To complement Lefty’s new family-friendly entertainment offerings in Oasis Palms, a brand-new Flamingo Motel emerged on the very spot once occupied by the Oasis Palms Hotel. Although the motel had a smaller footprint due to the right-of-way required for the train tracks and parking spaces, it provided a more affordable lodging option for overnight travelers. Each of the motel’s rooms boasted modern amenities like air conditioning and color televisions, catering to the comfort and convenience of guests.
In addition to the Flamingo Motel, Lefty expanded Oasis Palms’ accommodations with the introduction of the Cliff Hanger Trailer Park. Situated just across the railroad tracks from the motel, this travel trailer park catered to campers seeking overnight lodging using their own pull-behind trailers. The park was ingeniously developed on a previously vacant dirt lot that represented the last available space for construction within the town of Oasis Palms. In its heyday, every weekend the Cliff Hanger would host a variety of “canned ham” style trailers like Shastas and Air Streams, which had become wildly popular with tourists at the time.
Though the allure and convenience of the Midnight Limited’s service to and from Los Angeles had become a thing of the past, Santa Fe incorporated Oasis Palms into its daily El Capitan schedule which which once a day delivered a trickle of tourists to the town. Nevertheless, Lefty’s post-war stewardship ushered in a new era of prosperity for Oasis Palms.
The Hot Rod Diner was built across the road from the Oasis Palms train station and was operated by Lefty’s wife Molly. The diner became a hotspot for car clubs on weekends. Families relished the open-air ambiance of the A&W Rootbeer stand situated on the town’s outskirts, the Oasis Palms theater consistently screened the latest feature films, and the Hot Springs remained a popular haven for sun-seeking enthusiasts. During this time, Lucky and Molly worked tirelessly to compete with nearby attractions like Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Palm Springs, and the Salton Sea, striving to reshape Oasis Palms as a family-friendly day trip destination. Under Lefty’s guidance, Oasis Palms blossomed as an inviting oasis for both locals and travelers alike.