RANDSBURG IS ESTABLISHED AS A THRIVING GOLD MINING TOWN IN THE MOJAVE DESERT
1895
1929
RAND MOTOR CO. OPENS AS A GAS STATION AND AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP
2020
RAND MOTOR CO. IS RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY.
1895
Randsburg erupted when gold was discovered on the slope of Rand Mountain. By 1899 the town had over 3,500 residents. Estimates claim $60,000,000 in gold was taken out of the area's mines during its boom years.
1929
Rand Motor Co. opened its doors as an automotive repair shop and Richfield gas station run by local mechanic Hardee Witt. Randsburg had many businesses including hotels, bars, banks, and mercantiles to support the mining community.
1930s
Rand Motor Co. became an authorized Ford dealership and continued to sell Richfield “Hi-octane” gasoline.
1940s
Randsburg residents have photos of the building and stories of the days when kids would pump their bike tires at the shop or try to beat Hardee at a game of checkers on a board he placed on his desk.
1950s
It's not clear exactly when Rand Motor Co. dissolved, but the next established business in the building was a short-lived harpsichord factory. A grand total of two harpsichords were manufactured at the Renaissance and Baroque Music Instrument Co.
1965
Randsburg's population decreased greatly as the gold ran out. However, the town and Rand Motor Co. were occasionally the backdrop for Hollywood films including Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
1970s
Rom and Janice Austin opened Austin's Antiques. Their shop was a long-standing destination with a large collection of desert antiques that many still remember visiting until it closed in the early 2000s.
2020
Lorene and Travis purchased Rand Motor Co. with thoughts of restoration. The building was mostly left untouched since Austin's Antiques closed, and the remaining antiques came with the purchase. With the help of historic photos and stories, Lorene and Travis restored Rand Motor Co. to its former glory.
