El Rancho Motel -- Barstow CA - Direction and Distance Arrows on Waymarking.com

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. We don't recommend that you do the same.

That particular sign we were visiting 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"

Surrounding this history sign are nearly 40 direction and distance arrows, including a funny joke one that points straight down, pretending to point the way to China.

We think these signs and the Rte 66 display here were installed in a 1994 renovation, when new owners decided to renovate and focus on a few Rte 66 tourists and long-term senior residents to displace transients who had been staying here under previous management. See: (visit link)

Although the El Rancho looks welcoming for Rte 66 tourists, in reality it is a haven for criminals and sex workers. Within 20 seconds of our arrival we were challenged from across the parking lot by a drug dealer, and a prostitute near him raised her miniskirt to us.

The majority of the rooms look like they are being rented as apartments by long-term tenants with severe life issues, where the next step down is a highway overpass. This is a sad and dangerous place, but nevertheless, this is interesting and deserves to be waymarked.

For these reasons, we recommend a drive-by photo ONLY. This entire area is very rough.

Be aware that information on the internet about this being a gem of a place to stay is WAYY out of date.

Date placed: 01/01/1994 Historic significance: These arows show the distance to various cities and towns on Rte 66 and the world. It's part of a display at a historic Rte 66-era motel. Location nearest to where you live now: DALLAS -- 1170 miles east of Barstow

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/08/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it