During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Oasis Palms began to exhibit the inevitable signs of aging. The idyllic family-oriented tourism boom of the 1950s had faded into the past. The Vietnam War had ushered in a period of national turmoil while skyrocketing gas prices burdened the country. Floyd and Lloyd’s circle of friends, which included hot-rodders and hippies, contributed meagerly to the town’s dwindling revenue. Families, once regular visitors to Oasis Palms’ outdated attractions, became a rare sight. Then, in 1972, with the opening of Interstate 40, the traffic on Route 66 dropped precipitously, dealing a final blow to the town’s already struggling economy.
As revenue declined, town maintenance and upkeep were increasingly deferred, leading to a visible decline in the condition of Oasis Palms. The passing of Lefty in 1978 further destabilized the family’s affairs. Mortgages loomed, bills went unpaid, and insurance premiums lapsed. The once-thriving town, now reduced to a population of five remaining residents, teetered on the brink of collapse.