The portion of Route 66 that runs through Arizona is rife with antiquated, yet still operational businesses and others that have shut down but still retain their original charm. Ella’s Frontier doesn’t fit into either of those categories. This abandoned trading post has succumbed to the elements since closing nearly 50 years ago, and its ruins look like something out of a horror movie – and that’s without even mentioning it was built by a creepy circus clown. Happy Halloween!

Located between Winslow and Holbrook on historic Route 66, Ella's Frontier is one of many dilapidated trading posts along the highway. It was constructed out of telephone poles in the early 1900s by Fredrick Rawson, a circus clown, taxidermist, and poet.
Flickr/escapo
Rawson sold the post to eccentric couple Ray and Ella Meany in 1947. Ella, a former Julliard student who played her piano for travelers, was awarded full ownership when the two got divorced 10 years later.
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Here's what it looked like in the '80s, not too long after officially shutting down. There was still merchandise inside!
YouTube/Recordpickers

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Although the sign bearing its name is still hanging on, the rest of the building is a ghost of its former self. Long-forgotten memories are all that remain within its walls today.
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You can explore the ruins firsthand, but it's quite a somber sight. Seeing once-thriving roadside stops falling victim to the elements is never pleasant, but paying homage to a crucial piece of Arizona's past makes it all worth it.
YouTube/AdventuresInAZ
You'll find Ella's Frontier between North 3rd Street and O'Connell Lane in Joseph City, AZ 86032. It's right next to Big Arrow Campground - another abandoned Route 66 business.
YouTube/AdventuresInAZ

Watch this rare footage shared by Recorddpickers showing Ella’s Frontier taken right after it closed in the 1980s:

And here’s a harrowing look at its current state shared by AdventuresInAZ:

Have you ever explored the remains of Ella’s Frontier? Are there any other creepy abandoned places along Route 66 in Arizona? Tell us if you know of any!

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