Retro Route 66 Unisex Jersey Tee | Ludlow, CA: Site of the Carryall Project

Part of Our Route 66 Everytown Collection – Ludlow Edition

Wear a piece of ambitious desert history with this ultra-soft unisex jersey tee, expertly spun from 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. Featuring the slogan "Site of the Carryall Project," this tee celebrates Ludlow, California: a historic desert stop with a story as ambitious as the open road itself.

Perfect for historical adventurers, Cold War buffs or collectors of our exclusive Route 66 Everytown Collection, honoring Ludlow's pioneering desert legacy.

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☢️About Ludlow, California: Where Nuclear Dreams Met the Mother Road

Ludlow, a resilient Mojave Desert town, tells a compelling story of American transportation history: from railroad junction to Route 66 waystation to Cold War curiosity. Located in San Bernardino County between Barstow and Needles on an especially long stretch of the Mother Road winding through the harsh California desert, Ludlow has survived where many similar towns vanished.

🚆From Railroad Stop to Route 66 Hub

Founded in the 1880s as a water stop on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, Ludlow initially served the region's mining operations and rail crews. The town was named after William B. Ludlow, a railroad car builder. With Route 66's designation in 1926, Ludlow transformed from a remote railroad siding into a vital desert oasis for cross-country motorists.

During the 1940s and '50s highway boom, Ludlow thrived with multiple gas stations, cafes, motor courts and a post office. The town provided crucial services on one of Route 66's most challenging segments: a remote stretch where summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F and the next town is roughly 50 miles away. For travelers, Ludlow meant fuel, food, water and lodging in the unforgiving Mojave.

⚡Project Carryall: Ludlow's Nuclear Footnote

One of Ludlow's most surprising historical chapters involves Cold War-era nuclear engineering. In the early 1960s, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) proposed Project Carryall, an audacious plan to use 22 nuclear explosives to blast a path through the nearby Bristol Mountains for a new Interstate 40 alignment. The project aimed to demonstrate "peaceful uses" of nuclear technology for large-scale excavation.

Environmental concerns, public opposition and the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ultimately killed the project, but Ludlow nearly became ground zero for the world's largest civil engineering nuclear blast. A historical marker in town commemorates this remarkable Cold War proposal that never came to fruition.

🛣️Ludlow Today: Mother Road Survivor

Unlike many Route 66 towns that died when Interstate 40 opened in the 1970s, Ludlow has survived, barely. The town today presents a stark contrast between operational businesses serving I-40 travelers and crumbling mid-century ruins. The Ludlow Cafe (still operating) stands alongside abandoned motor courts and weathered vintage signage, creating an atmospheric blend of function and decay.

Visitors can find essential services (gas, food, lodging) alongside authentic Route 66 remnants: faded painted signs, skeletal building frames and the lonely beauty of the surrounding Mojave landscape. The town's persistence against harsh desert conditions and economic decline makes it a symbol of Route 66's enduring, if somewhat diminished, presence in modern California.

For Route 66 travelers, Ludlow offers both practical necessity and nostalgic atmosphere: a genuine desert outpost where the Mother Road's past remains visible in every direction.

Product Features:

100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton for premium softness
Side seams for added structure and durability
Tear-away label for comfort
Classic crew neckline with a flattering unisex fit - true-to-size for all day comfort (see size chart for details)
Fulfilled in the USA