A couple of interesting uncoverings in the Palo Verde Valley Times made me realize that Blythe had special tourist destinations other than the intaglios, specifically a tourist center and a riverboat, in the past. I don't know why they vanished, but here they are.
In January 1954, Burbank-based California Safety Stations Inc. opened a 163 ft long "greeter station" three and a half miles west of Blythe. This was the first facility of its kind in the state, and it functioned primarily as an informational travel center and a tourist aid stop. Services included a car inspection, a lounge, a coffee break, and a circular of the state's attractions. The facility had movie props on display, with RKO studios being the source. Movies such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Captain Kidd, and The Rains Came were where those props were seen in the silver screen. Kurt James the manager said the facility will install a spotlight with its light seen as far from Desert Center and Quartzsite. CSS also proposed to open other locations near other California entries such as Barstow, Yermo, and Yuma. (PVVT January 14, 1954) You can also read about it in the Desert Magazine.
In 1974, the Colorado River got a new paddle wheeler called the Queshan Belle. In the Blythe Marina it was launched in the afternoon of Wednesday. It was owned by Marith Tours and designed by Carl Davis. (PVVT April 25, 1974) It was built in a Los Angeles shipyard and was inspected and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Queshan Belle was 50 feet long, with a 40 ft hull and a 10 ft wide at least paddle wheel. Both components plus the 180 HP diesel engine and others were assembled together to build the boat in Queshan Park. It could carry up to 49 passengers on daily river cruises, including Saturday night dinner trips, and as planned overnight trips to Martinez Lake. Either Smith or Dave Marlowe was the captain. (Unknown PVVT 1974 issue) (Yuma Daily Sun, November 10, 1974) It officially launched in June 1974. There is a picture of the vessel, with an old-styled banner displaying the words "QUESHAN BELLE" and to below "PORT OF BLYTHE" on the railing of the upper deck, above the paddle wheel. (PVVT January 2 1975) The link to the Yuma newspaper includes more pictures of the vessel -- they can be seen in detail if you are a subscriber of Newspapers.com.
In early 1975 Blythe was supposed to get a new tourist information facility by Interstate 10 at the California-Arizona border. It got delayed to Spring at one point. It was going to be a renovation of the agricultural inspection station by Santa Ana-based Carter Industries and an installation of an electronic information system, a feature found in rest stops though California. It would include an interactive map with narration about the points of interest in the state, and provide information on services such as lodging and food. There is mention that Carter will maintain the restrooms, indicating that this would be part of the facility. (Unknown PVVT 1975 editions) I don't know if it was ever implemented. Maybe not. (The nearest I-10 rest stop from Blythe is few miles east of Ehrenberg)
Then I remember the city promoting plans for a five million dollar welcome center located after the inspection station. It would be located next to the recently-built east Hobsonway exit. It would include a fountain; there was a model of the planned fountain inside the city hall as of the early 2010s and/or earlier, probably removed from the public today. I read somewhere that promoters or something else, of Coachella Valley, were proponents of the welcome center, as it would promote their attractions. One PVVT news article about the new exit says the plan for the welcome center is pretty much dead.
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