Death Valley in the 1930s

Road Workers & Guidebook Writers put the National Monument on the Map
by Cheri Rae

Touring Death Valley Then and Now

While U.S. Borax and a few individuals did a little to promote tourism in Death Valley in the 1920s, it wasn’t until the 1930s—and the establishment of Death Valley National Monument—that visitors flocked to the area.

It was a time when the public’s perception of the desert was changing. Land that had once feared for its harshness was suddenly celebrated for its unique beauty. Popular literature—ranging from local newspapers to a series in the Saturday Evening Post—was full of breathless accounts of the scenic splendor of Death Valley; one of the most popular radio shows of the 1930s was “Death Valley Days.” (The radio show eventually evolved into a long-running television show hosted by then-actor Ronald Reagan.)

America was in love with the desert. Railroads and touring companies were in place, auto touring was heavily promoted, and even a few hotels offered comfort to plucky travelers who wanted to investigate Death Valley for themselves. Everything looked rosy for big tourism business until the Great Depression took hold of the economy.

In a sense, though, the Depression was a great stroke of luck for Death Valley. It was the efforts of the CCC and WPA workers that created access to the new national monument. They worked at a time when comparatively few Americans were traveling. When post-war adventurers hit the road again, they discovered a nearly brand-new national monument full of intriguing sights.

Actually, travel to Death Valley did not cease entirely during the Depression. In 1933, the newly named National Monument received 9,000 visitors; by 1939, the number increased to nearly 60,000. By 1976, Death Valley was attracting 600,000 visitors yearly; today, Death Valley National Park receives more than one million visitors. Thanks to the efforts of the hard-working Americans of the 1930s, the major sites in the national park are relatively accessible, safe, and enjoyable to visit.

Today’s visitors to Death Valley flock from all over the world, all year-round. During the winter months, much of the visitation is by retired “snowbirds” camping in their motorhomes or trailers. But during the summer months, you’re more likely to hear visitors speaking German, French, and Japanese.

They find facilities unimagined by the unfortunate Manly party that stumbled into the bare land so many years ago. They drive in air-conditioned comfort, stay in comfortable hotel rooms or well-maintained campgrounds, order meals and purchase provisions at concessions in the park, even quaff a beer or two at the local saloon. They may brows through museums; take a swim in an Olympic-size pool; tour a Moorish castle; shop for souvenirs; enjoy the desert landscape while hiking along an interpretive path, referring to the brochure purchased at the kiosk located at the side of the road.

For many decades, Death Valley was administered as a National Monument by the National Park Service. Thanks to the efforts of hard-working environmentalists and members of Congress, Death Valley was upgraded to a National Park with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act in October, 1994.