History
Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is a historic building, hotel, and cultural center located in Death Valley Junction, in eastern Inyo County, California near Death Valley National Park. Resident artist Marta Becket staged dance and mime shows there from the late 1960s until her final show in February 2012. The Death Valley Junction Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the nonprofit established by Becket for the preservation of the property. The hotel on the property is still in operation as of 2026. The theater was part of a company town designed by architect Alexander Hamilton McCulloch and constructed in 1923–25 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company. The U-shaped complex of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture style adobe buildings included company offices, employees' headquarters, a dormitory and a 23-room hotel with a dining room, lobby and store. At the northeast end of the complex was a recreation hall used as a community center for dances, church services, movies, funerals and town meetings.
Common questions
What is the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel?
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is a historic Spanish Colonial Revival building, hotel, and cultural center located in Death Valley Junction in eastern Inyo County, California, near Death Valley National Park. Resident artist Marta Becket staged dance and mime performances there from the late 1960s until her final show in February 2012.
When was the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel built?
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel was constructed between 1923 and 1925 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company as part of a company town designed by architect Alexander Hamilton McCulloch.
Where is the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel located?
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is located in Death Valley Junction in eastern Inyo County, California, near Death Valley National Park.
Can you stay at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel?
Yes, the hotel at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is still in operation as of 2026. The 23-room hotel is part of the original U-shaped Spanish Colonial Revival complex and is owned by the nonprofit established by Marta Becket for the preservation of the property.
What architectural style is the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel?
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is a U-shaped complex of adobe buildings designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style. The complex originally included company offices, employees' headquarters, a dormitory, a 23-room hotel with dining room and store, and a recreation hall.
Why is the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel historically significant?
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel is significant as part of the Death Valley Junction Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. It preserves a rare intact Pacific Coast Borax Company town and the legacy of resident artist Marta Becket, who performed there for over four decades.