Historic Highway 99 Association of California
Dedicated to the preservation of California's Main Street – former US Highway 99
We have some great news! After speaking with officials with the City of Madera, they have agreed to post our Historic Route signs along Gateway Drive. This is the first new signage we will be placing, as Calexico was replacing existing signage. Getting approval in Madera is a significant accomplishment for us and I look forward to many more in the future.
I want to thank one of our members – Andrew Maximous, the City of Madera, and all our members and donors for helping make this happen.
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!
Their website:
https://www.maderamammoths.org/projects.html
Link to their fundraiser:
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.
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!
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItduuuqDkoGtYW7kV9Mcxa3QI4FOGQLFCR
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!
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.
Things seem to be going well for the Association. In the short time since we were founded, we have completed our first project, obtained our 501(c)3 status, attracted members, got a proper bank account, raised funds, and have been in the news. We are still a small organization but we are growing. It has been a lot of work so far but it has also been a lot of fun. Reaching out to so many places throughout California and getting more ideas about what we can do to help has been quite a learning experience.
The part I enjoy the most is talking with so many different people about the highway. Some share their own memories and thoughts about the roadway while others get excited to learn about a bit of history that passes their way. This Association was founded for those people and more. We strive to help educate those along the roadway about what that strip of asphalt and concrete has meant to so many in the past and will mean to so many in the future. Historic Route signs are one method we can do while things are still not fully open. Perhaps later this year, we may start to hold public events starting in Southern California.
I want to thank everyone that has donated funds, became a member, or otherwise contributed in some way to this Association. We couldn’t do it without you!
We are currently working on the early stages of several projects. We will be reaching out to the cities in the Imperial Valley soon for new Historic Route signing projects. We are also looking into placing signs in the city of Madera. If you would like to help with any of these, or other projects, we can certainly use additional support from fundraising, outreach, and technical support.
We are also looking to add information about points of interest along US 99 throughout California on our website. Museums, bridges, old alignments of significance, restaurants, and more are planned to be covered. We need your help with this project. If you are interested in helping, contact us and let us know what you’d like to work on or add.
Our monthly Zoom meetings have been a success so far and we intend to keep them going. On May 4, 2021 at 6 pm, we will have a Zoom presentation on “Finding Old Highways”. This presentation will cover topics such as concrete paving types, roadway striping, survey monuments, bridges, and more. Come join us, learn about how you can find the old highway, and share your knowledge with others! Registration is required for all Zoom meetings.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkdOutqD0rEtZNYty8yuvTMQFeelJrqNUc
On April 19, 2021, we finally received our IRS Determination Letter approving our application for a 501(c)3! As of 4/30/2021, we also have a bank account, which means we can finally accept checks. With these now in place, we hope fundraising will be at least slightly easier. With this new boost, we will be reaching out to a lot more places to get the word out. So far, we have raised $300 since our last project was completed. More is certainly needed and, now with our 501(c)3, your contributions will be tax-deductible. Funds so far have been raised through memberships and general donations.
I first would like to welcome all our new members. Your support is most appreciated. We are currently holding a membership drive with a 25% discount on annual memberships until June 30, 2021. Your tax-deductible membership dues go toward our efforts to promote and preserve one of California’s most historic roadways. We are currently up to 16 members since we started our memberships in March. Business members will be listed on our “99 Supporters” page and get a chance to be featured in our newsletter. Join now and save!
From Steve Newvine –
A two-hundred mile span of Highway 99 is the foundation of a book by California author Steve Newvine. “9 From 99- Experiences in California’s Central Valley”, begins in Stockton and takes the reader to nine stops heading south on the historic highway. Each location affords Steve the opportunity to explore the typical attractions as well as some “off the beaten path” stops all the way down to Bakersfield and beyond. The book was first published in 2010, and then updated in 2013. It’s available in printed formats through Lulu.com and as an ebook at BarnesandNoble.com
9 From 99 – Experiences in the Central Valley|NOOK Book
This photo comes to us from one of our members – Carol Steele. The photo shows a very beaten US 99 shield, strangely without a Division of Highways or Auto Club logo. The back of the photo is handwritten in ink “Mike, May 5, 1939, Redding, Calif.”
We finally got approval from the IRS as a 501(c)3 public charity today! As it is retroactive, all previous donations will be tax-deductible. Those that have donated should be getting a more formal letter soon for their taxes.
Moving forward, we will be opening a standard bank account so we will be able to accept checks and other donations a whole lot easier. It has taken a while to get the status, but we are very happy about it. We will be applying for exempt status in California soon as well.
We are just getting started and things are already going quite well. Slow, but steady. Thank you all for your support!