Roadside Attraction

Borax Wagon

Needles, California

Mile Marker 1817 mi from Chicago

Price $

Highway Historic Route 66

The "Welcome to Needles" wagon was originally used as an advertisement for the long closed El Rancho Motel. At that time it was adorned with signs that read: "El Rancho - Needles - Cooled by refrigeration - Swimming Pool - Room Phones". Now it simply says "Needles - California", and has been painted a different color. It is a "borax wagon" which was used to move out the borax (a type of salt) dug up at Death Valley to the railway sidings in the 1880s. They were pulled by teams of eighteen mules and two horses."

Official Website

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