Amboy, California, is a historic ghost town nestled in the Mojave Desert along the iconic Route 66. Once a bustling stopover for travelers, it now stands as a testament to America’s mid-20th-century road culture. Established in 1883 as a railroad station by Lewis Kingman for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, Amboy was the first in a series of alphabetical sidings across the Mojave Desert. Its strategic location made it a vital water stop for steam locomotives traversing the harsh desert landscape.
The town’s prominence grew with the advent of U.S. Route 66 in 1926, transforming Amboy into a key rest point for motorists. In 1938, Roy’s Motel and Café opened, becoming an iconic symbol of the era with its distinctive Googie-style neon sign.
The construction of Interstate 40 in 1973 diverted traffic away from Route 66, leading to Amboy’s rapid decline. By the early 2000s, the town was nearly deserted. In 2005, Albert Okura, founder of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, purchased Amboy for $425,000 with the vision of restoring it. He focused on reviving Roy’s Motel and Café to preserve its historical significance.
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