The world's tallest thermometer, a 134-foot structure towering over Interstate 15 in the Mojave Desert, is now on the market as part of a $1.85 million listing for a 4.3-acre property in Baker, California. The iconic roadside attraction, situated between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is described by the listing as a globally recognized landmark and, at its core, '134 feet of vertical advertising space.'
Recent Refurbishment and Potential Upgrades
Listing broker Baron Castillo, owner of Apartment Building Investments, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the thermometer has recently been refurbished and is 'up and running better than ever.' He noted the possibility of upgrading the structure with digital signage for branding or logos, enhancing its advertising potential.
Family Decision to Sell
The property is still owned by the family of the late Willis Herron, a Baker businessman who invested $750,000 to build the thermometer in 1991. However, family members have decided it is time to pass it on. On the World's Tallest Thermometer website, they wrote: 'As several of us reach retirement age, we find we can no longer spend the hands-on time here that we would like. While a few of our heirs live locally, they have developed their own busy careers, and others have settled out of state, meaning there is no one in the next generation available to step into daily operations. To ensure the thermometer's long-term preservation and allow it to reach its full potential, we have decided the time is right to find its next visionary owner.'
Property Features and Redevelopment Opportunities
The 4.3-acre property includes an EV charging station and a retail building housing the souvenir shop Temp 134, which sees steady traffic between Southern California and Southern Nevada. Castillo suggested the shop could be redeveloped into a restaurant, café, or microbrewery, offering travelers a place to stop while their vehicles recharge. 'That would be the best use for it, I believe,' he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Gateway to Death Valley
Positioned along Baker Boulevard, the towering thermometer serves as a gateway to Death Valley National Park, a region known for extreme heat. Death Valley recorded the highest air temperature ever on Earth in the summer of 1913, reaching 134 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Park Service. The structure itself was built in 1991 and, after being knocked over by high winds, was rebuilt with stronger reinforcements and officially lit in 1992.
Location and Context
Baker is an unincorporated desert town in San Bernardino County, covering just 2.7 square miles with a population of 442 as of 2020, per U.S. Census Bureau data. The landmark joins other notable I-15 attractions, such as the famously misspelled Zzyzx Road sign about 95 miles southwest of the Las Vegas Strip and a graffiti-covered former water park roughly 130 miles from the casino corridor, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
