Death Valley Junction, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Death Valley Junction
Amargosa
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 Death Valley Junction
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Inyo County |
| Elevation | 2,041 ft (622 m) |
| FIPS code | 06-18212 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1656477 |
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Death Valley Junction Historic District
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| Location | CA 127 and CA 190, Death Valley Junction, California |
| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | Alexander H. McCulloch |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000802 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 1980 |
Death Valley Junction, also called Amargosa, is a very small place in Inyo County, California. Its name "Amargosa" means "Bitter" in Spanish. It is located in the Mojave Desert, near Death Valley National Park.
This tiny community is at the crossing of two main roads, SR 190 and SR 127. It sits in the Amargosa Valley. Only a few people live here. The area is about 2,041 feet (622 meters) above sea level.
Death Valley Junction is famous for the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel. A talented artist named Marta Becket lived here. She performed dance and mime shows for many years. Her last show was in 2012, and she passed away in 2017.
The hotel is still open for visitors. However, many other parts of the town are old and not kept up. There is no gas station in town. You can find one restaurant, the Amargosa Cafe. A non-profit group called Amargosa Opera House Inc. owns and runs the Opera House, Hotel, and cafe.
The community is about 27 miles (43 km) east of Furnace Creek, California. It is also close to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The state of Nevada is only about five miles northeast.
The Timbisha Shoshone tribe has worked to get land in this area. Between 1999 and 2000, they tried to get about 7,200 acres (29 km2). This land would be used for homes and for their traditional ceremonies.
Contents
History of Death Valley Junction
The town of Death Valley Junction started in 1907. This was when the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad built tracks through the Amargosa Valley. They added a side track to the Lila C. borax mine nearby.
A man named Robert Tubb first owned the town. He ran a saloon and a store there. The town first appeared on maps in 1910.
Railroads and Borax Mining
In 1914, the Death Valley Railroad began operating. It connected Ryan, California to Death Valley Junction. This railroad carried borax, which is a mineral used in many products. The railroad stopped running in 1928.
From 1923 to 1925, the Pacific Coast Borax Company built many structures in the town. They hired an architect named Alexander Hamilton McCulloch. He designed the buildings in a Spanish Colonial Revival style. The main buildings were the hotel, theater, and office complex. Today, this is known as the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel.
Marta Becket's Arrival
The town began to become less active in the mid-1900s. In 1967, a dancer and actress named Marta Becket visited the town. Her car needed repairs, and she stopped there. She loved the old theater. With help from friends, she rented and later bought the hotel and theater buildings.
Post Office Changes
The Death Valley post office opened in 1908. It moved to Furnace Creek Ranch in 1961. A new post office, called Amargosa, opened in 1962. Its name was changed to Death Valley Junction in 1968.
In 1980, the town was recognized as important history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special place that should be protected.
The Death Valley Railroad used some tracks from the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. These tracks were about 3.19 miles (5.13 km) long. They were located southeast of Death Valley Junction.
Telephone History
For a long time, telephones in Death Valley Junction were "manual service." This means you had to talk to an operator to make a call. This continued until the 1980s.
To call someone in Death Valley Junction, you would dial the operator. Then you would ask for "Death Valley Junction, California, Toll Station" and a one-digit number. To make a call from Death Valley Junction, you would pick up the phone and wait for an operator. The operator was actually in Los Angeles, over 150 miles away! Today, Death Valley Junction uses area codes 442 and 760.
Notable people
- "Shotgun" Kitty Tubb – She was the wife of Robert Tubb, who first owned the town.
- Marta Becket – A famous actress, dancer, choreographer, and painter.
- Harry Rosenberg – An engineer who helped create useful titanium alloys.
See also
In Spanish: Death Valley Junction para niños
