Barstow’s Main Street

We’re going to travel down Main Street eastbound, from the 58 Freeway on the west side of town, through downtown Barstow, and end at I-40 in the east. Start your journey by taking I-15 to the 58 Freeway, then take the exit for Main Street.

Main Street has a long history as U.S. Routes 66 and 91.  Just remember, all the traffic that now travels on interstates 15 and 40, used to travel on this road.  Traveling on Main Street from Hwy 58, the first mile and a half was on the outskirts of town.  Along this section, some of the vacant buildings you see here were once popular spots for locals and travelers to dine and drink.

About a mile from the freeway on the left, you’ll see a panorama of trains and large buildings on the left.  This is BNSF railroad’s locomotive works.  It is their major maintenance shop along this western segment of the railroad’s span between Chicago and Los Angeles. East of the locomotive shops, you’ll see BNSF’s massive freight classification yard, which we’ll visit shortly.

Keep in mind that it was this rail line, the Santa Fe, that went from Chicago to L.A. Later, Route 66 would be built following this general path.

At about 2.3 miles, just after passing by the intersection of L Street, you’ll begin to see some classic old hotels and cafes.  In fact, on the right was the site of the famous Bun Boy, which was a Barstow icon for many decades.  Sadly, it was torn down in 2014.

If you turn left at the Fosters Freeze onto H Avenue, you can get a closer look at BNSF railroad’s classification yard.  Rail cars are sorted here and are lashed onto new trains that go to various destinations.

At about 3 miles, Main Street begins to climb a small hill.  In this area, you will begin to see more classic route 66-era hotels that have been lovingly restored.  Keep a lookout for their classic-looking signs. Just past and over the hill, more hotels can be seen.  One has a great collection of artifacts, along with murals on the side of a wall.  At the bottom of the hill, you are officially in downtown.

On the right, you’ll see the classic El Rancho hotel.  This hotel was popular with movie stars traveling between Las Vegas and L.A. during the 1940s and fifties.  Frank Sinatra often stayed at this hotel.

Across from the El Rancho is First Street.  This was actually the former junction of Route 66 and Route 91, which came in from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.  It was considered a major intersection and was once the busiest intersection along all of Route 66! Just like I-15 experiences traffic backups on Sunday afternoons with traffic returning to Los Angeles from a Las Vegas weekend, similar traffic lined up behind the traffic light here before the freeways were built in the late 1960s.

If you head north on First Street, you’ll cross the railroad tracks and see the Harvey House, which is another one of Barstow’s historical gems.  Check out the separate post that shows off the Harvey House.

Now, we’ll head into the main segment of downtown.  Look for old neon signs on the buildings, as well as the city’s addition of classic American car monument signs that have become a popular attraction.

In the downtown area, you’ll begin to notice numerous murals.  The one pictured below depicts the gold rush that occurred in Barstow. Other murals explain some of the historical events in Barstow, including Native American history.  One mural also showcases the wildlife found in the surrounding desert.

Continue your trek eastbound on Route 66 and Main Street.  At about 4.4 miles, you’ll encounter additional classic hotels from Route 66’s heyday. Soon, you’ll descend another hill as our trip down Main Street nears its end at the junction of I-15.  However, here is where one of the more interesting businesses of Barstow is situated.

Barstow Station is often the busiest McDonalds – in the world. Here local and international travelers stop for food, shopping and maybe a souvenir or two that showcases Route 66 and its impact on American culture.

After Barstow Station, on the right, was the site of a classic old Terrible Herbst gas station.  Today however, it stands once more, this time living life as a Chevron gas station.  Beyond that, is the old Barstow mall, which is now mostly government offices.

Our journey ends at I-40, which is the end of Main Street. But not for Route 66. Turn left just after passing under the interstate. Here, you’ll turn onto National Trails Highway, which is historic Route 66.