INTRODUCTION
Gunfighters interact with youngsters in Oatman.
Photo contributed by Stan Usinowicz
Historic Route 66, Laughlin casinos, and a lively gold mining town—these are the highlights of the Tri-State area where Arizona, California and Nevada share borders. Winter visitors hit the trifecta by virtue of the perfect weather for outdoor living (RV spots), the mighty Colorado River for fishing and boating, and plenty of indoor venues for entertainment.
Historic Route 66 passes through the heart of the Tri-State area, giving tourists a taste of “Americana” as it passes through Needles, Oatman, and Kingman. Travelers can’t miss the Laughlin stopover with Las Vegas-style gambling that caters to visitors any time of year. Historic 66 then passes through the town of Oatman, where burros walk freely in the streets, mock gun battles ensue and shops offer curios. When the highway reaches Kingman, Route 66 reaches its longest remaining unbroken stretch of “The Mother Road,” east to Seligan
ATTRACTIONS
Little has to be said about the eleven casinos lined up on Casino Boulevard in Laughlin except that they offer 11,000 hotel rooms total and lots of gaming. Between Laughlin and Bullhead City across the bridge, they offer RVers over 2,400 sites to park their rigs.
With Mohave Lake behind Davis Dam, there is plenty of fishing, boating and camping along the water’s edge. The dam was built in the 1940s and just below where the Colorado River continues to flow, is the site of the winter bluegrass festival.
By: Mary Reynolds
El Garces Train Depot in Needles, Calif.
Photo contributed by Mary Reynolds
It was over 50 years ago that people could actually reserve a room in the Santa Fe Railway hotel/restaurant chain within the Harvey House system. Some 100,000 Harvey Girls worked for Fred Harvey between 1883 and the 1950s before the system declined due to the growth of air travel. There are only a few women left who remember the experience, and there are only a few structures that exist that are historically preserved for future generations.
The train station at Needles, Calif. is one of those places—El Garces Train Depot and Harvey House. It is being renovated as a 55-room hotel with a 4-star restaurant and for use as a intermodal transportation center. The 66,000 square foot building will be put back into operation to at least part of what it was back in the day when El Garces was known as the crown jewel of the Harvey House chain.
One woman who knows for sure is former Harvey Girl Dora Taylor, who has lived in Needles most of her life. Her story is similar to other women who were waitresses, served a four-course meal in 30 minutes and were expected to act like Harvey Girls 24 hours a day.
El Garces Train Depot should be ready for reservations by June 2009, but the building itself will be 100 years old on December 22, 2008. There will be a centennial celebration in the lobby where at least the gift ship, museum, and new lobby area will be complete.