Hello Everyone! Continue on our Route 66 journey, we had an opportunity to drive Route 66 from Las Vegas, NV to Los Angeles, CA. As we drove about 130 miles southwest of the landmark Roy’s Motel and Cafe sign, Amboy, California, we caught sight of two large white statues, set back about 500 feet from the roadside. These two solid marble Chinese lions are surrounded by nothing but desert, hot sun, and unimpeded winds.
One of the most photographed on California Route 66 is the Roy’s Cafe Motel just about 3 miles from the lion statues. The town Amboy became a popular destination after the opening of U. S. Route 66 in 1926.
The Roy’s service station opened in 1938, owner Roy Crawl teamed up with Herman "Buster" Burris to grow the business to a 24-hour motel with six cottages, a café and a gas station. Amboy grew to 700 with a school and a church.
Across from the Amboy School, is the St. Raymond Church.
St. Raymond’s Church was dedicated March 8, 1951. The church was designed to seat about 100 people. An estimated 40 Catholic families lived in the region; most of the patriarchs worked on the railroad or the salt mines. The church closed in 1970.
But after Interstate 40 opened in 1973, it was the beginning of the end for the small town. In the '80s and '90s, Amboy became a popular film destination. Roy's appeared in films such as "The Hitcher" and "Kalifornia."
A life size statue of a white horse rearing up in the small courtyard.
Few miles down the road, we visited the Amboy Crater, which is an inactive volcano.
Amboy Crater, formed of ash and cinders, is 250 feet high and 1,500 feet in diameter. The crater is in one of the youngest volcanic fields in the United States.
We didn’t have the time to hike up to the crater and plus the sign says: “HEAT WARNING.” Hiking is not recommended.”
Part II will cover few old building along the Route 66, Bagdad Cafe, the First Original McDonalds Museum, The Wigwam Motel, and Cucamonga Service Station. Until then, thanks for traveling with us. Blessings!
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