Dedicated to the preservation of California's Main Street – former US Highway 99
Author: Michael Ballard
I am the founder of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California. I am also the author and administrator of the "Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads" website at https://socalregion.com, since 1995. I have been studying the geology and highway history throughout southern California for most of my life. I am also the President of the Ridge Route Preservation Organization.
The Fossil Discovery Museum near Chowchilla, California needs your help. They are in the process of restoring the former Mammoth Orange that was cited along Highway 99 at Fairmead until freeway construction closed off its access in 2007. The last operating Giant or Mammoth Orange stand along old 99 was rescued and will be reopened nearby. The museum is raising funds for this effort. They can use your support! Lets help bring back a piece of Highway 99 history. Make sure to tell them the Highway 99 Association sent you!
We now have a YouTube channel, which we plan to use to post videos of any events, points of interest along 99, meetings, presentations, and much more. Come check it out!
Coming up on July 6, 2021 at 6 pm, I will be giving a Zoom presentation on the history of US 99 through the San Gorgonio Pass from Edom to Calimesa. Photos, maps, and detailed information on how to follow the highway will be covered. Come join us and learn! There is a lot to cover, more than you might think. Registration is required to attend.
As we enter the summer season, vaccinations are increasing, and the pandemic seems to be subsiding, it is getting time to start working on getting out there more. We will be reaching out to more businesses, historical societies, and car clubs for events and presentations. We have been slowly building this Association and getting everything ready for a time when things are more open. That time is quickly approaching and we are ready to go! I look forward to meeting Highway 99 enthusiasts from all over and really putting this Association on the map.
We would also like to welcome our new At-Large board member, Chris Myers, from San Diego, California. Chris has a big interest in old highways, is looking forward to working on promoting Highway 99, and has helped us get our first article in newspaper in Calexico.
We do still need some help in designing things like hats, t-shirts, and brochures. We also need help at a local level in various parts of the state to help in our outreach programs as well as be our local ambassador.
Are you interested in writing an article for our newsletter? Contact us! We’d love to hear from you.
Advocacy / Projects
In May, we launched a new feature on our website we are calling “Highway 99 Adventures“. The highway passed through the heart of California and is still one of the primary roads to adventure. Our pages will show off some of the highlights along the route, such as the Old Ridge Route, the Cabazon Dinosaurs, and Shasta River Canyon. Learn about some of the now-famous restaurants that started right on Highway 99, such as In-n-Out Burger and A&W Root Beer. Visit places alive with geological wonders such as the Salton Sea, Mt Shasta, and the Sutter Buttes. Highway 99 is not only a Historic Route, but is a road to adventure. Take a trip over to our pages and discover some of what is waiting out there! Make sure to to tell them the Historic Highway 99 Association sent you!
On June 1 (Tonight!) at 6 pm PT, we will be hosting a Zoom presentation on the Lake Shasta area showing what the highway was like before the dam was built, what it took to move the roadway and railroad, and what remains of the highway when the lake gets low enough. Join us and learn!
Things are also opening up and we are working on getting more involved. In August, we are planning to attend the Pomona Swap Meet where we will sell t-shirts and other items to help raise funds, and increase awareness of Historic Highway 99. We are looking forward to meeting you there! It will be a good opportunity to meet some of the people that keep this organization going.
Other events are coming as well. We are looking at hosting an antique car show and possibly hosting some tours of sections of US 99 in Southern California. If you’d like to get involved, let us know!
Fundraising
As of May 31, we have raised $480 since our sign purchase in March. We have reached one of our primary short-term goals but there is a lot more work to do. We do still need your support. As we now have our 501(c)3, your donations may be tax-deductible. Any amount is welcome and helpful.
Are you a member of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California? You should be! Members-only events, such as presentations on the history of Highway 99 and benefits will be coming in the future. Joining the Historic Highway 99 Association of California is a great way to not only show your support for the roadway and its history, but to get involved and help our organization grow.
This month’s Featured Photo comes to us from Caltrans. What became known as the “Crossroads Interchange” started off as a small junction which eventually grew to be the massive I-10 / I-215 Interchange. In 1958, when this photo was taken, things were a little different. No Interstate routes had been signed yet. US 70, US 91, US 99, US 395, and State 18 all met here and went their different ways. US 99 would be removed in 1964 and the last US highway here, US 395, in 1969.
We’ve been working on adding more to our site to help spark interest in Historic Highway 99. Our newest addition “Highway 99 Adventures” is getting its start with Southern California as the first region to be covered. If you have a point of interest along the highway you’d like to see added, let us know.
