Death Valley National Park in Inyo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Death Valley’s First Tourist Resort
Photographed By Craig Baker, March 30, 2022
1. Death Valley’s First Tourist Resort Marker
Herman William “Bob” Eichbaum long dreamed of building a resort hotel in Death Valley, convinced that its “beauty, mystery, and history” would attract tourists. Beginning in 1915, motion pictures, automobile companies, and writers created exciting tales and advertisements about its harsh environment, dispelling some of the apprehensions and fears about travel in Death Valley.
In 1925, Eichbaum decided the time was right to follow his dream. Selling his profitable sightseeing business on Catalina Island, Eichbaum constructed a 38-mile toll road over Towne Pass, and built 20 green-and-white tent-style bungalows, a restaurant, general store, and filling station. Nicknamed Bungalette City, the Stove Pipe Wells Hotel opened in 1926, reflecting a shift from mining interests to tourism. Several months later, the luxurious Furnace Creek Inn opened, launching a rivalry between Eichbaum and the Pacific Coast Borax Company to capitalize on the increasing numbers of tourists coming to explore the beauty and wonders of Death Valley.
Charging $2 a car and 50 cents per person, the Death Valley Toll Road was funded with Bob Eichbaum's own money. Modern day CA 190 closely follows the route of the old toll road.
background photo caption:
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel, 1930.
The
this page online
Erected by Death Valley National Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 36° 36.474′ N, 117° 8.668′ W. Marker is in Death Valley National Park, California, in Inyo County. Marker is on California Route 190, on the left when traveling east. Located at the Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Death Valley CA 92328, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Burned Wagons Point (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Road To Adventure (approx. 0.2 miles away); Eichbaum Toll Road (approx. 0.2 miles away); Devil’s Cornfield (approx. 4.1 miles away); Old Stovepipe Wells (approx. 5.1 miles away); An Architectural Heritage (approx. 8.9 miles away); Skidoo Mill (approx. 11.8 miles away); Skidoo (approx. 12 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Death Valley National Park.
Also see . . . Stovepipe Wells Resort. Hotel, restaurant, activities, history. (Submitted on April 15, 2022.)
Photographed By Craig Baker, March 30, 2022
2. Death Valley’s First Tourist Resort Marker
Stovepipe Wells Hotel is visible in the distance.
courtesy National Park Service
3. Death Valley Toll Road
Credits. This page was last revised on November 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 216 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 15, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
