Stovepipe Wells, California
Encyclopedia
Stovepipe Wells is a small way-station in the northern part of Death Valley
, in unincorporated
Inyo County
, California
.
and along State Route 190 (SR190)
at less than 10 feet (3 m) above sea level
. West on SR190 is Towne Pass at about 4950 feet (1,508.8 m) above sea level. Eventually, the road meets State Route 178 (SR178)
at Panamint Junction in the Panamint Valley
. East on SR190 the road leads to Furnace Creek
and Death Valley Junction
.
Variant names listed for the Inyo County
location by USGS include Stove Pipe Wells Hotel and Stovepipe Wells Hotel. The US Postal Service ZIP Code is 92328, and the locale name is spelled Stove Pipe Wells in some postal renditions. It is commonly referred to as Stovepipe Wells Village.
In 1925, entrepreneur Bob Eichmann began construction of the hotel at Stovepipe Wells, along with a scenic toll road through Death Valley. This marked the beginning of the transition from mining community to tourist destination.
The default format for wired telephone numbers in the community is in the Death Valley exchange
: (760) 786-xxxx. The community had manual telephone service until the late 1980s.
The community is contained within the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District.
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Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
, in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Inyo County
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Geography and names
Stovepipe Wells is located at 36°36′22"N 117°08′47"W and is US Geological Survey (USGS) feature ID 235564. It is entirely inside Death Valley National ParkDeath Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
and along State Route 190 (SR190)
California State Route 190
State Route 190 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that is split into two parts by the Sierra Nevada. The western portion of begins at Tipton at a junction with State Route 99 and heads east towards Porterville before ending at Quaking Aspen in the Sequoia National Forest...
at less than 10 feet (3 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. West on SR190 is Towne Pass at about 4950 feet (1,508.8 m) above sea level. Eventually, the road meets State Route 178 (SR178)
California State Route 178
State Route 178 is a route that exists in two constructed segments. The gap in between segments is connected by various local roads and State Route 190 through Death Valley National Park....
at Panamint Junction in the Panamint Valley
Panamint Valley
The Panamint Valley is a long basin located east of the Argus Range and Slate Range, and west of the Panamint Range in the northeastern reach of the Mojave Desert, in eastern California, United States.-Geography:...
. East on SR190 the road leads to Furnace Creek
Furnace Creek, California
Furnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....
and Death Valley Junction
Death Valley Junction, California
Death Valley Junction is a tiny Mojave Desert community in unincorporated Inyo County, California, at the intersection of SR 190 and SR 127, just east of Death Valley National Park. The zip code is 92328, the elevation is , and the population fewer than 20. The city limits sign reports a...
.
Variant names listed for the Inyo County
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
location by USGS include Stove Pipe Wells Hotel and Stovepipe Wells Hotel. The US Postal Service ZIP Code is 92328, and the locale name is spelled Stove Pipe Wells in some postal renditions. It is commonly referred to as Stovepipe Wells Village.
History
The first temporary settlement at Stovepipe Wells came into being when a road between Rhyolite and Skidoo was begun in 1906 to ameliorate the approach to the mine at Skidoo. A collection of tents was erected to serve travelers with food, drink and lodging.In 1925, entrepreneur Bob Eichmann began construction of the hotel at Stovepipe Wells, along with a scenic toll road through Death Valley. This marked the beginning of the transition from mining community to tourist destination.
Facilities
Stovepipe Wells Village is home to the Stovepipe Wells Hotel, a full-service hotel with swimming pool. The General Store offers sundries and food, and is adjacent to a gas station. Stovepipe Wells Village also houses the world famous Badwater Saloon and Toll Road restaurant, The Nugget Gift Shop and a ranger station.The default format for wired telephone numbers in the community is in the Death Valley exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
: (760) 786-xxxx. The community had manual telephone service until the late 1980s.
The community is contained within the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District.
Nearby features
- Close to town are some fairly large and accessible sand dunes on the Death ValleyDeath ValleyDeath Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
floor. The sand dunes are roughly 7 miles (11.3 km) long in the east-west axis. They are located in the space between Salt Creek and Emigrant Wash.
- Stovepipe Well, for which the community is named, is shown to the northeast at 36°39′33"N 117°04′44"W.
- Stovepipe Wells Airport is defined as being to the southwest at 36°36′14"N 117°09′33"W. The airport has an identifier of L09 and features a 3250 feet (990.6 m) paved runway.
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Sources
- 7350.7U Location Identifiers, The National Flight Data Center, Federal Aviation Administration ATPUBS, US Department of Transportation, September 1, 2005.
- Map: Stovepipe Wells, California 7.5-minute quadrangle, US Geological Survey, 1988.
- National Geographic Names Database, US Geological Survey, 1995.
- California Air Resources Board web site.
- Richard E. Lingenfelter. (1988) Death Valley and the Amargosa: A Land of Illusion: University of California Press. p. 290, p. 475.