Hilltop Mart - Mojave Desert - California

Aug 16

It seems the perfect place for a convenience store - gas station - rest room break spot, out in the middle of nowhere, just off a busy interstate, with no other such places for miles and miles. And it probably was a busy place for many years. Who knows what happened. It eventually closed, no new buyer gave it a chance and then our old friend, entropy, got to work. Vandals, scavengers, mother nature; thus began the gradual decline into disorder. But sometimes disorder is very photogenic.

What’s left today is, to me at least, a fascinating place to poke around in and photograph. Anything of value, monetary or informational, has long since disappeared, but that’s ok. What’s left is, again to me anyhow, a very interesting stop filled with unique photo opportunities. While many probably see this abandoned building as an eyesore along the highway, there are those who find such places captivating in a kind of melancholy, walking dead-esque way. I find a rather haunting beauty in abandoned spots; some evoke nostalgic memories of how things used to be, some giving a glimpse of what the world might look like if people disappeared.

Anyways, it was really, really hot when I stopped here. In fact, it was so hot that the cows out behind this place were producing evaporated milk.

A couple of gas pump remains are still on the pads. That little awning is not providing much shade.

It appears the front portion of the business had a little food and drink section and probably sold other things passing travelers might be in need of. Three large bays in the back must have been for cars needing repair work.

Looking in through one of the front windows

A look at what appears to have been a cold section for drinks and snacks.

Looking out the front windows, over the checkout counter. Really a nice view through the windows. But I wonder how many employees watched the traffic passing by out on the highway, wishing they were somewhere else.

Quite a large work place for the mechanics.

Looking the other way. Inside the room on the right, a creepy stairway leads up above the two storerooms. And as is seemed sturdy enough, up I went.

The view from up above. This upstairs area was most likely used as storage for parts and supplies.

Give me a window looking out of an abandoned building, I’ll take a picture through it. It just seems like the thing to do. Sometimes they turn out pretty nice.

What traveler doesn’t appreciate a clean restroom.

A google maps image of what the place looked like in 2008.

There are several other buildings on the property, the one visible here between the signpost legs appears to have been a small motel or apartment building with three separate dwellings. It is pretty trashed. There’s also a large storage building and a couple of wiped out single wide mobile homes.

I’ll most likely stop by here again, hopefully during a cooler time of year. I think there are still a lot of photos to take before the Hilltop Mart disappears for good.

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