FIRST -- Site of Barstow High School, Barstow CA
N 34° 53.918 W 117° 01.601
11S E 497562 N 3861802
Barstow's first high school was built on this site, which is now the El Rancho Motel at 112 E Main St on old Rte 66. DO NOT DRIVE IN HERE IT'S NOT SAFE TO VISIT ON-SITE.
Waymark Code: WMQVVX
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/02/2016
Views: 2
We drove in to take a look at the Rte 66 display, which featured an attractive display of Rte 66 shields from different states and a sign that told about this historic motel. That particular sign reads as follows:
"HISTORIC ROUTE 66
EL RANCHO MOTEL
Location of 1st two Barstow High Schools 1915-1939
El Rancho Auto Court
-- Junction of Hwy. 91 and 66 1944-Present
Motel built with railroad ties of Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad
Sponsored by the Mojave River Valley Museum
Barstow Chamber of Commerce and El Rancho Motel"
From the City of Barstow website: (
visit link)
"Barstow High School first established in a home near corner of First and Williams Streets, September 15, 1915"
First Street is the modern I-15 Business Route, also known as Main Street and the former US 66.
Although the El Rancho looks welcoming for Rte 66 tourists, in reality it is a haven for drug dealers and prostitutes. Within 20 seconds of our arrival we were challenged from across the parking lot by a drug dealer, and the prostitute near him raised her miniskirt for us.
For this reason, we recommend a drive-by photo ONLY. For purposes of a visit ti this FIRST WM, we will accept a photo only of the sign, from anywhere it can be seen. We can't even recommend a stop outside the motel for a photo. This entire area is very rough.
Nevertheless, this is a part of Barstow history and deserves to be waymarked.
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