Rice, California began as Blythe Junction in 1916 before becoming an essential World War II military site under General Patton. You’ll find this ghost town along Highway 62 in the Mojave Desert, where it once boasted the “longest bar in America” at 180 feet. Today, you can explore remnants of two 5,000-foot runways, concrete foundations, and the curious “Shoe Fence” tradition. The desert’s reclamation of this abandoned outpost tells a fascinating tale of boom and bust.
Key Takeaways
- Rice was originally Blythe Junction before becoming a significant World War II military airfield under General Patton’s command.
- The ghost town features remnants of two 5,000-foot runways, building foundations, and rock-lined walkways from its military past.
- Rice claimed to have America’s longest bar at 180 feet during its military heyday.
- The unusual “Shoe Tree” tradition, where travelers tossed footwear into a tamarisk tree, continues today via a makeshift “Shoe Fence.”
- Located on Highway 62, Rice is now completely abandoned with zero residents but offers unique photography opportunities.
The Desert Oasis That Time Forgot
While few travelers speeding along Highway 62 today might notice the scattered remnants of Rice, California, this desert settlement once thrived as a significant waypoint in the harsh Mojave landscape.
The town’s origins date back to a simple railroad siding with a café and store, serving as a essential stop before military interest transformed its destiny.
After 1932, a municipal airport emerged, later acquired by the USAAF in 1942 to support Patton’s Desert Training Center. The area became strategically critical to wartime operations, with two 5,000-foot runways and multiple facilities. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer even visited the site in 1944 to evaluate it as a potential location for the first atomic bomb test.
The humble desert airfield transformed into a vital military asset under Patton’s command, supporting crucial wartime desert operations.
The base boasted what was claimed to be the longest bar in the USA at 180 feet, providing much-needed recreation for thousands of military personnel stationed there.
Historical artifacts remain partially visible—stone building fragments, cement slabs, and deteriorating gas station structures—as desert wildlife steadily reclaims the land.
From Blythe Junction to Rice: A Name’s Evolution
Originally established as Blythe Junction, you’ll find this settlement’s name reflected its strategic position near the Colorado River crossing and its function as a railroad siding with basic amenities like a café and store.
You can trace the formal shift to “Rice” occurring sometime before 1932, when the municipal airport was constructed, marking the community’s evolution beyond mere railroad functionality.
Your understanding of Rice’s identity would be incomplete without recognizing how the 1942 military acquisition further transformed the location into Rice Army Airfield, supporting General Patton‘s Desert Training Center operations with extensive runway infrastructure. The warm climate conditions required for successful rice cultivation elsewhere were ironically absent in this arid California ghost town. Today, the site contains zero permanent residents, standing as a true ghost town along the desert highway.
Railroad Origins Evolve
In 1914, the California Southern Railroad received its charter to construct a critical rail line stretching north from Blythe through the pass between the Big Maria and Little Maria Mountains. This railroad expansion established the original Blythe Junction in 1916, creating an essential 43-mile connection to the AT&SF mainline and nearby gypsum mines.
The junction’s strategic location facilitated substantial economic impact, enabling shipment of agricultural products and minerals from the harsh desert region. You can trace the area’s evolution when AT&SF leased the line in 1921, strengthening transportation infrastructure throughout the region. Ripley experienced significant community growth until devastating floods impacted the area’s development trajectory. The railroad became part of the Santa Fe system following the full acquisition of California Southern Railroad in 1897.
By 1920, the southward extension to Ripley amplified connectivity and growth prospects for local communities.
Though eventually renamed Rice, this railroad outpost retained its significance as a lifeline for commerce and transportation in this remote desert landscape.
Wartime Name Change
The transformation of Blythe Junction into Rice represents a significant wartime adaptation, reflecting broader military priorities during the early 1940s. As the U.S. Army Air Forces acquired the site in 1942, they required a standardized designation to avoid confusion with other Blythe locations and to establish clear military identification.
You’ll notice this renaming coincided with Rice Army Airfield‘s establishment, permanently altering the community’s identity. Military documents from September 1942 consistently use “Rice,” a name that quickly replaced Blythe Junction in official records, maps, and local usage. Once a bustling railway siding along the Arizona & California Railway, the location’s transition to Rice signified its new military purpose. This strategic location would eventually support the post-harvest transport of agricultural goods from nearby regions after military operations ceased.
The War Department’s communications formalized this change, which persisted long after military operations ceased.
This nomenclature shift holds historical significance as it marks the site’s wartime legacy—transforming from a simple railroad siding into a strategic military installation with enduring cultural impact.
Identity Through Transitions
While traversing the Mojave Desert today, you’d hardly recognize that Rice emerged from humble beginnings as Blythe Junction, a simple railroad siding established in 1914 by the California Southern Railroad.
This identity transformation reflected the area’s changing importance in regional transportation networks.
As railroads changed hands—from California Southern to ATSF by 1942—the location’s identity evolved alongside its operational purpose.
The establishment of Rice Army Airfield during World War II dramatically shifted its function from rail junction to military hub, accommodating thousands of personnel.
The site’s historical significance is layered through these changes: from unremarkable siding to bustling military installation and finally to abandoned ghost town after civilian operations ceased in the 1950s.
These identity shifts mark Rice’s journey through twentieth-century American development and decline.
Today, Rice stands as one of the region’s fascinating Ghost Towns that offers visitors an authentic glimpse into California’s railroad and military past.
The Golden Era of Railroad Operations
As railroad operations expanded throughout California in the late 19th century, Rice emerged as a strategic siding along the essential transportation corridor connecting Sacramento’s rail network to southern California routes.
You would’ve witnessed the profound economic transformation brought by the transcontinental railroad‘s completion in 1869, which slashed travel time from six months to under one week and reduced costs by 85 percent.
During this golden era, Rice’s café and store served both passing trains and local residents.
The settlement’s proximity to fertile agricultural land made it vital for crop transportation, as produce moved efficiently eastward through the rail system. The rise of Southern Pacific Railroad significantly impacted the transport of rice and other agricultural goods throughout the state.
Chinese laborers, skilled in various crafts and trained in specialized rail-laying techniques, were instrumental in building this infrastructure that integrated California into the national economy.
Rice Army Airfield: Desert Training Ground
When you visit Rice today, you’ll find that Rice Army Airfield once served as a vital component of the Desert Training Center, where the 339th Fighter Bomber Group and other units practiced desert warfare tactics, reconnaissance missions, and coordinated air-ground operations between 1942-1944.
The airfield supported large-scale military exercises involving P-39 Airacobras and P-40 Warhawks, which pilots flew for strafing runs and simulated combat scenarios in preparation for campaigns in North Africa and other desert theaters.
Though the facilities were decommissioned in 1944, you can still observe concrete aprons, abandoned structures, and other remnants scattered across the landscape, providing physical evidence of this significant World War II training installation.
Military Operational Purpose
During World War II, Rice Army Airfield emerged as a significant military asset when the U.S. Army established the Desert Training Center (DTC)—America’s largest military training ground spanning 18,000 square miles.
The airfield’s military legacy was intertwined with General George S. Patton‘s innovative desert warfare doctrine, providing essential air support for ground operations.
- Constructed in 1942 near essential railroad tracks, Rice Airfield supported P-39 Airacobras and P-40 Warhawks of decorated units like the 339th Fighter Bomber Group.
- Served as one of four key airfields where pilots conducted reconnaissance and dive-bombing missions over rugged terrain to prepare for North African combat.
- Facilitated combined-arms training that integrated tanks, infantry, and aircraft—a training significance that helped prepare over one million soldiers for overseas deployment.
Physical Remains Today
The physical remains of Rice Army Airfield stand as weathered monuments to America’s World War II military training legacy.
You’ll find two faintly visible 5,000-foot runways oriented NW/SE and NE/SW, with fighter dispersal pads extending southward. A concrete parking area persists half a mile south of Highway 62.
These historical remnants have deteriorated considerably. Wind-blown sand covers many archaeological features, while desert vegetation reclaims the landscape.
No standing structures remain from the original installation—only concrete foundations, deteriorating runways, and rock-lined walkways mark where 3,000 military personnel once trained.
Despite 65+ years of abandonment, the concrete aprons retain structural integrity.
Aerial photography from 2009 shows these abandoned structures remain largely unchanged since 2003, though desert plants progressively obscure these foundations of America’s wartime past.
World War II’s Impact on a Tiny Desert Community
In September 1942, World War II transformed the tiny desert community of Rice when the United States Army Air Forces acquired the local municipal airport, expanding it into the Rice Army Airfield. This military installation became essential to General Patton’s Desert Training Center, preparing troops for North African campaigns.
The transformation brought:
- A population surge with over 3,000 military personnel
- Extensive infrastructure including V-shaped runways and barracks
- Economic growth through military spending and development
Though ghost stories and military legends persist about the abandoned site, Rice’s significance peaked during this wartime period.
The community briefly flourished as a military hub before declining when the war ended. Under the Surplus Property Disposal Act of 1944, the government dismantled and sold the base, leaving Rice to fade into history.
The Curious Tale of the Rice Shoe Tree
Why would travelers toss their shoes into a tamarisk tree in the middle of the California desert? This peculiar custom along Highway 62 in Rice began as an “underwear tree” before evolving into a celebrated desert folklore phenomenon.
In the remote California desert, a mysterious tradition transforms discarded shoes into cultural artifacts along the desolate highway.
For decades, the tamarisk collected footwear of all varieties, becoming a landmark that chronicled travelers’ journeys through this remote corridor.
In July 2004, this living museum of shoe legends met a tragic end when vandals cut it down, erasing decades of accumulated history.
Undeterred, visitors created a makeshift alternative—the Shoe Fence—which quickly expanded to include abandoned gas pumps nearby.
The tradition morphed as women’s participation increased, with bras and t-shirts joining the collection of artifacts.
Today, the practice continues across multiple structures, preserving the rebellious spirit of this grassroots roadside attraction.
What Remains: Exploring the Ghost Town Today
When you visit Rice today, you’ll encounter the surprisingly intact Army Airfield ramp alongside scattered building foundations that hint at the town’s former significance.
The most striking remnants include the decaying Mercury vehicle abandoned since 1965 and used for target practice, visible amid other weathered military structures.
You’ll also find the peculiar shoe fence that replaced the burned shoe tree, standing as both memorial and ongoing visitor tradition along Highway 62.
Decaying Military Ruins
Today’s visitors to Rice, California encounter a haunting landscape of decaying military infrastructure from the once-bustling Rice Army Air Field.
Two faint 5,000-foot runways in V-shaped configuration remain visible from above, while concrete foundations of barracks and operations buildings that once housed 3,000 service members lie scattered across the desert floor.
The abandoned structures retain significant historical significance despite their deterioration:
- Fighter dispersal pads and a concrete parking area persist about half a mile south of Highway 62
- Rock-lined pathways and building foundations offer glimpses into wartime military life
- Authentic artifacts including ration containers mingle with modern debris like bullet-riddled vehicles
The desert slowly reclaims these remnants, with sand gradually obscuring the concrete evidence of this once-critical training facility.
Shoe Fence Tradition
Along Highway 62, where the sun-bleached remnants of Rice stand against the Mojave Desert, visitors encounter one of the ghost town‘s most peculiar attractions: the iconic shoe fence.
This community expression evolved from Rice’s original “shoe tree” tradition, where locals hung footwear and underwear on a tamarisk tree until its removal in 2004. When authorities cut down the tree, the tradition didn’t die but migrated to a nearby fence and abandoned gas station roof.
Today, you’ll find an ever-changing tapestry of shoes—from work boots to baby shoes—alongside bras and t-shirts adorning the roadside barrier. The shoe symbolism represents both personal journeys and collective memory, transforming an ordinary fence into a living artifact.
Despite no formal protection, this spontaneous folk art installation continues to thrive as travelers contribute their footwear, ensuring Rice maintains its quirky cultural significance despite its ghost town status.
Desert Reclamation: Nature’s Slow Return
The relentless desert has steadily reclaimed Rice since the conclusion of World War II military operations triggered the town’s abandonment. This natural restoration process transformed human infrastructure into a landscape dominated by native desert ecology.
The desert’s steady march erases mankind’s brief imprint, returning Rice to its natural, untamed state.
Where buildings once stood, only fragments remain—the gas station reduced to weathered concrete, stone walls crumbled to barely one-sixteenth their original height, and military structures completely erased.
Witness ecological succession through:
- The resilient palm tree that survived near the gas station ruins
- Desert scrub vegetation methodically colonizing the 5,000-foot runways
- Native plants establishing root systems through deteriorating concrete and asphalt
From the 1970s through today, nature has reclaimed its territory. The airfield appears only as faded outlines in satellite imagery, while wildlife has returned to inhabit this once-bustling military outpost.
Photography Opportunities Among the Ruins
Rice’s abandoned structures and decaying infrastructure offer photographers a hauntingly beautiful canvas that captures both America’s military history and nature’s inexorable reclamation process.
You’ll find the distinctive V-pattern runways and large cement apron particularly compelling when shooting at sunrise or sunset, when shadow play accentuates their historical significance.
The withered gas station and stone building with its well-constructed fireplace provide exceptional subjects for photographic techniques focusing on texture and contrast.
The monotone desert palette challenges you to utilize shadows creatively, especially under full moon conditions when the whitish concrete ruins take on an ethereal quality.
For unique compositions, position yourself on the cement apron looking east or west, or incorporate the surviving palm tree and shoe fence as foreground elements against the expansive desert backdrop.
Road Trip Stop: Visiting Rice Along Highway 62
When planning a road trip through southeastern California, consider adding the ghost town of Rice to your itinerary as a fascinating historical detour along Highway 62. This abandoned settlement offers unique opportunities for ghost town exploration, connecting you with California’s railroad and military history.
Rice’s historical significance becomes apparent as you:
Rice offers visitors a unique glimpse into California’s desert history through exploration of its forgotten structures and artifacts.
- Explore the remnants of the WWII-era Rice Army Airfield that supported Patton’s Desert Training Center.
- Photograph the iconic Rice Shoe Tree and abandoned cars resting on railroad tracks.
- Examine foundations of the old gas station and military headquarters.
Remember that Rice has no services, so bring water and supplies. Visit during cooler months for the best experience, and consider using a 4WD vehicle if you’ll venture beyond the main ruins.
Cell reception is limited in this remote location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Was Rice Named After?
Rice was named after the Rice family, early settlers of historical significance. You’ll recognize them as town founders who developed the railroad siding in the early 1900s, cementing their legacy.
Are There Any Dangerous Wildlife or Hazards Visitors Should Know About?
Like desert shadows concealing deadly secrets, rattlesnakes pose the main threat during your Rice visits. You’ll need safety precautions for wildlife encounters with ticks, black widows, and scorpions also present.
Is Camping Allowed Near the Ghost Town Site?
Yes, you’re allowed to camp near Rice Ghost Town. BLM permits dispersed camping with a 14-day limit in the wilderness area, while Calico Ghost Town nearby offers established campgrounds with modern amenities.
What Happened to the Residents When the Town Was Abandoned?
You’ll find it chilling: residents faced residential displacement during WWII when the military requisitioned their land. Later, as the town’s history unfolded, remaining inhabitants gradually left, seeking economic opportunities elsewhere as services disappeared.
Was Rice Ever Featured in Any Movies or Television Shows?
You won’t find Rice in film appearances or television references. Research indicates this ghost town hasn’t been featured in any significant productions, unlike other abandoned locations that attract Hollywood’s attention.
References
- https://www.slocal.com/blog/post/ghosts-of-san-luis-obispo-county/
- https://digital-desert.com/rice-ca/
- https://www.thedesertway.com/rice-aaf/
- https://kids.kiddle.co/Rice
- http://cali49.com/mojave/2016/3/16/rice-cal
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/rice.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP9Sla_XPoc
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNbi6nieJLE
- https://www.abandonedrails.com/rice-to-ripley
