Good ol' Baker, CA; once a thriving desert town in the heart of Death Valley has been hit with the economic hard times of late. Dusty old hotels rot, gas stations are empty and the local Bun Boy Restaurant— at a time, the safe haven for the promising youth of tomorrow— is now an abandoned storefront. Oh the horror!
How does one restore faith in this once thriving town? The answer is simple: revitalize the community's most treasured landmark, The World’s Tallest Thermometer. And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like...
Behold! What a beauty! That's true Hollywood glamour right there. In fact, that's beyond Hollywood, that's some presidential shit right there. Added bonus: She's 100% certified by the Guinness Book of Records. What have you done with your life lately?
But alas, despite years of fame, even the thermometer fell on the economic hard times that plagued the town back in 2012. A lack of Baker tourism and care ushered in burnt out lights, chipped paint, bittersweet memories and a lot of dust to the thermometer's life. Bad times indeed.
But you can’t keep a good tourist trap down for long; in 2014 the town stepped in to give her the facelift she deserved. Now— after a full overhaul— the thermometer stands at a robust 134 feet of glory with a shiny coat of fresh paint, lights that sparkle, and new lease on life.
Gaze upon this manmade marvel, which you can see on Route 15 from over a mile away, and use it as a daily reminder that we truly live in a magical Country. Giant thermometer's in the desert? What a glorious time to be alive...
And the town of Baker, which gets a bad rap in the press, isn't all that bad itself. It also houses the world famous Alien Beef Jerky shop.
HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?
In 1990, local businessman Willis Herron paid $700,000 to have a Salt Lake City based company (Young Electric Sign Co) create a roadside attraction for his Bun Boy restaurant. Being Death Valley and all, it only made sense to incorporate the area’s sweltering heat into the theme, birthing the brilliant idea to have an over-sized thermometer.
After some growing pains— harsh winds originally broke the thermometer, ruining a neighboring gift shop below— the thermometer was switched on and declared open for business on October 9, 1992.
Herron died in 2007, but the harsh realities of 2012 really brought the bad news. A fractured economy forced the thermometer to shut down for being too expensive (monthly electric bills were allegedly 8k) and it laid dormant for years, collecting dust and disappointing motorists passing through town. Something had to be done.
That something happened in 2014; the thermometer was purchased by Herron's daughter and fully repaired to its past glory. After a few months, it was back in business and better than ever! Even a community party featuring food, booze and dancing, was thrown on the day the lights flashed back on.
