Category: Membership

March – April 2022 Newsletter

A Brief History of Grapevine Canyon
in Kern County and US Highway 99 – Part 1
by
Michael F Ballard

1914 – 1933

Dead Man’s Curve in 1914, just after construction

Grapevine Canyon, or Canada De Las Uvas, was named for the wild grapes that grow on its slopes by Spaniards in the 1700′s. The town of Grapevine has been a major stop along this highway ever since the Ridge Route was built in 1914. This first alignment was one of the most torturous sections of US 99 in Southern California. It had more than a few very sharp curves, some of which ended up with names such as “The Loop” and “Deadman’s Curve”. Both of those curves still exist today, though partially removed and cutoff from the new roadways. In 1915, the grade was oiled creating a more solid, albeit temporary, roadway. Grapevine Grade received its first concrete pavement in 1919, a “full” 20 foot slab with curbing and little in the way of a shoulder. The original location of the “town” of Grapevine was at the bottom of the grade. It consisted of a motel, store, gas station, and restaurant. In 1926, work commenced to “daylight” some of the sharper curves along the grade, which increased sight-distance and did help to reduce collisions. It didn’t, however, reduce the curvature of the road.

1933 – 1943

Postcard showing the Grapevine Cafe and gas station

In 1933, a new alignment of US 99 was built. It ran along the current southbound lanes of I-5 for most of the grade. Deadman’s Curve and the Loop were eliminated at that time. When the concrete was first poured, only two lanes were built. About a year later, the third lane was added making the center lane the passing lane. Since the original location of Grapevine was bypassed, it was partially relocated onto the new grade, this time in the canyon. While it was rather conveniently located, it did suffer from one fatal flaw. It was near the bottom of a very long, steep grade, and on the outside of a curve. As a result, runaway trucks smashed through on a few occasions.

1932 / 1933 concrete in the median of I-5 at Grapevine. Courtesy Michael F Ballard

Shown above, a small section of concrete is visible adjacent to the southbound lanes of I-5. A small color difference can be noticed between the two lanes that are visible. This difference is due to age. The lanes to the left were constructed in 1932 when Grapevine Grade was realigned, bypassing the original 1914 Ridge Route grade. This was built as two lanes as a temporary measure to expedite the opening of the new route. Right after it was opened, a third lane was added, the lane on the right, creating a three-lane roadway with a common passing lane in the center, or “suicide lane”. This condition persisted until 1943 when the road was widened yet again to four lanes. In 1958 – 1960, these lanes were bypassed by the current southbound lanes of I-5. Today, they remain as one of the last remnants of the 1932-1958 version of Grapevine Grade.

To be continued in our May / June 2022 Newsletter

March 2022 Presentation

At the Pollock Bridge in November 2021, then fully exposed. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard

Join us on Tuesday, March 8, at 6pm for a presentation on Lake Shasta and Environs by Michael Ballard. We will be sharing photographs from our November 2021 trip to the Lake Shasta area showing the low lake level as well as some additional photos of the surrounding area.

Please register for the presentation using the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-2hqz4jHtJ5mqJslfq-rk81UMiHvNrQ

The Pine and the Palm

Just south of Madera, 1.75 miles south of Ave 12, and 2.1 miles north of Ave 9 (or more specifically at 06-MAD-99-05.7), there lies a pine tree and a palm tree in the median of Highway 99. It has been there since the 1920’s and marks the former halfway point in California. The Palm Tree, a Canary Island Date Palm, represents Southern California and the Pine Tree, a Deodor Cedar, represents Northern California. In 2005, the pine tree fell down but was replaced by Caltrans in 2007 as this is a somewhat historic marker.

We, the Historic Highway 99 Association of California, intend to have signs placed in both directions at this location to mark the historic site. While it might not exactly be the “halfway” point in California, it is close enough and has been there since the 1920’s. We are looking to work with local agencies such as the County of Madera, Caltrans District 6, City of Madera, and others to gain support and assistance with this effort. We already have a design for the sign and cost estimates for its fabrication.

If you would like to be involved in this project (03-MAD21002), let us know! We can use help either through donations of labor or money. Any donations are likely tax-deductible as we are a 501c3 organization.

99 Alert – William S Hart Park in Santa Clarita

One of our members and local historians, Evan Decker of Santa Clarita, has brought to our attention something concerning a park in his area. William S Hart Park, the former home of the silent film actor, is currently a park owned and administered by Los Angeles County. This arrangement is due to the stipulations in the will of William S Hart, who deeded the land and associated structures in perpetuity to Los Angeles County.

The City of Santa Clarita, in an effort spearheaded by the current major Laureen Weste is looking to take over the park. By itself, it would seem like a “home rule” sort of issue, which can be a good thing. However, the City of Santa Clarita has a poor track record of preserving history and keeping it safe. This has been shown with the “disneyfication” of the central business district of Newhall, among other things. We feel this change would be a detriment to the historical value of Hart Park and would not be to its best interest.

If you would like to help with preventing the City of Santa Clarita from taking over William S Hart Park, Even Decker has set up an online petition to sign. He also strongly recommends contacting the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and tell her you’re against this project.

We, the Historic Highway 99 Association of California, only want to help preserve and protect the history along Highway 99. Newhall was one of the towns along the earliest alignment of US 99. Hart Park represents a part of that early history.

Please sign the petition created by Evan Decker to tell the City of Santa Clarita that you want the park kept as-is and not in City hands.

Membership and Donations

As we slowly ramp up our efforts to get Historic Route signage placed in various cities and historic locations such as the Pine and Palm, we need your support. You can do this by becoming a member, donating money, or by volunteering with our Association. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and your donations may be tax deductible. Why not help reduce your tax burden for 2023 by donating prior? We can also use your help with some of our projects, website, and our newsletter. Having someone local to act as our ambassador or liaison would be of great help. We are also working out how to handle renewals for existing members. Initially, we had planned to have all memberships expire at a specific time. At this time, we are looking to have memberships expire at the end of the month initially obtained. We will be sending out a letter to our current members to explain how to renew. Join now and help us grow!

Membership

We do wish to thank all those that have donated and become members thus far. Our most recent project in Madera couldn’t have happened without your support!

Featured Photo

Hawkbryn Ave in Newhall, CA. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard

Recently, a section of 1930 US 99 was rediscovered in the Santa Clarita Valley. Thought lost since the 1960’s, a small section of the 1930 “Newhall Alternate” was found along a residential street south of Lyons Avenue. This roadway, at least a portion of it, represents one of the few remaining sections of the 1930 roadway north of Calgrove Blvd. In 1967, I-5 was constructed here and the new road was shifted a little to the west, leaving this road, now known as Hawkbryn Ave, as a frontage road. Traces of the 1930’s concrete can still be detected today. This section was discovered using comparisons between aerial photography and the construction plans from 1949 and 1967.

Despite having traversed this area many times, I never thought to look here. Always keep your eyes open, for you never know what you might find.

November 2021 Newsletter

Message from the President

On November 23, 2021, we celebrate our first year as a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation! We have done a lot in our first year and have a lot more to do in the future. In March 2021, we posted our first signs in the city of Calexico and were granted our 501(c)3 status. We also started memberships at the time. Our memberships are growing and now cover California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. In September 2021, we worked with the city of Madera to post new signs along their portion of Historic US 99 known as Gateway Drive. We’ve been in two newspapers so far because of these projects.

I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish in such a short period of time. We could not have done any of this without all your support and wish to thank all that have contributed their time and money toward our efforts. We also would love to hear from you! What are your thoughts about what we’ve done? Would you like to help? We need your help to represent us throughout the state. We’d love to hear your feedback.

US 99 and Newhall Pass – Part 2

by Michael F Ballard

Looking north through Weldon Canyon in 1949. Courtesy – Caltrans.

Upgrading to a Four Lane Expressway

By the early 1940’s, it became evident that yet another improvement had to be made to the highway. World War II postponed most of the planned improvements for US 99. A plan to widen US 99 to four lanes along its entire course was begun in 1947. On June 24, 1948, a contract was awarded for a 3.3-mile segment, Saugus Junction to Pico Canyon. It was completed on April 8, 1949. In this case, the widening was cheaper, costing only $450,000, as only minor realignments had to be done. The old lanes were used for the northbound side and a new set of lanes was added for the southbound side. The Weldon and Gavin Canyon sections were finally widened to a four-lane expressway in 1951. The old concrete could not be used and had to be demolished, as this section required considerable straightening. The new lanes were made of eight-inch concrete 24 feet wide with a division strip of varying width. These two new roadways had asphalt shoulders that were eight feet wide on the right and five feet wide on the left. The realigning of the roadway involved the excavation of over 700,000 cubic yards. Total cost for this section amounted to about $1 million.

              By 1953, traffic had increased to the point where the next step had to be taken – grade separations. The first section of freeway was completed in 1954. It ran from San Fernando Road near Sepulveda Boulevard (Sepulveda Junction) to the base of Weldon Canyon. This new freeway had many features which greatly improved traffic flow through here. A three-level interchange was constructed at the junction of US 6 and US 99. Direct ramps were constructed to connect northbound US 99 traffic to northbound US 6 and southbound US 6 traffic to southbound US 99.

Three-Level Interchange at US 6 and US 99 in 1955. Courtesy – Caltrans.

Upgrading to an Interstate

              The first segment of US 99 in the Santa Clarita Valley to be reconstructed as an Interstate was between Saugus Junction and Castaic Junction. That freeway, completed in 1964, still carried US 99 shields on the overhead signs. This was done to ease the transition to I-5 from US 99. The completion of the freeway eliminated two major traffic signals along the old highway. From 1967 to 1968, the rest of old US 99 was upgraded to a full freeway. The original freeway through Newhall Pass is now used as the truck route and has been since the interchange was reconstructed with State Highway 14, the Antelope Valley Freeway. The new interchange is located just a half mile northwest of the old interchange.

Earthquakes and Newhall Pass

              On the morning of February 9, 1971, it was still under construction when the Sylmar / San Fernando earthquake struck. Most of what was built collapsed, killing two people in a pickup truck below. It also crushed a newly constructed crane, which was set to be used for the first time that Tuesday morning. The interchange was subsequently rebuilt and finally completed in 1975. However, on January 17, 1994, two of the bridges collapsed in the Reseda / Northridge earthquake. It took less that a year for the interchange to be rebuilt which is remarkable for reconstruction of a major, and functioning, freeway interchange. The old expressway in Gavin Canyon was used as a temporary freeway after the Gavin Canyon overpasses partially collapsed leaving one big rig and a few cars stranded on an island in the sky. The original 1951 concrete was paved over at that time. The center concrete barrier and metal guardrail were also added at that time.

Highway 99 In the News

We were in the news on Saturday, October 9, 2021! The Madera Tribune, a local paper covering Madera County, printed the press release that was issued by the City of Madera for our latest signing project. Getting ink, no matter how, is pretty cool. Every little bit helps with awareness of our organization and spreading the word of our goals.

http://www.maderatribune.com/single-post/historic-99-signs-posted-in-madera

November Presentation

“Where the Lincoln Highway meets Highway 99.”

A look at where the Lincoln Highway, America’s first Transcontinental Highway, 1913-1927, meets Highway 99 in California Central Valley. We will discuss why the Lincoln Highway chose the central valley route to Altamont Pass instead of a more direct one. Hint, there wasn’t any. When the Lincoln Highway ceased to exist, the number system Highway 99 took over from Sacramento south. We will look at some places where you can still see some of the histories of these two famous roads.

Along with his wife Monica, Trey created “Adventures in California History,” an ongoing exploration of historic California. Trey is currently the Vice-President of the Lincoln Highway Association.

Join us on November 2, 2021 at 6 pm for a Zoom presentation. To register, please use the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqf-2rrDksH9Yjqv4pqIALpt1W3TAQqJ9V

Membership and Donations

We are looking to expand our organization. With the number of cities interested in Historic Route signage growing, we need your support! Donations big and small are also welcome. Any donation above $20 will include an optional one-year membership. We are also working on a potential “Lifetime” membership, which will be above a specific donation amount.

Signing up is easy! Join us as a member and help us grow!

Membership

Highway 99 Discussion Forums

We restarted our online discussion forums for Historic Highway 99. Come join in! Tell your Highway 99 stories, discuss your favorite place along the road, learn about the history, and more!

https://historic99.org/forums/

Upcoming Projects

Things are looking up! We have a few projects in the works at various levels now. In Madera County, we are working on posting signs to mark the Pine and the Palm along Highway 99. We are also looking into getting it designated a “Historic Landmark”, which is something we will need help with. We intend to work with local historical societies, Madera County, and Caltrans to get this done. If you have an idea for a project for the 99 Association or would like to get involved, let us know!

Board Position Open

We are currently seeking a Treasurer for our organization. If you are interested, or know someone that might be, contact us. We’d love to have you as a part of our team and help keep Historic US 99 alive in California!

Featured Book

On Creating Our Highway 99 Books

By Jill Livingston

The occasional sighting of the abandoned Dog Creek Bridge off to the side of I-5 in the Sacramento River Canyon never failed to thrill, and frequent drives through the rocky, bridge-bejeweled Shasta River Canyon on old 99 finally prompted an “aha moment.” My sister and I looked at each other and said, “Someone should do a book about this! Shall we? Can we? How?” And the fact that these northern artifacts are connected to that long, hot highway through the Central Valley we often traversed as kids, and later traveled 99 north on a trip to the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle made this two-lane highway all the more intriguing.

But this was 1994. Back in those ancient days the internet was barely emerging, so doing research was not an easy thing. Nor was “self-publishing.” Our research started simply with driving around and looking for segments of old highway. I have to think that when we found something, it was much more satisfying than the way it goes nowadays; finding out on Facebook that a segment of old road is in such and such a location, go see it. Our trips were truly trips of discovery! I’ll never forget how excited we were when we stumbled upon the old Salt Creek Bridge that had appeared with a lowering Shasta Lake (yes, there were dry years back then too.) And along the way in our travels we visited any local history museums we could as well as the CalTrans Library in Sacramento and Bancroft Library in Berkeley. I even found a few gems in our small local library, such as the Depression era WPA California guidebook with its colorful descriptions of towns along the way.

After considerable trial and error, we came up with a good format for our books: background history in the chapters, a pictorial Tour (using both contemporary and historic photos), a road log and maps in the back. I’m proud that one reviewer called the Ribbon of Highway series the “seminal” Highway 99 books. Several other books have come out since our first publication as this hobby (obsession?) has grown in popularity, and every one contributes to the story. Over time we published new improved editions and covered the entire highway from Canada to Mexico in three books.

It’s sad that so much roadside archeology has disappeared in the last decades, such as neon signs, vintage auto courts, historic bridges replaced, etc. But it’s fun to see how many people have enthusiastically taken to exploring the old roads.

To purchase a copy of “That Ribbon of Highway” and other books by Jill Livingston, please check out their website:

https://www.livinggoldpress.com/index.html

Featured Photo

Pyramid Rock in Piru Gorge, Los Angeles County

On October 29, 1933, four years to the day following the great stock market crash of 1929, the Ridge Route Alternate officially opened to traffic. This new road bypassed the treacherous 1915 Ridge Route by many miles, relegating it to a forgotten side-road. This also marked the opening of the largest realignment of US 99 in California. No other section was relocated as far from the original alignment. Today, the view shown in the postcard above is still possible, with one major change. Pyramid Rock and Cut remain, but a large dam is now directly behind it.

November 2021 Presentation

“Where the Lincoln Highway meets Highway 99.”

A look at where the Lincoln Highway, America’s first Transcontinental Highway, 1913-1927, meets Highway 99 in California Central Valley. We will discuss why the Lincoln Highway chose the central valley route to Altamont Pass instead of a more direct one. Hint, there wasn’t any. When the Lincoln Highway ceased to exist, the number system Highway 99 took over from Sacramento south. We will look at some places where you can still see some of the histories of these two famous roads.

Along with his wife Monica, Trey created “Adventures in California History,” an ongoing exploration of historic California. Trey is currently the Vice-President of the Lincoln Highway Association.

Join us on November 2, 2021 at 6 pm for a Zoom presentation. To register, please use the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqf-2rrDksH9Yjqv4pqIALpt1W3TAQqJ9V

September 2021 Newsletter

US 99 in Colton, California

by Michael F Ballard

Looking west toward the Pepper Ave

A small section of original paving, dating to the late 1910’s is still visible near the intersection of Valley Blvd and Pepper Ave. This section of US 99 was realigned in 1935 to create a gentler curve along with a wider roadway. Little remains of the original paving of US 99 through the Los Angeles area, so this is a special section. In 2008, Valley Blvd was realigned again to the north, obliterating a section of the paving.

Aerial view from 1939 showing the recently realigned Valley Blvd between Pepper Ave and Meridian Ave. Courtesy UCSB
1953 USGS map showing the area. Meridian Ave is at center.
1953 map marked showing the different alignments.
Looking east toward San Gorgonio Mountain
Old Valley Blvd looking west toward Pepper Ave
1935 concrete exposed under old Valley Blvd

September Meeting

Join Michael F Ballard and the Historic Highway 99 Association of California for a presentation on the history of US 99 and the Newhall Pass on September 14, 2021 at 6pm via Zoom. The history of the roadway will be covered from the Newhall Tunnel in 1910 to the HOV ramp at the I-5 / State 14 interchange in 2012. Q&A to follow the presentation. Please register using the link below.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrc–rpzIoGdxQYOYkViOpSZQHqw2rEpl1

Featured Website

Jeremy M. Tuggle, born in Redding, is a descendant of 11 pioneer families who settled Shasta County between 1849-1889. Jeremy attended Shasta College and is the author of two published books, Rooted in Shasta County (2003), and A Journey Through Time: Ono and the Bald Hills (2008), as well as various articles on local history. In 2017, Tuggle was awarded a Community Service Award, a prestigious national award for community service in historic preservation, by the Major Pierson B. Reading Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Jeremy is a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of California, and an Eagle Scout.

Tuggle has been employed at the Shasta Historical Society since November of 2009. In his present role as Education & Community Engagement Manager, Jeremy conducts research for the historical society’s programs and events, contributes to the Society’s social media presence, and ensures the highest quality guest and patron experience at the Society’s programs and community events and is available to community organizations to present programs about Shasta County history.

You can follow Jeremy Tuggle at:

https://exploringshastahistory.blogspot.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWaOOvqGzR_kkhhgPI5cPRA

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Book of the Month

My name is Mike Herman and I would like to thank Michael Ballard for inviting me to send an article on a book that I have written. 

In 2018, I started the Historic Ukiah-Tahoe Highway Assoc in an attempt to inform more people about the history and importance of this 222 mile Historic Highway running from Ukiah to Lake Tahoe. As part of this process, I wrote the Historic Ukiah-Tahoe Highway Travel Guide. 

During the research of this project, I discovered another “Forgotten Highway”. In Williams, the Ukiah-Tahoe Highway crosses Old US 99W. After I finished the first Travel Guide, I started another one for Historic US 99W. I am sure that most of you know that US 99 splits into an east and west routes between Sacramento and Red Bluff. US 99W went through the small towns on the west side of the Sacramento Valley. US 99W was replaced in I-5 and is no longer a state or federal highway. Nearly every town along the way has an interesting story or a point of interest that people driving down I-5 will never know. 

I provided Michael with an electronic copy of this Travel Guide that any member is welcome to use. If you would like to see the other Books and Travel Guides that we have, visit www.HistoricUSHighways.com

Featured Photo

Three-lane US 99 in Gorman, CA

This section of US 99 in Gorman, California was the last section of the original 1933 Ridge Route Alternate concrete. It was resurfaced in 2010 by Los Angeles County. The concrete was poured on June 8, 1933. It remained a part of US 99 until 1951, when Gorman was bypassed by a new four-lane alignment along what is now the I-5 freeway. Few sections of original three-lane concrete remain these days. Only two exist in Southern California now and both are on US 101 (Carpinteria and Mission Viejo). Always make sure to get your photos while you can. You never know when things might go away or be covered up.

Errata

Starting January 2022, this newsletter will shift to bi-monthly publication. Interim updates and 99 alerts will still be given outside of that schedule.

June 2021 Newsletter

From the President
Michael F Ballard

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!

Highway 99 Adventures

Events

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!

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.

Membership

Featured Photo

Looking east toward Redlands along US 99 in 1958

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.