Chambless
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Chambless was never a big place—more like a pit stop than a town. It had a gas station, a little café, and some cabins where people could spend the night. It was part of an area known as the "Cadiz Summit," which was a tough stretch of road through the desert.
But then, in the 1970s, things changed when a new highway, Interstate 40, was built. This new road was faster and more direct, but it didn’t pass through Chambless. As a result, fewer and fewer people stopped by, and the businesses in Chambless couldn’t survive without the steady stream of travelers. Over time, the town was mostly abandoned.
Today, Chambless is a ghost town. If you visit, you’ll see some old, crumbling buildings, like the café and gas station, that stand as reminders of what used to be. It’s kind of spooky but also cool to think about how this little town was once a busy spot on Route 66, full of life and activity. Now, it’s a quiet place that tells the story of how times change and how some towns just get left behind.
Chambless at Cadiz road is one of the few shady spots along 66. Old tourist cabins are boarded up, the restaurant and gas station abandoned, the Roadrunner Cafe closed for good. Chambless at one time was a busy roadside stop and rest area.
Road Runner's Retreat
