Origins The community settlement dates back to 1870s. The community of Ludlow was named after William Ludlow of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1882, the town was founded. The town started as a
water stop for the
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. Ore was found in the nearby hills, leading to the town's boom. From 1906 to 1940 it was the southern railhead for the
Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad, operated by the
Pacific Coast Borax Company and bringing
borax and other mining products from
Death Valley and
Beatty, Nevada, to long distance
Santa Fe Railway lines. It also served as the northern railhead for the Ludlow and Southern Railway, a mining line that ran south to the Bagdad-Chase gold mine and the mining camp of Rochester. It operated from 1903 to 1931.
U.S. Route 66 By the 1940s, local mining and railway activity had ceased and the town survived supplying the needs of travellers on the
National Old Trails Road, renamed to become the legendary
Route 66 in California. With Ludlow providing a
Motor Court with
bungalow cabins, the
streamline moderne Ludlow Cafe, a gasoline-service garage, and shade. They operated through the late 1960s. After
Interstate 40 was built bypassing the town, there was little business and most residents departed, leaving
ruins of empty buildings and
Tamarisk trees that still stand flanking the old highway. Tourists following and exploring historic Route 66 pass through the
ghost town now.
Chinese history A Chinese family resided in Ludlow. Lee Yim, his wife Guishee Yim, and their five children lived in Ludlow. The family operated The Desert Inn Cafe and Hotel. The family lived in the community from 1914 to 1960s. ==Geography==