Goffs, California
Encyclopedia
Goffs, an unincorporated community
in San Bernardino County, California
, is a nearly empty one-time railroad town at the route's high point in the Mojave Desert
. Goffs was a stop along famous U.S. Route 66
prior to 1931, when a more direct route between Needles
and Amboy
was built. Goffs was also home to workers of the nearby Santa Fe Railroad, with Homer east, Fenner
south, and Blackburn and Purdy north.
Goffs was known as Blake between 1893 and 1902. It was named for Isaac Blake, the builder of the Nevada Southern Railway (later the California Eastern Railway
1895–1923) that commenced here.
An early 20th Century general store
is the town's largest building (now abandoned). A historic schoolhouse, built in 1914 and almost totally deteriorated by the early 1980s, has since been renovated to its original plans by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association (MDHCA). The schoolhouse and grounds now house a museum primarily specializing in the area's mining history. Remnants of Goffs' mining days still dot the town.
Goffs is accessible off Interstate 40
at U.S. Highway 95 north. A left turn onto Goffs Road, the pre-1931 alignment of US 66, becomes a desolate forty-mile (64 km) stretch which served as home to several towns which have mostly vanished including Bannock, Ibis and the aforementioned Homer . Continuing west on Goffs Road brings motorists back to I-40 northeast of the town of Essex.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, is a nearly empty one-time railroad town at the route's high point in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. Goffs was a stop along famous U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
prior to 1931, when a more direct route between Needles
Needles, California
Needles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
and Amboy
Amboy, California
Amboy is an unincorporated town in San Bernardino County, in California's Mojave Desert, west of Needles and east of Ludlow on historic Route 66. It is roughly 60 miles northeast of Twentynine Palms.-Geography:...
was built. Goffs was also home to workers of the nearby Santa Fe Railroad, with Homer east, Fenner
Fenner, California
Fenner is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Fenner is located along Interstate 40 west of Needles....
south, and Blackburn and Purdy north.
Goffs was known as Blake between 1893 and 1902. It was named for Isaac Blake, the builder of the Nevada Southern Railway (later the California Eastern Railway
Barnwell and Searchlight Railway
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway is a defunct 23-mile shortline that operated from 1906 - 1911. The railroad ran from Barnwell, California to Searchlight, Nevada. It was always operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway....
1895–1923) that commenced here.
An early 20th Century general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
is the town's largest building (now abandoned). A historic schoolhouse, built in 1914 and almost totally deteriorated by the early 1980s, has since been renovated to its original plans by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association (MDHCA). The schoolhouse and grounds now house a museum primarily specializing in the area's mining history. Remnants of Goffs' mining days still dot the town.
Goffs is accessible off Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
at U.S. Highway 95 north. A left turn onto Goffs Road, the pre-1931 alignment of US 66, becomes a desolate forty-mile (64 km) stretch which served as home to several towns which have mostly vanished including Bannock, Ibis and the aforementioned Homer . Continuing west on Goffs Road brings motorists back to I-40 northeast of the town of Essex.