The adrenaline rush from exploring Amboy had ended, and I was ready to grab a bite to eat and then hit the hay. Since Roy's Cafe no longer had a functioning kitchen, I hadn't eaten since Twentynine Palms.
I stopped at Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles, which had good reviews on Yelp. At 9 pm I was the only guest, but I didn't mind the quiet. The place had a charming, comfortable atmosphere with walls covered in humorous signage and Route 66 memorabilia. The waitress was a sweet woman with a twang in her voice. She called me "darlin'", which I found endearing.
After a delicious meal I considered getting a room, since I'd spent every night in the car. A lot of the motels had flashing signs advertising rates as low as $38.95 per night, but the reviews on Yelp were all fairly negative. I drove past a few that had closed and now sat abandoned, so I made a mental note to explore them in the morning. I ended up parking at a truck stop for the night.
In the light of morning I got a better look at the city of Needles, and was astonished by the number of shuttered businesses.
Named for the nearby pointed mountain peaks, Needles was founded in 1883 to support the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The city's location along the Western bank of the Colorado River, which serves as the California/Arizona border, was once its major draw. As in John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath, it was an important stopping point for travelers entering California in search of opportunity during the Dust Bowl era. Like the Joad family, thousands stopped in Needles for gas and supplies before crossing the Mojave Desert.
Its proximity to Arizona has since become a major factor behind the town's decline. With corporate taxes and building regulations being significantly higher in California, many large businesses such as Walmart, Kmart, and Home Depot have chosen to open stores in Bullhead City, AZ, only a 20-minute drive from Needles. And for savvy travelers who know that gas is often a dollar per gallon cheaper east of the Colorado River, the decision to stop for fuel and lunch in Bullhead City instead of Needles in a no-brainer.
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| Neat old Texaco station in Needles, CA |
Other factors contributing to the decline of Needles include extremely high poverty (nearly 29% of the population lived below the poverty line at the time of the 2010 census), crime rates well above the national average (including violent crime), higher than average unemployment rates, and a lack of clothing and grocery stores. Also during summer months, Needles is often the hottest city in the United States, and sometimes the hottest on Earth.
I spent hours walking around Needles, spotting vacant homes.
a shuttered burger joint,
a neat old theater with promotional signage for a movie that came out more than 4 years prior to my visit,
and quite a few abandoned motels.
One of the motels was not fenced off, so I had a quick peek inside.
I was impressed to see very little graffiti anywhere in Needles. It is obvious that city officials are making an effort to keep their community free of such eyesores.
Needles has a small historic district that includes a well-manicured park,
and a museum and thrift store.
After exploring Needes, I got back on the road and headed into Arizona, where I spent a crazy week exploring old mines, trading posts, ghost towns, and many other very interesting abandonments. I even had a few run-ins with local law enforcement.
I can't wait to tell you all about it!
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Thank you!
Depressing. Should be a law against the corporate tax killing this town. :/
ReplyDelete-Darol
It's a shame. The government could negotiate tax incentives that would encourage companies to move in. I'm not sure why that isn't happening.
DeleteThis has been tried, and rejected by our state government, more than once.
DeleteIs anyone calling the Mayor or our GovenerJerry Brown?
DeleteMaybe some millionaire would Buy it. Tweet Trump and show him how bad Needles is.
In 2017 Needles has acquired quite a few cannabis growing facilities...look at it again in 2018...
DeleteThe growing facilities and testing facilities being mentioned as "help" for the town's economy are big money investors profiting from cheap land during California's Green Rush. Those buildings will give little to the community. (20 year Needles Resident)
DeleteThey will contribute at least as much taxes and mor employment from security to growers to trimmers, plumbers, HVAC technicians and those people and businesses have to be located fairly close to Needles if not in the city, open a store or 2 and really reap the windfall.
DeleteWhy would Trump be interested in Needles?There's no market for a Trump Tower, is there?
DeleteCorporate tax problem???? LOL! On 5/5/19 gas $4.69 in needles, $3.06 a mile away in AZ. Not a corporate problem at all. A socialist CA problem.
DeleteNo such thing as a bad business moving into town ... one brings two and two brings four etc... and the first ones are the ones that will make the move for something of value ...like cheap land and facilities... be grateful a company, any company moves in... unless you just want ta dead town
DeleteAhh you missed a train full from bow to stern of pretty upper shelf artwork. Maybe check out the trains next time. ..
DeleteCan there possibly be a subject where the word "Trump" doesn't come up? For heaven's sake...
DeleteDo you think the city is still headed downhill? Looking at buying land in the area or closer to LA in kern county.
DeleteNEEDLES IS EVEN WORST YET. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NEEDLES AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT SO BAD AS IT IS NOW. SURE WE HAVE MARIJUANA GROWTH FACILITIES AND SURE THE RICH KEEP GETTRING RICHER AND THE POOR KEEP GETTING POORER. BUT LOOK AT IT AGAIN WE DONT EVEN HAVE A GROCERY STORE CLOTHES STORE PHONE COMPANY OR HONEST LAW ENFORCEMENT. NEEDLES IS A SAD LITTLE TOWN NOW VERY FEW ORIGINAL FAMILIES STILL RESIDE HERE.
DeleteI live in needles in 2022 we are doing good
Deletei moved to needles in 1975. claypools grocerie across the street. suds & duds laundry matt. then moved to oatman. 1 year later.
DeleteI was hoping for a short video about Needles?
ReplyDeleteI grew up in needles in the 70s and 80s great place to live. It's terrible how it has gone so far downhill. My parents still live there.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to see so many abandoned businesses. They've done a great job at keeping the graffiti away though. You and your parents must have seen the town go through some major changes over the years.
DeleteI just ran across this old post but was curious if you can tell me if there was a taco stand as we come into Needles back in the 60's - 70's. We drove in the summers from KY to Long Beach and I have a memory of my dad stopping to get tacos and if I recall correctly, it was a stand. I can still remember what they tasted like LOL As a child I felt like when we hit Needles, we were finally getting somewhere. My husband and i plan on driving out West on Rt. 66 next year, just so I can relive my childhood memories. I'm 61 so I better do it soon :) Thanks in advance if you have answer.
DeleteIrene's Drive in... Best tacos and burritos stand ever. Closed down when Irene passed away in the early 90s.
DeleteHi, any chance you knew jimmy bly?
Deleteno but i sure knew the hickman family. ronnie jesse wayne.
DeleteMy husband grew up there and my mother-in-law still lives there. We visit Needles often and I was so excited to see you visited. It's too bad you didn't get a chance to visit the "big green house". From what I've heard, it used to be a brothel, complete with a bunch of tiny "visiting" rooms and hidden doorways. I've even heard it has a smuggling basement although I'm not sure about that one. I've always wanted to see inside- my late father-in-law owned his own plumbing company in needles and was able to do work on the house years ago. It was purchased and restored recently and now serves as a haunted house at Halloween. Needles is such a history-rich town and it's so sad to see what it has become.
ReplyDeleteThe big green house sounds like a really interesting place! I would've loved to check it out. I love places with secret doors and unique architectural characteristics. They always have fascinating histories.
DeleteThe big green house does have a tunnel into the basement, you could here water dripping in it if i remember right. There was waiting benches outside each bedroom. I've been it that house numerous times. I do believe yes its haunted.
DeleteJessie and Harry Dolans used to own the green house... it does have tunnels.
DeleteMy sister owned the green house and had a clothing store in it. It is definitely haunted.
Deletein 1991 the fire department was called to that house at midnight there was a big orange glow in the windows. when the firemen went in the glow went away. haunted indeed.
DeleteDo a google image search for needles California green house and you can see it! I also just found out that paranormal investigators discovered a ghost (if you believe in that kind of thing...)
ReplyDeleteIt was devastating to see your account of my old home town. My grandfather built the Colorado River Motors garage in the 30's. My mother, father and I all graduated from high school in Needles. The town's decline is indeed due to California issues..taxes, regulations and sending homeless to live there. So sad when so many other towns are booming after capitalizing on the Route 66 heritage.
ReplyDeleteEscapee
It sounds like your family has a robust history in Needles. You must have a lot of happy memories there. I hope the town experiences a revival soon!
DeleteHard to see the town has deteriorated after so many years. Family lived thee from 1935 to 1965. I left in 1959 and went to college. The railroad was a big employer. Needles was a crew exchange point. It also served as a marshaling yard with engine roundhouse. Then all that was moved to Barstow. Harvey House was torn down (really unfortunate) and the train station all but disappeared.
DeleteSadly this town won't revive anytime soon. Since your visit/story, the Taco Bell has closed, just this week they announced Denny's will be closing by the end of the month, The Dollar Tree store has closed, there have been rumors that the 99 cent store will be closing before the end of the year. They are however building a Dollar General when there is one less then 5 miles from here, but won't put a grocery store in town.
ReplyDeleteThe city knows that there are people in town without transportation, yet they don't push for a grocery store, it was nice when Bashas was here. The only good thing about Bashas closing was now San Bernardino County doesn't drop bus loads of homeless people off in the parking lot in the middle of the night like they used to do. Most of the homeless people now go to Set Free Church (the old Baptist church) to get back on their feet or off of drugs and get out of here or until they can find another town to get sent to through the church to get closer to other drugs and crime.
The town dying is not just because of the taxes, it is also because of the DRUG problem in this town, with drugs comes thieves, vandalism and other crimes. The empty houses are also because a bunch of the owners live further inland in Anaheim, LA, Long Beach, etc. and are charging those rents on some of the places in town. No one in town is going to be able to afford $1200 a month for rent in this town.
The town is dying fast and I don't see any come back from where it's at now.
Sad to hear that businesses are continuing to close and things aren't getting any better. I hope someone comes up with a plan to revitalize the town before it's too late, if it isn't already too late.
DeleteClearly the most viable option is to welcome the marijuana industry in to town with open arms, there are plenty of buildings sitting empty and many not too bad of shape.
DeleteRoute 66 has to be worth something I would imagine.
Bring more drugs into a drug infested town? Yep, sounds like a good idea. what could possibly go wrong?
Deleteonce a building or house in needles burns down it dont get rebuilt. just another empty lot.
DeleteFantastic photos and great blog! Great work mate. Myself and three friends from Edinburgh cycled for charity from Los Angeles to New York. We stayed an extra day in Needles due to the heat of the desert forcing us to take a rest day and rejuvenate before cycling through Arizona. We were very gratefully comped a free room for the extra night stay which was very kind of the owners as the cycle was in aid of a cancer charity. It`s sad to see the continuous decline over the years. Fingers crossed one day things move in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been an amazing journey! And what a great way to support such an important cause. Thank you for sharing your memories of Needles.
DeleteYes, but this is not a new story. When I was young, one did not go into Old Sacramento day or night - now you can't find a place to park. San Francisco Victorian mansions were going for a song. And many old Gold Country towns were in shambles. Now you couldn't buy an SF Victorian for millions, and you can't drive Highway 49 on a nice weekend. Needles has in fact begun to turn around - the restoration of the El Garces would be an accomplishment anywhere. Spike is being honored. And there are moves afront to otherwise bring the town back to healthy life. You can also buy a nice home in a nice neighborhood there - with a pool - for less than 150k. I'll bet Needles becomes a destination for tourists in the not-too-distant future.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad things are turning around. I'd love to see Needles become a thriving travel destination. It always amazes me that places can transform from incredibly run-down and scary to revitalized and expensive within the span of a decade or two.
DeleteOld Sacramento is on the Sacramento river which makes it quite a draw as does the Railroad museum and the upper crust dining , the Firehouse being my favorite.
DeleteIn the early 1970's it was an old dilapidated western town / skid row with buildings full of hippys and hypodermics all around the ground, with the railroad running through there transients were always around. The place is a tourist spot now with every building renovated, it had or has? a river boat moored on the river too, cobble stone roads wood sidewalks, alot of things a desert wont have.
March 2018 sorry to report it didn't happen!
DeleteBut California is sure supporting Illegal Immigration...
I live in Needles and see how much CA really cares about it. Simply put, they don't. There was talk about Needles becoming a part of AZ or NV at one time. It would have been nice to see that happen.
ReplyDeleteWe moved here a little over a year ago. My hubby and I were able to get a cute little turn key house for 30K. It beat trying to buy in Riverside, CA or surrounding areas. We made the move because hubby lost his engineering job of 17 years. Everywhere in So Cal was wanting to pay less than he could make as an appliance repair tech with Sears. He took that job and we eventually transfered out here. My in Laws have vacation/retirement property in the area so it was an easy move to make.
Cost of living is much better. When hubby got a new govt. job in Laughlin things greatly improved for us. Finding real full time work is tough for the tri-state area. Almost all available regular jobs are part time. There's nothing but retail, casino, food, automotive and medical for the most part. Almost all the jobs are going to be in Bullhead or Laughlin too.
I love the old buildings but hate they are boarded up and abandoned. Seeing the poverty in the area saddens me. There's a serious drug issue here as well as Bullhead City, AZ. As the other poster mentioned, a lot of places have closed since your article. However the corner gas station pictured has since opened as well as the Dollar General. The Burger Hut is supposed ot be reopening. The Old Trails Inn is actually rental cabins/houses. Housing prices have started to go up a little too. There's even a couple million dollar estates up for sale in Needles.
We do get snow birds (People from the cold/snow areas) that stay at the Marina during the winter but that doesn't help the economy too much since we have to go to AZ for pretty much all shopping. We get river people in the summer who come out too. Summer holidays get pretty busy around here.
It does get pretty hot in the summer but it's certainly not as bad as I thought it was going to be. We almost never have to run heat in the winter which is a bonus. Since it's so dry a swamp cooler keeps our house cool enough for most of the summer. We do have to use our A/C between mid July and mid August. The humidity gets too high for the swamp cooler. The winds can be a pain. It doesn't matter what you do, dusting is a weekly chore at least.
Congratulations on getting such a great deal on a home. It's amazing how ridiculously high home prices have risen in the LA area. I'm glad your hubby was able to get a government job. It sounds like Needles has treated you well so far. I hope the economy picks up there.
DeleteMy best friends Father worked in El Sugundo fpr XEROX and they bought their home in Alta Loma,(Cucamonga) also now known as Rancho Cucamonga to be uppity.
DeleteIt is 90 miles 1 way, his Dad drove 180 miles a day for 28 yrs! the house was $30k in 1968,so people do this to own where they can afford to live well.
I am the firstborn granddaughter of the Phillips family that is still a major part of needles and my grandparents both have recently passed within the last year, and a lot of their property is now being sold.😞 It broke my heart to see this article and these pictures... 💔this is where I was born and my extended family still lives there. I too pray Needles has a Revival! There is some foreshadowing of such in the animated Cars movie: where they bring the town back!!! 😄
DeleteWould it be foolish for someone to buy in Needles today. Reading this, I have concerns! Just curious, nearing retirement and the price is right!
DeleteAnything information or opinion you have to offer would be appreciated!
Fellow Colorado River city to the south Blythe also have most of these terrible issues, although there are more services including grocery stores. However the complete shopping needs for some people are still fulfilled by out of town shopping in places at least one hour away from Blythe, and that's longer than the trip to Fort Mohave and Bullhead City from Needles. In my opinion it has a poorer cultural situation because there's nothing very iconic there like Route 66 in Needles. I hope Blythe gets cleaner and attractive like in its heydey some five or six decades ago. Right now some areas are a mess.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Blythe, but I'll make a point of stopping there next time I'm in the area. I've heard there are some good hiking trails there.
DeleteHi, thanks for the great story on Needles CA. We just bought a home here in Needles and I gotta say I was sceptical at first due to the way things looked but I just couldn't pass up the price. I think the way the town looks and has become is because of our City leaders. They need to offer more incentives for businesses. They also need to implement some kind of drug intervention program for the kids in the schools. I do not live here full time, but I do plan on retiring here. If the change doesn't start right away I'm sure the town will continue to look the way it is.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new home! Hopefully the city will implement programs like those you've suggested. I'd love to see this city thrive.
DeleteThe town has deteriorated so much. Even back in the 90's, it had Basha's, car dealers, Denny's, clothing stores, etc. I was told that the large Morman population have caused Needles to deteriorate as they don't want outsider's to come into the town.
DeleteI have relatives that live there. I read from other viewers here about the drug problem, it is terrible I have family in the Set Free church drug problem and one who has made it out of there is now drug free. He is living with another relative. All on fixed income. There are no jobs in town. Most people work in Laughlin at the casinos. I've always called Needles the armpit of Calif. it gets so hot there in the summer it's like hell. There is no public transportation. My brother has to bumb rides to get to medical specialists in Apple Valley and Barstow. It's really sad. The medical care in Needles is poor quality, in that they can't treat anything major. I hope it rebuilds. I can't see my family moving anywhere because it's to expensive.
ReplyDeleteI hope it rebuilds too. It's good to know that there are programs out there helping people recover from drug addiction. I hope things improve for your relatives. I'm glad they are making an effort to improve their lives.
DeleteGoogle the name Rick Daniels aka Needles' City Manager who is paid a hefty $300k a year and you'll understand why the town is dying. His and the city council's bright idea now is making the historic little town the Marijuana capital of the state with cultivation buildings and several locations within the downtown area to purchase Marijuana products. So sad that this diamond in the rough city is going to hell in a handbasket.
ReplyDeleteThat is sad - but, also Needles is killing itself with the 'good old boy' mentality in the local government.
DeleteFunny 😄 you mentioned marijuana dispensaries is in my last post about the only thing I had to say about it was well you could always stop and buy your pot here
DeleteRegardless of your feelings about marijuana reality is reality and in life there are forks in the road where we can go this way or that way, in this case clearly the marijuana industry is the most plausible avenue to pursue for maximum result, it is in no way a pro stance any more than a brewery in the city limits, imagine prohibition in 2017 and the money that means, and realize the same thing is happening now but its an herb that cannot kill as alcohol can if you ingest too much, marijuana will never kill a person by overdose, alcohol is far more debilitating than marijuana, Alcohol can have you lying in the gutter in 15 minutes! and its addictive physically. Tax the snot of of it and welcome it as a wise move fiscally, there is no other way to turn things around as you can with this in mind. My Grandparents told me , walk the line , but keep it legal.
DeleteThe coastal elites who run this state view California locations such as Needles, the Central Valley, and the Imperial Valley as "flyover country", just as they do most of the middle of the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when people refer to Rural America as flyover country. If only they spent a little time there, they would know how beautiful and important it truly is. That's why I love a good cross country road trip. There is so much to see and appreciate, even though it is not glamorous like the big cities.
DeleteI read about graffitti being a problem although I never saw any in Google earth, you do know regarding the drug problem that illegal aliens typically bring / sell the stuff from Mexico, it is not a biker thing any longer.
DeleteRun the INS through there.
Well its still pleasant, I moved here and married my Husband, his whole family is from here sad thing that happen, was I-40, detoured business around Needles instead of down Rt. 66.. as of so many years before. I love the little town.. God Bless , we see more construction now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you've had a great life in Needles so far. I wish the government would have considered the repercussions the I-40 would have on business in Needles. It's a shame that the decision to bypass the business district had such negative effects on the local economy.
DeleteI remember when needles was a bustling town. 2 car dealerships, a large number of residents, 3 auto parts stores, etc... One of your pictures is of a fenced off gas station with a carwash next to it, i was about 8 or 9 years old when I helped my dad build that carwash one summer about 30 years ago. It really is sad to see it go down hill as much as it has. And yes there is a substantial drug problem there. Actually, the reason its called Needles, is because no one there is literate enough to spell "hypodermic"....
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you have so many memories of Needles during better times. Hopefully better times are ahead and you will have new memories of prosperity to add to the old ones.
DeleteNo one is literate enough to say " hypodermic? " The town is named after the mountains down river, self proclaimed smart guy. I grew up in Needles, and it was great. No doubt the town is not doing as well as it once was. Your final comment is insulting to the folks that used to live there, and the people that live there now. Quite honestly you are self-inflated, micro pinhead. TheWil72
DeleteNEEDLES BEGAN TO REALLY DIE IN THE EIGHTIES WHEN THE CITY FATHER'S VOTED TO KEEP BIG BUSINESS OUT FOR FEAR THEIR LITTLE BUSINESSES COULDN'T COMPETE. SO ALL THE BIG BUSSINESSES WENT INTO BULLHEAD CITY.I LIVED THERE ALSO SO LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN. IT WAS THE BIG FISH IN THE SMALL CITY THAT RUINED THAT TOWN.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI hate to say it but Needles reminds me of some of the southern towns like in the movie Macon County Line. Having resided in Needles for a number of years, alot of the business owner's, and residents, were not very friendly and welcoming. They's looked at newcomer's with suspicion- like they were a threat. Alot of resident's wouldn't support new business'es so they all closed. It also reminds me of Colorado City, AZ where the FLDS run the town.
DeleteThe tunnels under the green house were used to hide the Chinese illegal workers. Our friends lived in that house for awhile. I never got the sensation of it being haunted when we visited with our friends. Not once did our friends say they thought the house was haunted.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I would love to see photos of the old tunnels.
DeleteI pass through there every month or so and have watched Needles decline, it's a ashame watching the businesses disappear. if things come back to life I'll be happy for the town folks
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy too. I hope you soon see new businesses spring up on your monthly drives.
DeleteYou should all approve cannabis business or stay a dust bowl!
DeleteSo sad.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago a nearby prison was proposed for Needles. It was shouted down by many who insisted that every other person in town would be a relative of someone in the prison. Perhaps. I also grew up there and have been visiting for the past couple years. I like to spend a few weeks there in March. It's sad to see all the places boarded. I can't comment on drug problems but they are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteAs for the pot capital...It's about to be a legal product and brings money and a tax base with a relatively innocuous product. I'm all for it.
Hopefully the decline will not continue.
A grocery store would be great but, to be fair, the locals didn't support the one they had. They preferred to drive 10 miles into Arizona to buy groceries for a small bit less and fuel for much less.
Here's hoping things improve or, at least, don't degrade further.
I hope the legalization brings prosperity to Needles. I understand that many people have concerns, but it could provide the economic opportunity that the city has been waiting for.
DeleteYou fight two things: California taxes and the continuing decline of small independent business due to large discounters, like Walmart et.all. Until government begins to realize that you can run out of other peoples money nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteMy husband grew up in Needles in the 1950's and 60's. Even then there was talk that Needles could not grow because previous City Fathers had put in for as much water from the Colorado River as they were using right then, without any room for growth. In the early 70's, when I became acquainted with the town, businesses were already beginning to move to Bullhead City. It has been depressing to watch the decline.
ReplyDelete"Well I headed for Las Vegas, only made it out to Needles....
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read your article and all the comments it engendered. I spent my junior high and high school years in Needles. (Needles High class of 1961.) It was a was a wonderful place to be a kid. Miles and miles of open space spreading out in all directions. The beautiful Colorado River to play in. A scenic old ghost town just across the river in the Black Mountains of Arizona just across the river. The beautiful desert area now known as the Mojave National Preserve within easy reach. What an absolute delight! I am now at work on the fifth novel that takes place in the area during those times.
ReplyDeleteGary J. George, author of "The House of Three Murders"
Thank you, Gary! It really is a beautiful area and seems like it would have been a nice place to spend one's childhood. Thank you for sharing your memories. The comments are my favorite part of this article. I love to read about people's memories of this town. Congratulations on five novels! That is amazing. Do you have a writing group or other writer friends who give you feedback during the editing process?
DeleteMy wife Ginny helps me with editing and proofreading. Her help has been invaluable.
DeleteJust one more brief note about Needles. While it was a blow when Interstate 40 bypassed Needles, that's not really what killed the town. The Santa Fe (now the BNSF) killed Needles. Here's how. Most of the trains that left Needles in the 1950s and 1960s were fifty to seventy cars long. The lead locomotive was crewed by an engineer, a fireman, and a head-end brakeman. At the rear of the train was a caboose that held a conductor and a rear-end brakeman. Those were well paying jobs because of what was known as the 12 1/2 mile rule. Every 12 1/2 miles the train traveled earned an hour's pay for everyone on the crew. The westbound freights changed crews again in Barstow. Eastbound freights changed crews in Seligman, Arizona.
ReplyDeleteIn those days, there was no Amtrak. The Santa Fe ran its own passenger service. The Chief, the Super Chief and the local mail/passenger train The Grand Canyon all came through Needles. The crews on those trains worked Westbound all the way to Los Angeles.
Compare that to what you see now. The typical train going through Needles now has over one hundred cars. The crew? One person in the lead locomotive. One job where there were once five. ....and that's what happened to Needles and many other railroad towns.
That's pretty sad. Companies seem to cut jobs every chance they get. Thank you for sharing the interesting information, Gary.
DeleteOh, and the reason for Santa Fe having Needles as a division point where crews changed was based on the old steam engine mentality/rules of paying workers a days pay for every 100 miles traveled. Crews now cover 2 or 3 districts in 8 hours, less crews & less crew changes.
DeleteIt wasn't the railroad per say, it's business. Business is in it to make money. The only reason there were 5 members on a train crew were because of unions featherbedding & government over regulation. Trains didn't need a 'brakeman' since the 1920's when they had hand brakes. Trains haven't needed 'firemen' since diesal ization in the 1940's. A switchman isn't needed as there are no switching moves between yards & they are essentially units trains that need no switching. The bad old days when government regulation was strangling railroads from turning a fair profit have been gone since deregulation in 1980 (Staggers Act). BNSF can afford in invest in its infrastructure nowadays.
DeleteMy daughter was born in Needles because the OB didn't yet have his AZ license. I was so scared in that tiny, practically one-room "hospital." lived in Ft. Mojave and even worked at the Palo Verde College in Needles. I remember the students talking about "going to California" and I'd be confused by what they meant when they would clarify by calling L.A.-- the "real" California. I tell my daughter all the time that she made her point in Needles!!!
ReplyDeleteThank for sharing your memories! I love a good pun :D
DeleteThe City Manager makes 300k? There are street lights that haven't worked for months, the water is so hard we have to continually by new water heaters and plumbing....the electric is also city run....my pops moved their 20 years ago..I visit him often and all but beg him to move in with me away from there...it's scary
ReplyDeleteHow can a city manager make that much money in a dying town? That is absolutely mind blowing! I recently heard that the entire downtown of Needles, is going to be marijuana business'es.
DeleteI also love needles i was born there but after birth moved to san diego so in a sense i grew up going to needles my whole life.. it sucks how somebody took Spike's house out in front of Denny's if you don't know Spike its Snoopy's cousin or brother I don't remember which one but he had a little in front of Denny's and it was pretty cool to see my mom grew up there when she was little and I have a lot of cousins there and always remember that Big Greenhouse yes it really is sad to what that town has become today it seems so much different when I was younger with the growth of Bullhead City that's what happened to the town
ReplyDeleteI've just discovered your site and I'm really enjoying it immensely! You've really captured the essence of some very interesting places that most people will never see. Thanks for sharing them with us!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the site!
DeleteHello, Jim. Wanted to let you know I just published my fifth novel about the Needles area, "Deep Desert Deception". Gary J. George
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gary! Where can we find your novel?
DeleteAll five of the books are available at Amazon.com, both as kindle books and print books.
DeleteGary J. George
Hello again Jim. Another update! I had a long conversation with a current Needles resident and he told me that Needles is showing signs of change. It seems that Needles has the cheapest electricity rates in the state of California. Because of that, people wanting to legally grow marijuana for the legal market that begins January 1, 2018, are buying/leasing retail space in the downtown area. They will grow on site and hire people to harvest/trim/prepare/package the product. They are not interested in on-site selling (although I'm sure there will be some of that since Needles is the first California town encountered by those entering California from Arizona), but intend to ship their product(s) to sellers in the metropolitan area. The individual I spoke with says the local joke is that the town in considering changing its name to Weedles. Another note: I was perusing a copy of Inland Empire magazine recently, and it showed the changes in real estate prices in the Inland Empire in the last eighteen months. Places like Riverside, Redlands, Hemet, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona and others showed impressive increases in average property prices of 4 to 8%. Needles property showed an increase of over 200%! Interesting. Gary J. George
DeleteThanks for the update! I'm glad to hear that new opportunities are creating new jobs and increased property value to Needles.
DeleteI was In Needles on 12/3/17 The Dennys has closed
ReplyDeleteWe used to eat there all the time. I can't believe a Dollar Tree couldn't even make it in Needles. Now that's pathetic.
Deleteyes indeed i worked at dennys 1990 to 1996. don jonson got out from it and a bunch of corporate clowns took over. went down hill from there.
DeleteHaven't you all heard? Needles won't be selling Marijuana for recreational use...
ReplyDeleteOh and the 99 Cent Only Store is closing down this month too
ReplyDeleteI have been reading all the comments on here this morning from top to bottom because I have been thinking about moving to Needles. I lived in Bullhead for many years and use to go to Needles all the time for many things Bullhead didn't have like the Craft stores for one, and Bashas was closer then driving into Bullhead. I have always loved the town and to still drive through there on my way to my Daughters in Fort Mohave, it saddens me so much to see how far down the town has come. I drive through and see all the boarded up houses and it makes me cry. I am 72 now and I moved to Palm Springs many years ago and I want out of here. I want to move back to Needles and I would like to talk with the town manager about getting the town back on the mend. I have been in construction for many years remodeling houses and I am ready to start doing it again even though I have been retired for sometime. I am bored to death because I miss what I was doing for many years. I sit on the couch and watch all these shows on TV now doing what I use to do and it makes me want to do it again. I feel like I am missing out on doing what I love to do. I just got tired of guys not showing up for work or with hangovers and not doing the job right. I gave up and retired. I would love to get men who want to work and who live in Needles and want to see it come up again and start fixing up these homes and get the city council to let me write stories about how the town is coming back and get it back on the map. I am hoping that I can go talk with the town council and see if they would let me start this remodel of homes and get behind me and make Needles great again. I want to hire a few good men who want to work and who would work for me even though I am a woman I am a good boss. I want to do something before all the stores close. If anyone who lives in Needles wants to do this with me, and can help me out with more information how to go about getting the city council to talk with me about getting the town back to greatness, please let me know. I am ready to leave Palm Springs.
ReplyDeleteI never comment on anything on the web because usually it's a lot of nonsense. Your comment drew me out though, it put me in mind of the people of your generation that I admire. The folks who raised me, my parents and grandparents. Okies fleeing the dust bowl, Nebraska farmers who would go hungry before they asked for a handout, tough, decent, hardworking people. Folks who came to California in the middle of the last century, worked hard and tried to play the game square. The deck got stacked against them and lots of others in the last few decades, and not just in California. The false efficiency of transportation of goods and people is really the cause of much of the decline in communities across the U.S. For most of the history of the world people ate, shopped, worked, and played within a few miles of their home. Consumer goods were usually made within a hundred miles of where people owned them. That's as political as I'll get here, that's not the point of this site, and I'm not wanting to provoke any negativity. I will say that if I were in Needles I would be the first in line to try to get work with you. Most employers now are trying to wring the most out of their employees, and scheming to give them the least they possibly can, but you sound like the type that would treat workers as you would like to be treated. I guess I just wanted to say I respect that and good luck in your attempt to make a change.
DeleteI am an electrician with a contractors license. I would like to work on the electrical of all of the buildings on my future retirement city.
DeleteSigned: Want to move away from the rat race
need an electrician on house I am buying in needles can u help me George Crossman 7142358607
DeleteFor the past 16 years, I`ve lived in Kingman AZ, Laughlin, NV, and now Needles. Number one reason for the move to CA, IGNORANCE by the populace of the other two states. California bashing is rampant, especially in AZ. I love the tri state area, but couldn`t take the hate any longer. I`m no longer "embarrassed" to say what state I live in, and I LOVE it here!
ReplyDeleteJust visited Needles after twenty years and was surprised by a few things:
ReplyDelete1. the deterioration of the city in general
2. the number of million dollars homes now lining the river out on My Place Road and Bourbon street in the northernmost part of town.
3. the sudden influx of large number of business entities who wish to take advantage of the low utility rates and low commercial property prices to grow marijuana - not for retail sales but for wholesaling to legal dispensaries elsewhere in California. Judging by the number of applications, these businesses will produce hundreds of well-paying jobs that may revitalize my old home town. Good luck Needles! You need a break after all these years.
Gary J. George
I'm from New Zealand and was recently driving route 66 and stayed a night in Needles. My child enjoyed the playground near Dollar General however I feel it could use a facelift. Our accomodation was excellent and our dinner at one of the towns well known restuarants was great. I was impressed by the small Texaco station by Route 66. I had to pull in for a photo of our rental family truckster parked out front. The desert sunset was epic. Overall we enjoyed our night in Needles and I'd recommend further "Route 66" type restorations such as the Texaco station.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma moved to Needles in the 1920's. My mom grew up there and moved to San Bernardino after high school. I spent my boyhood summers in the 50's and 60's in Needles just mere yards from the river. I loved swimming in it; it was deep, green, and mighty swift. My grandma was a domestic worker cleaning those now abandoned motels and the homes of the rich people (doctors and dentists, etc.) up on the hill who were very arrogant towards her. One of my uncles worked for the railroad but eventually moved to SB, too. My grandma's neighborhood was composed of some white folks but mostly Chicanos and Indians, all of us poor. It wasn't til the 60's that I was able to recognize the racism permeating the town. Claypool's was the only grocery store then I believe, a family owned business who seemed to have a influence on the town and none of the folks in grandma's neighborhood like shopping there but what can you do? People gotta eat. But we never felt welcome there. But in my boyish innocence I loved Needles. My favorite spot was the library, just a sense I have now, no specific memories. Library as refuge, I guess. The heat never bothered me. I loved it. I'm sad to see it's decline. I've had fantasies of retiring there because the cost of living EVERYWHERE else is obscene. Maybe with the marijuana business it will foster a more enlightened community and economy.
ReplyDeleteMost likely the reason you didn't feel welcome there is because of the large Morman population of Needles. They didn't and still don't want outsider's in Needles. They'd rather have the town die than to welcome new people and business'es. Alot of people don't know this about Needles but it's true.
DeleteI drove trucks years ago and would turn south on hwy 95 As you turn south about a block there is a tin bidg on the right that has old style doors that are reminiscent of an old aircraft hanger On the roof on google maps it shows painted are the words Needles and Riverside Airport. Are their anyone old enough that lived in Needles that might remember any thing about it and if indeed there was an airport in that location Thank You
ReplyDeleteNeedles has an active airport next to the county road maintenance office. It is is active due to cheap storage prices for people was fly to Laughlin,Nv and Lake Havasu,Az. There is an outdoor shooting range near the old city dump that was closed when Needles contracted with Republic.
DeleteIt began as an Army Air Corps strip during World War II, I believe. It is actually known as Riverview, as is the cemetery next to it. You can read more about it, and others at: Abandoned and Little Known Airfields - California - S. E. San Bernardino County. Back in the early sixties there was no veterinarian in Needles, so a vet would come up from Blythe on Thursdays. He worked out of that hangar.
DeleteThe problem with the city was an old outdated city council what ran the town as is for the last 10 years. The city had no code enforcement officers to enforce the upkeep of abanded properties. The biggest problem the city had was a nonexisting law enforcement agency that charged so much it took up 70 % of the city's overall budget.
ReplyDeleteNeedles property value up 13.5 % the largest increase in San Bernardino county. County Assessor Bob Dutton is surprised by the increase and the way the city has improved itself. Needles Desert Star reports that Needles total value is 353 million according to Dutton.
ReplyDeleteRevisited my old home town of Needles on October 16, 2018. I found a number of locations where marijuana growing facilities are in operation and visited the location where the largest indoor growing facility in California is under construction. The people working in those places are making good wages, but it is not providing the economic benefit I had hoped for. The housing stock in Needles has deteriorated so badly that these workers are not buying/renting there. Instead, there are living in housing across the river in Arizona. This means that Needles still does not have the population base to support its own grocery store.
ReplyDeleteThere is economic opportunity there for an enterprising contractors / contracting companies. The company/companies could either: (1)create a new housing tract, or,(2) buy up all the houses in some of the badly deteriorated neighborhoods on Luna and Flora Vista and rehab them. The big grow facility will eventually employ 500 people. Those people will need housing.
Also, since college level training is required from some of these cannabis production jobs, Palo Verde College, which has a Needles campus, should offer class to allow local residents to meet those requirements.
Gary J. George / author of the "Smoke Tree Series" novels.
I go to school here. Still seems hella alive XD Welps :)
ReplyDeleteYou should all approve cannabis business or stay a dust bowl! I can get cannabis businesses to rebuild that town!
Deleteneedles looks like down town dertoit. and now the only bizz that fully made all these years is dope and honey hooker bizz. thats ok i would still move there.
ReplyDeleteYou should all approve cannabis business or stay a dust bowl! I can get cannabis businesses to rebuild that town!
Deletemaybe the city will be sold to the Chinese like Brooklyn new York has.
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDeleteI don't think Trump would be interested in Needles. No business opportunities there for him. A Trump Tower just wouldn't fit. And if there's nothing in it for him, why should he care?
ReplyDeleteYou should all approve cannabis business or stay a dust bowl! I can get cannabis businesses to rebuild that town!
DeleteI lived there over 20 years ago. I even worked at the Wagon Wheel that is mentioned in the story.
ReplyDeleteNeedles was declining rapidly then. Some of the places shown have been boarded up sine I lived there. I imagine once Basha closed there was no place for groceries.
Bullhead City/Mohave Valley have seen a steady growth with people working at the casinos. To accommodate the casino worker there is affordable housing because they have many mobile home communities. Rarely do you see any on the California side.
Needles could play up their route 66 history and hope for the tourist buck from people on their way to So Cal attractions But that would only bring service industry jobs. Code for minimum wage. The only hope is for outlying areas to grow towrds Needles. Too hot in the summer and nothing to draw the tourist from the river and casinos. Or even from The Grand Canyon on their way to the coast.. the chance if any industry moving there is slim and none.
Try to embrace your railroad history and route 66 with car rallies etc. Refurbish those grapes of wrath era gas stations and "motor lodges" people love nostalgia and route 66 is the most famous of roads before the interstate system. Play up the last gas for how ever many 100's of miles. But, you gotta be willing to advertise and invest in the place. If not it will be just another wide spot in the road. You are the first town in California. Welcome tourist!!
You should all approve cannabis business or stay a dust bowl! I can get cannabis businesses to rebuild that town!
ReplyDeleteMY HUSBAND RONALD RAY STOUTS FAMILY OWNED THE STATION RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FRM CHINA PANA RESTERANT. IN FACT HIS GRANDMOTJER WAS THE FIRST WHITE LADY BORN IN NEEDLES HOSPITAL WHICH WAS ACROSS THE STREET FRM THE SANTA FE HARVEY HOUSE OR WAS IT ACROSS THE STREET FRM WHT IS NOW ARROWHEAD CREDIT UNION WILL PUT MORE IN LATER.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe just retired here we are close to river which my hubby loves. We got a great deal on a house and moved away from big city! We are getting plugged in wherever we can and making the best of it! We are from vegas and lived in oceanside for 18 years and saw so much growth there so you will never know what needles will like in ten more years?!
ReplyDeleteDo You remember Loma's route 66 Cafe ? , The Nomad Motel, How about Sambo's or Locke's Texaco gas station on the south end of town. My Dad lived in town while he worked on the Building of the Needles Marina and Trailer park back in the 60's.
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of Needles and the special time I spent with my Dad in the summer helping with the project. A special treat was steak and eggs Breakfast at Loma's .