
Today, the road itself has become the destination. Drawn by its Old West allure, visitors from around the world still travel the road.
For those travelers, Amboy is a pitstop to a bygone era. Roy's gas and service station, established in 1938, continues to serve travelers with fuel, souvenirs and root beer. The adjacent mid-century modern building that once housed Roy's Café is now staged to look like the original owners might emerge to hand over keys to one of the motel cottages. [...]
“It is a cool location,” said Aaron Okura, 30, Kyle's younger brother. “Just the out-of-the-way kind of cool that makes it appealing on TikTok.” [...]
For Albert, Amboy was more than a business venture – it was an enduring tribute to his family's resilience. It was also a symbol of his patriotism and passion for preserving U.S. history.
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PATH A
B1
1-A
Find two reasons why the town of Amboy
was supposed to be “dead”.
2-A
Who bought the town? What did they do
to protect it?
3-A
What still attracts travelers to Amboy today?
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PATH B
B2
1-B
Find a quote showing the symbolic value of Route 66
for Americans.
2-B
Explain how Amboy's identity has changed over time.
3-B
How can this town remain relevant in the 21st century?
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Let's talk this out!
4
Share your findings, and sum up what you have learned about the history of Amboy and its situation today.
5
In your opinion, why do people still feel drawn to Route 66? What does it represent?
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Revive a ghost town!
As the mayor of a small, abandoned town along Route 66, your mission is to bring it back to life and attract travelers from around the world. Write a social media post showcasing your town: Present its main attractions, historic spots, restaurants, or special events that would make visitors excited to stop there.
As the mayor of a small, abandoned town along Route 66, your mission is to bring it back to life and attract travelers from around the world. Write a social media post showcasing your town: Present its main attractions, historic spots, restaurants, or special events that would make visitors excited to stop there.
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