Historic Highway 99 Association of California
Dedicated to the preservation of California's Main Street – former US Highway 99
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.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqd-moqj4vHdJw6RL5SEOPiOfdgV2J3M4G
On June 1, 2021 at 6 pm, we will be hosting a Zoom presentation on US 99 beneath Lake Shasta from Bridge Bay to Lakehead. Photos of the exposed highway as well as some historic photos will be shown. Most of the photos are from October 2008 as that was the lowest point I saw it. Information on how you can monitor reservoir levels and understand what can be seen will also be covered. Registration is required for the meeting.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItduuuqDkoGtYW7kV9Mcxa3QI4FOGQLFCR
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.”
On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 6 pm, we will having a presentation via Zoom on tips and tricks to finding old highways. Information on bridges, survey markers, and roadway striping will be covered. Learn what a “c-block or c-monument” is and how to find them. Learn how to identify bridges by their railing and construction. Join us! Registration is required.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkdOutqD0rEtZNYty8yuvTMQFeelJrqNUc
What a great start for the Historic Highway 99 Association! Hello everyone, my name is Vicki Farmwald and I am the new Secretary for the Association. It’s amazing to see how much can be accomplished even during these unprecedented times. People coming together for a single purpose, acknowledging the importance of this historic highway and its preservation. So on March 24, 2021, our first project saw the installation of two replacement Historic Route 99 signs in Calexico, CA. These new signs are located at the corners of 1st St at Heffernan Ave and 2nd St at Imperial Ave. We are onto a great start and it’s just the beginning! Thank you for being a part of the Association and helping preserve our history.
On March 24, 2021, we successfully completed our first project, the replacement of two faded Historic Route signs in Calexico, California. This project, done in cooperation with the City of Calexico, is rather fitting as our first. The southern terminus of US 99 was in Calexico, so no better place to start than the beginning.
This project wouldn’t have been possible without the donations we have received and your support. We wish to thank all those that were involved with the project and a special Thank You to Lilliana Falomir, Public Works Manager for the City of Calexico. We do look forward to working with the city in replacing the remaining signs in time.
Currently, we are still in the process of obtaining our 501(c)3 status. Our application is a bit delayed but hopefully we will hear something by late April. Once we obtain the status, we will be able to open a regular bank account, which will help with our fundraising efforts. So far, we have raised funds via PayPal for our projects and memberships. All those that have donated will receive a formal letter for their taxes once our status comes through. We can certainly use your support! Donate and/or become a member.
Slowly but surely, we are reaching out to local historical societies, businesses, clubs, and other groups along US 99. So far, the feedback has been positive. We are hosting monthly Zoom meetings, https://historic99.org/meetings/, which will have a presentation on various Highway 99 topics. This month, on April 6, there will be a presentation on the history of the Ridge Route Alternate portion of the highway.
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlf-6srDIqHdRkYBHsG8jzi8D68Gtys-dF
We now have memberships available! We are up to 14 members as of March 31, not bad for a first month. Your memberships help us grow and achieve our goals to promote and preservation on of California’s most historic roadways. The next two months we are also running a special on memberships. Use code “SAVE99” on the membership application and save $5 off your first year, regardless of what level membership you are getting.
For our business members, we want to help you! We will list your business on our 99 Businesses page and you will get a chance at ad space in our newsletter. We may also do a feature on one of them on the site and newsletter.
This comes from one of our recent members who recently published a new book on US 99:
Hello members,
I’m very happy to be a new member of Historic Highway 99 Association of California and look forward to hearing about all the Club news.
I’ve been fascinated with Highway 99…California and Oregon…for decades. This led me to my current collection of hundreds of vintage postcards showing scenes of Highway 99 and its roadside attractions and businesses covering the decades up to the 1960s.
I’m excited to share with you my newly published book: A PICTORIAL HISTORY of HIGHWAY 99~The Scenic Route~From Redding, California to Portland, Oregon. You can see more of it on Amazon.com. The book has 423 pages and over 600 photos of scenes along Highway 99; all taken from my postcard collection mentioned above.
Respectully submitted,
Carole MacRobert Steele
For April, we are featuring a postcard from the 1950’s showing Golden State Avenue in central Bakersfield looking north from 23rd St. Here, US 99 met US 466 and State 178. Today, US 466 is gone entirely and State 178 has been moved to a freeway near the top of the postcard. The concrete paving, from the 1940’s, is still there as is the Kelly Springfield Tire sign, though covered with a new company. The intersection at the bottom is now Sumner St (relocated in 1987).