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 property listing. The landmark, situated between Las Vegas and Los Angeles in Baker, California, is described by the listing broker as a globally recognized roadside icon and, at its core, 134 feet of vertical advertising space.
Property Details and Potential
The 4.3-acre property includes the thermometer, an EV charging station, and a retail building that houses the souvenir shop Temp 134. The shop currently serves steady traffic between Southern California and Southern Nevada. Listing broker Baron Castillo, owner of Apartment Building Investments, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the thermometer has been recently refurbished and is now operating better than ever. He suggested the structure could be upgraded with digital signage for branding or logos, and the retail space could be redeveloped into a restaurant, cafe, or microbrewery, offering travelers a place to stop while their vehicles recharge.
Family Decision to Sell
The property is still owned by the family of the late Baker businessman Willis Herron, who invested $750,000 in building the thermometer in 1991. Family members explained on the World's Tallest Thermometer website that with several of them reaching retirement age and no one in the next generation available to manage daily operations, they have decided it is time to find a new visionary owner to ensure the thermometer's long-term preservation and allow it to reach its full potential.
Historical and Geographical Context
The thermometer marks the gateway to Death Valley National Park, where Earth's highest recorded air temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit was set in the summer of 1913, according to the National Park Service. The structure has been part of the desert landscape since the early 1990s. Built in 1991, it was reportedly knocked over by high winds before being rebuilt with stronger reinforcements and officially lit in 1992. The property is located in Baker, an unincorporated desert town in San Bernardino County covering just 2.7 square miles, with a population of 442 as of the 2020 U.S. Census. Along the I-15 corridor, other notable landmarks include the famously misspelled Zzyzx Road sign and a graffiti-covered former water park.
