Amboy is a great example of how changes in mobility alter population trends. The once famous stop-over community on the mythologized Route 66, the community population swelled to a paltry 65, mostly supporting the convenience needs, notably at Roy's Motel and Cafe. When the competing interstate 40 opened in '73, the popularity of the new route withdrew traffic from Route 66 and dissolved Amboy's population in the process. There are still things to see here. This is California after all.

There are two extinct volcanoes west of Amboy, the Amboy crater (6,000 year old cinder cone) and Pisgah Crater, another cinder cone located closer to Interstate 40. Amboy cinder cone is a nicer, better preserved example of the two craters.

The funky mid-century architecture of recently reopened Roy's Motel and Cafe still attracts interest from the urban explorer communities and people navigating the historic Route 66. The Amboy school stands in derelict glory as it was--shuttered in 1999. Under newish ownership and a new coat of paint, Roy's is now a popular stopover destination for the occasional celebrity sighting and people looking for a funky comfort food experience and refuel on their way through the Mojave. As for the future--who knows, it's entirely possible this chunk of land will fall prey the same history that initially unraveled the town in the '70s.

The US census claims 4 people now live in Amboy, all men. The photos below of Roy's Motel and Cafe are dated as both have been restored and are in operation as of 2008, nevertheless the community is littered with abandoned structures and relics of its former self.