In the arid heart of the California desert lies Highway 80, a forgotten relic of America’s transportation history.
Once a bustling, coast-to-coast route, Highway 80 stretches 2,725 miles from Savannah, Georgia, to San Diego, California.
Today, a stretch of this historic highway, particularly between Holtville and Ocotillo, is eerily silent, overshadowed by the rise of Interstate 8.
Long before the interstates reshaped the American landscape, Highway 80 was the nation’s first all-weather, coast-to-coast highway.
It served as a vital link for travellers, freight haulers, and families heading westward, cutting through iconic towns and landmarks.
However, as Interstate 8 took over in the 1960s, Highway 80’s relevance quickly dwindled, leaving its ghost towns in its wake.
Traffic, once vibrant and constant, disappeared almost overnight.
Between 1964 and 1991, Highway 80 was slowly removed in increments between Dallas and San Diego.
It was considered obsolete to the western states, which favoured the new Interstate highways.
As such, Highway 80 is no longer an active US Highway in California, Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas.
YouTuber Sidetrack Adventure recently ventured down this now-deserted highway, visiting places like Seeley, Dixieland, Plaster City, and Coyote Wells, towns that once thrived along the route but now remain silent and largely forgotten.
While sections of Highway 80 have been preserved as County Route S-80, these remnants serve as a stark reminder of the toll progress has taken.
The once-thriving communities along the route have never recovered from the sudden shift in traffic patterns.
Seeley, a tiny settlement that once catered to travelers, now has little more than abandoned buildings and faded signs.
Similarly, Dixieland and Plaster City, both of which boomed during Highway 80’s heyday, have seen their populations dwindle to near nonexistence.
Road signs, old gas stations, and rusting vehicles along the route tell a story of a once-vibrant chapter in America’s growth, now swallowed by the desert’s unforgiving expanse.
Though it’s easy to pass through these towns without a second thought, for those who take the time to explore, the remnants of Highway 80 offer a rare glimpse into America’s past.
As for the highway itself, while it’s still drivable in sections, it’s clear that its days of being a major route are long gone.