Brawley, CA - The Planters Hotel is an old standout hotel in Brawley. Opened for business in February 1927, the Planters was visited by many famous celebrities like John Wayne and Clark Gable. The hotel closed down in 2005 for renovation. 06-06

Planters Hotel (Demolished)
Brawley, CA
Photo courtesy Bill Herzog

Standing three stories above Brawley’s central plaza, the Planters Hotel was one of those buildings that seemed to belong at the center of town. The brick walls, rows of tall windows, and old rooftop sign gave it the look of a real desert landmark. Even after the hotel closed, those big letters were still up there announcing PLANTERS to anyone circling the plaza. 06-06

The Community Valley Bank is now occupying a portion of the lot.

Planters Hotel rooftop sign
Brawlery, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The hotel opened in February 1927, back when Brawley was growing into a busy agricultural center and travelers arriving in the Imperial Valley needed a respectable place to stay. The Planters offered something a little grander than the motor courts that would later line the highways. Its location overlooking the diamond-shaped plaza put guests right in the middle of town, close to the stores, restaurants, and whatever else was happening in Brawley that evening.

The Cowboy Shop was once the bar at Planters and is now a western wear shop.

Cowboy Shop
Brawley, CA
Photo courtesy Bill Herzog

Over the years, the hotel welcomed ranchers, business travelers, and visitors coming to the valley for hunting trips. John Wayne and Clark Gable are both said to have stayed here, which sounds about right for a place with a popular watering hole called the Back Bar. A couple of Hollywood stars stopping for drinks among the local cattlemen would have fit the scenery nicely.

The Back Bar became a Brawley institution in its own right. It occupied part of the hotel complex and later evolved into the Cowboy Shop, selling western wear beneath a neon sign of its own. Even as the upper hotel rooms grew quiet, that corner of the old Planters remained tied to the ranching and rodeo character of the Imperial Valley.

Cowboy Shop marquee close-up
Brawlery, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

By the early 2000s, the Planters was showing its age. The hotel closed in 2005 with plans for a major renovation, and for a while it looked as though the old building might get another chance. When these photos were taken in June 2006, the hotel and rooftop sign were still standing, waiting to see what would happen next.

The answer came on March 6, 2007, when a major fire swept through the vacant building. The blaze gutted the hotel, and investigators determined that it had been deliberately set. With the interior destroyed and the brick shell badly damaged, there would be no renovation. The remains were cleared, taking the rooftop sign and nearly 80 years of Brawley history with them.

Planters Hotel view from down the street
Brawley, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

UPDATE: Unfortunately, the Planters Hotel was gutted by a fire on March 6, 2007 and completely destroyed. The cause was determined to be arson according to the March 20, 2007 edition of the KXO News. 09-08

UPDATE: Here's another photo of the Planters Hotel. The site is still vacant. 11-20

UPDATE: The Planters Hotel is gone, and a Community Valley Bank branch was later built on part of the property. The hotel, Back Bar, and big rooftop letters have all disappeared from the plaza, leaving photographs as the best look back at one of Brawley’s grand old landmarks. 09-26\

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