Amboy was first settled in 1858, but was not established until 1883.
Lewis Kingman,engineer for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, created
the town as the first of a series of alphabetical railroad stations
that were to be constructed across the Mojave Desert.

In 1926, Amboy became a boom town after the opening of U.S. Route 66.
In 1938, Roy's Motel and Cafe opened, which prospered due to its isolated
location on the route. By 1940, Amboy's population had increased to 65.
Its growth was tied to both tourists, but also to the Santa Fe Railroad
over which high-speed freight trains still run today between Kingman, AZ
and the BNSF Railway Barstow, CA.

The town remained busy during both the Great Depression and WWII
(Many of the Desert Training Center Camps run by Patton are nearby),
however it was the opening of Highway 40 in 1973, that caused the
decline and virtual abandonment of the town.

The town was leased out in 1995, and eventually was put up
for sale on E-bay in 2003. It was eventually sold in 2005.