just the kind of farmer john stinedeck profiled in his novel.t to route 66 and you will find the remnants of once thriving towns. one of them was emroy 145 miles in san bernardino county. bruce berkhart brought us this report in april 2004. >> reporter: maybe it was the peeling paint. maybe it was the old cafe frozen in another time. or the roadside motel and cabins, a road stop on legendary route 66. whatever it was walt wilson fell in love with this place, he and a friend bought the town. >> it looked like they were going to close it is what they were going to do. and it's too nice a place to you know just to let it go. >> reporter: that was in 1995. now amboy population seven is up for sale once again. >> it's time to let somebody else take over i've been here almost 10 years now. it's a lot of work. it's time for somebody to come in and finish up what we started. >> reporter: route 66 came through here in 1927 it was the beginning of amboy's golden age which peaked in the early 70s with the population of nearly 800. before the interstate slo