Though their futuristic appearance suggests some exciting purpose for these dilapidated, half-finished structures off I-8 Phoenix and Tucson, the Casa Grande Domes were originally intended as a manufacturing facility for circuit boards.Ĭonstruction on the four buildings-one saucer-shaped, the other three resembling inchworms-began in 1983, after tech manufacturer InnerConn Technology announced plans to move its headquarters from California to the 135-acre site in Casa Grande. Get More Information The Casa Grande Domes (Casa Grande) As far as abandoned places in Arizona goes, this is one of the most popular and most sought-after.
The final business in the tiny town closed in 1995, and today just a handful of time-worn buildings provide enduring evidence that the town of Santa Claus once existed in the middle of the Arizona desert. Owner Tony Wilcox tried to find a buyer for the town in 1983 but was unable to find anyone willing to pay the asking price. Actress Jane Russell hosted a dinner party at the park in 1954, and science fiction author Robert Heinlein was so taken with his meal at the Christmas Tree Inn that he later featured it in one of his short stories.Īttendance at the theme park began to drop off in the 1970s, and falling profits led to lack of maintenance throughout the town. Famed restaurant critic Duncan Hines-whose name has since been attached to boxed cake mixes and other products-put the town in the spotlight when he published a glowing review of the Inn. The town’s post office also did a brisk business, receiving thousands of letters from children addressed to Santa and sending out replies with the coveted “Santa Claus, AZ” postmark.ĭespite its kitschy nature, the Christmas Tree Inn earned endorsements from several notable celebrities. Though the town’s population was made up almost entirely of theme park employees, the Christmas Tree Inn was considerably more successful as a tourist attraction, drawing families from across the country with the opportunity for the kids to visit Santa Claus at any time of year. In addition to the Christmas Tree Inn park, Talbot also hoped to profit from the sale of the surrounding parcels of land, but after they failed to draw any interest, she passed the entire property to new ownership in 1949. Her vision was to establish a Christmas-inspired resort town and theme park in the bleak desert landscape. The community was founded in 1937 by Nina Talbot, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent with a self-deprecating sense of humor.
This desolate patch of land sits in the sparsely populated area along the state’s border with Nevada, roughly 90 minutes from Las Vegas, the closest large city. Though the town of Santa Claus was once as lively and jolly as its namesake, today the area is an abandoned ghost town marked by the decaying remains of the Christmas Tree Inn amusement park. The Best Abandoned Places in Arizona Christmas Tree Inn in Santa Claus, Arizona (Santa Claus) For laws that specifically relate to Arizona, please click here. Luckily, we have developed a massive guide to trespassing laws in all 50 states. It is important when considering abandoned places in Arizona to know the basics of Arizona trespassing laws.