One of our Highway 99 Partners needs your help! For reference, they gave a wonderful presentation in July 2022 on the historic Red Bluff Chinatown. Help show them the 99 Association is there for them by signing their petition to save this historic building!
From The Helen & Joe Chew Foundation:
Dear Beloved Friends and Family, we have an update. We still urgently need your support, no donation necessary, just your kind signature, to protect a significant piece of California’s Gold Rush era heritage: 202-206 Walnut Street in Red Bluff, the Chew family’s birthplace and the last standing structure from their Historic Chinatown. This site is being purchased by the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County (RCDTC) which has communicated they are now in escrow to purchase the property for office use.
Despite RCDTC’s mission to manage and conserve Tehama County’s natural resources, this plan disregards the immense cultural and historical value of the Chew family’s birthplace. Following a face-to-face meeting with Joe Chew’s granddaughter on February 7th, the RCDTC submitted an offer to purchase the property on February 8th, coincidentally the same day she informed them via email of her intentions to submit an offer for her grandfather’s birthplace. We are rallying for your help to prevent this sale and ensure the preservation of this irreplaceable landmark goes back to the hands of the Chew family.
By signing our petition, you’re not just supporting a building; you’re honoring the legacy of a family that contributed immensely to the local community through their Traditional Chinese Medicine practice and cultural heritage. We aim to secure the right of first refusal for Joe Chew’s granddaughter, offering a chance to protect and celebrate our shared history.
Join us in this critical effort to preserve the Chew family’s birthplace and keep the story of Red Bluff’s Historic Chinatown alive for future generations. Together, we can make a difference.
For Immediate Release Media Contact: Kate Holden Director of Public Relations 559-683-4636 kate@yosemitethisyear.com Mammoth Orange to Squeeze Back into the Spotlight at the Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County The historic structure was restored to its former glory thanks to the generous donation of time and materials by the Rotary clubs of Chowchilla, Madera and Madera Sunrise.
MADERA COUNTY, CA – September 8, 2023 – Many long-time residents of California’s Central Valley will remember The Mammoth Orange as a local landmark. The Mammoth Orange was a refreshment stand located on Highway 99 and was known for its giant hamburgers, excellent fries, and out-of-this-world orange shakes.
This historic building is set to make a juicy comeback on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 6:00 PM, when the Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County invites the public to celebrate a piece of local history with a fundraising dinner and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The original Mammoth Orange closed in 2007 and was abandoned in a storage yard. Later, the 20-foot orange was brought to the Fossil Discovery Center and painstakingly revived. The structure was carefully restored to its former glory as a concession stand and a San Joaquin Valley attraction, thanks to the generous donation of time and materials by the Rotary clubs of Chowchilla, Madera, and Madera Sunrise.
“We are thrilled to be reopening the Mammoth Orange at the Fossil Discovery Center,” said Michele Pecina, Director of the Fossil Discovery Center. “This iconic landmark is a believed part of our community, and we are excited to share it with a new generation of visitors. The Mammoth Orange is a great example of how history creates unique and memorable experiences.”
The Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County is a museum that houses a collection of fossils, including ancient Columbian Mammoths. It sits adjacent to one of North America’s most extensive middle-Pleistocene fossil excavations, where discoveries continue to this day. The museum offers a variety of educational programs and activities for visitors of all ages.
“The Mammoth Orange is a great addition to the Fossil Discovery Center,’ said Pecina. “It will help us attract more visitors to the museum and learn about our region’s rich history.”
Tickets for the ribbon-cutting event are $25 for members of the Fossil Discovery Center and $30 for non-members. Tickets include a Smashburger meal served from the Mammoth Orange.
The Mammoth Orange ribbon-cutting ceremony is an excellent opportunity to celebrate local and ancient history.
Come one, come all to the Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 6:00 PM. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.maderamammoths.org or call (559) 665-7071.
About Visit Yosemite | Madera County Formed in 1985, Visit Yosemite | Madera County’s mission is to draw the millions of Yosemite National Park visitors to its gateway’s many businesses and attractions. We invite visitors to take a journey from the Fossil Discovery Center to the Madera Wine Trail and onward to the High Sierra. Discover incredible dining, talented tradespersons, four seasons of water sports at Bass Lake, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and mighty adventures right up to the massive Giant Sequoia trees. Madera County is the gateway to so much more.
Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau | 40343 Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA 93644
Either through heavy wind, corrosion, or a combination of the two, a section of “greenout” fell off a sign on the eastbound Ventura Freeway (State 134) recently at Victory Blvd. This sign, approaching the Golden State Freeway (I-5) has been there since 1961 when the freeway opened. In 1961, the Golden State Freeway was still US Highway 99. In 1965, the sign was covered over with an overlay for I-5. In early 2023, that overlay (“greenout”) fell off, revealing a portion of the original signage. The left side of the sign has a State 134 EAST sign as 134 proceeded east toward Pasadena via the Golden State Freeway and Colorado St until 1968.
Pyramid Rock and Cut along the Ridge Route Alternate
Surveying of the new “Ridge Route Alternate”, as it was to be called, began in 1928. The new alignment of the highway would diverge from the existing Ridge Route at Castaic and head north through the mountains via Violin Summit, Whitaker Summit, Piru Gorge, and Peace Valley rejoining the Ridge Route about one mile south of Gorman. From there, the new alignment would follow a much straighter path through Gorman and Tejon Pass. The old summit at Tejon Pass would be lowered from 4213’ to 4183’. The northern terminus of the “Ridge Route Alternate” was Lebec. The name Ridge Route Alternate came from the fact that the Division of Highways thought that people would still travel the original Ridge Route and use the new road as a faster way to travel. Their idea proved false as traffic completely disappeared from the Ridge Route as soon as the new road opened.
In late 1929, construction began on the new Ridge Route Alternate. The new alignment was built to the latest in highway standards. The new route was 9.6 miles shorter and had only 1/14 the curvature of the original Ridge Route. The Ridge Route Alternate was also much lower and more protected which made it less susceptible to fog, sleet, and snow. Instead of two ten-foot lanes on a 24-foot roadway like the Ridge Route had, the new roadway had three ten-foot lanes on a 38-foot roadway. This however only proved to be just as dangerous as two lanes as the center lane was a common passing lane, more commonly known as a “suicide” lane.
In Piru Gorge, massive cuts and fills had to be constructed. The largest cut, known as the Pyramid Cut, was 206 feet deep, 400 feet long, and required the removal of 230,000 cubic yards of material. This left a landmark along the highway that would outlast the highway itself, Pyramid Rock. In total, over 4.3 million cubic yards were excavated and over 30.2 million station yards of overhaul had to be moved. This is 77 times greater than what was moved in the construction of the Ridge Route back in 1915, just 18 years earlier.
Opening Ceremonies at the “Channel Change”
After more than four long years of work, the Ridge Route Alternate was finally opened to traffic on October 29, 1933. Thousands of people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the “Channel Change” in Piru Gorge, a change to Piru Creek that saved the cost of two bridges, which is near the halfway point along the route. Many cars were waiting at each end of the new route for the barriers to be removed, which were simultaneously removed at 10 am. Harry A. Hopkins, Chairman of the California Highway Commission, cut the ribbon and formally accepted the Ridge Route Alternate on behalf of the State of California in the name of Governor Rolph. One of the speakers at the ceremony, State Highway Commissioner Phillip Stanton stated that the completion of the Ridge Route Alternate was “the greatest blow to sectionalism in California since the construction of the original Ridge Route in 1915.” He said this because the new “high speed” route through the mountains would allow faster commerce and travel between Northern and Southern California.
Conversion of US 99 to an Expressway from a Three-Lane Highway
As traffic increased through the late 1930’s and the early 1940’s, the need to upgrade the Ridge Route Alternate became evident. Plans and contracts were ready as early as 1940 but World War II delayed those plans. The Collier-Burns Act of 1947 made more funds available from the gasoline tax to upgrade US 99 to an expressway through California. From 1947 to 1951, the Ridge Route Alternate would finally be widened from three lanes to a four-lane expressway. Work began on the first section, the bottom of Five Mile Grade at Castaic to Frenchman’s Flat, on March 13, 1947. The new, wider 78-foot roadway would consist of four twelve-foot lanes, a six-foot dividing strip, and two nine-foot shoulders. Where the divider had to be narrowed to four feet, raised concrete bars were used in the median to separate each direction of travel. The center divider was at its widest at Big Oak Flat, where an unpaved center dividing strip thirty-six feet wide was built.
Instead of concrete, asphalt was used in the paving of the roadway. The grade and curvature were changed just enough so that the original concrete could not be used. It was paved over in some places and completely torn up in others. There are many places where the original concrete is still visible and is usually found about one to two feet below the level of the current roadway. Construction was finally completed June 9, 1948 on Five Mile Grade, February 24, 1949 on the segment from Violin Summit to Whitaker Summit, September 1, 1948 on the segment from Whitaker Summit to Frenchman’s Flat. Widening work was completed through Peace Valley from Los Alamos Creek to just south of the junction of State Highway 138 on December 8, 1949.
By 1951, almost all of US 99 through the mountains was a four-lane divided expressway. Only three segments remained as a three-lane highway – 5.3 miles in Piru Gorge, 11 miles over Tejon Pass, and 5.1 miles in Castaic. Piru Gorge would be the most expensive and most difficult segment to widen. This section extends from Frenchman’s Flat north to the old Oak Flat Maintenance Station. More than 500,000 station yards were moved in the widening of the Piru Gorge segment. As a part of this project, the two bridges at Pyramid Rock were eliminated to save on costs. Instead of widening the bridges, they were removed and replaced with fill as Piru Creek was realigned through the widened Pyramid Cut. All but three miles of that expressway are under Pyramid Lake.
Even with these improvements, fatality rates along Five Mile Grade due to runaway trucks made a runaway truck ramp necessary. It was constructed about 3.5 miles south of Violin Summit and was opened in August 1956. It would be used many times in its 14-year span. The escape ramp was used for the last time in Mid-January 1970 just before the freeway was completed.
September 2022 Meeting and Presentation
Join us via Zoom on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 6 pm for a presentation on the Ridge Route Alternate between Castaic and Tejon Pass by Michael F Ballard. To register for the meeting:
I would like to welcome the City of Redlands to our Highway 99 Association. The City of Redlands is our first major sponsor, and we look forward to seeing more in the future. Redlands will also be the first city in San Bernardino County to have Historic US Highway 99 signs posted along its segment. Thanks to their generous donation and application, we can make sure US Highway 99 remains an important part of California history. We hope other cities and organizations follow their lead in the near future.
Remember, When You’re Through Getting Your Kicks on Route 66, Come Wine and Dine on Route 99! There are a lot of good places to do both in Redlands along 99. Come check them out and tell them the Historic Highway 99 Association of California sent you!
The Helen and Joe Chew Foundation, which gave a wonderful presentation in May on the history of the Chinese culture in Red Bluff is looking to raise funds for their cause. If you’d like more information and would like to help, we recommend checking out their website. You can also use the links below to directly contribute. I personally donated $50 toward their Historic Chinatown Signage project. They are a wonderful group with a great cause that needs your support. You can also get a special tour of the area, which is another Highway 99 Adventure, through your membership. Contact us for more details about that benefit.
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. Join now and help us grow!
We are working on an article about the town arches along Highway 99 and we need your help. We are seeking photos of the following arches:
Modesto
Lodi
Orland
The photos should show preferably the entire arch. If there is a dedication plaque nearby, we could use help with that as well.
Featured Photo
Abandoned section of the Historic Ridge Route near the Tumble Inn site
The Historic 1915 Ridge Route has seen quite a bit of changes since it was first constructed. Among those are the many “curve corrections” which were an effort to reduce the number of sharp curves along the roadway in the mid 1920’s. This particular location was bypassed about 1925, making it nearly 100 years since traffic last passed over it.
Memories of US Route 99 Red Bluff’s Chinatown by Jessica Casas
After gold was discovered in Coloma in 1848, thousands of people including Chinese arrived in California to seek work in the mining industry. Red Bluff was the furthest point north and the last ferry stop on the steamboat. The ferry stop would eventually create Pine Street with the first crossroad as High Street (currently known as Rio Street) and just one block further west would become Main Street or the old U.S, Route 99(W).
Logically, when the Chinese arrived in Red Bluff they took the boat as far north as possible in order to reach the “Gold Mountain” (金山 or “Gam Saan” in Cantonese). In China, they were told by the many companies soliciting laborers for work to “go abroad” so that one could strike it rich by finding gold in California and use their riches to improve their village, help fund educational institutions, obtain land expansion projects, etc. Since their early arrival in what is now known as Red Bluff’s Historic District, the Chinese were segregated to live on High Street beginning on Pine Street and ending on Hickory Street. The area on record was called “Chinatown”. What we know as Central Business Districts today, were former Chinatowns in most cities and former U.S. Route 99.
The truth is Chinatown was prosperous. It thrived because it was strategically located adjacent (one block south of Pine Street) to the railroad tracks where Sierra Flume and Lumber Company would fill carloads of logs into the Red Bluff railroad yard. The railroads offered a variety of jobs whether it was working on the expansion of the rail, seasonal farming jobs, rock walls or other season work.
When the railroad was decommissioned, it became the old U.S. Route 99(E), but still adjacent to Chinatown. Although, Chinatown was located on High Street, it was just one block west of Main Street which meant it was close to U.S. Route 99(W). For the Chew family who originally came to Red Bluff in 1865-1870 (officially settled in 1888) the creation of U.S. Route 99(W) and 99(E) would create a smart business endeavor for them. So as the story goes, in 1949 the family (including children) pooled their savings together from the pinball machine at their first restaurant, California Café, and made a down payment on a larger property located at 860 Main Street and Hickory. It would become the popular restaurant, Ming Terrace. For the first time, the Chew family would serve Chinese American cuisines instead of American comfort food.
It would take another year of hard sweat and scrimping by to actually open the restaurant in 1949. Youngest siblings, Joe and Nettie Chew recalled that a friend, Harry On from Yreka, helped them buy a cash registered and later a car. The Red Bluff Daily News noted that “dishes of ancient China as well as American dishes will be served in a modern setting to progressive Red Bluff… The restaurant has paneled booths with chrome finish on tables and chairs, special embroidered painting imported from China and Ming trees made by Chinese craftsman in San Francisco.” Red Bluff Daily News circa August 30, 1949. Nettie and Julia Chew reminisce fondly that at the grand opening of Ming Terrace they wore their colorful Chinese “cheongsam” dresses to greet and welcome the customers to the new restaurant. With a new and larger business to develop, all members of the family worked long hours daily and then climbed upstairs from the restaurant to enter their living and sleeping quarters. Still common today in China, the alleyway was vibrant. In the rear of the restaurant, there was an alleyway which served as a
key corridor into Red Bluff’s Chinatown. So, the young children were tasked with gathering the chickens and the vegetables from the Chew garden, they would then bring them through the backdoor straight to the restaurant kitchen. What we call “Farm to Table”! The Chew family was well regarded mostly for their humility. During the Great Depression, eldest sibling, Dick Chew fed those hungry on an honor system. He just couldn’t bear to see folks go hungry. For the Ming Terrace, this tradition continued and if you were an out-of-towner stopping for gas, Chevron would send you to the Ming Terrace for a free “cup of Joe”! Business grew strong into the 1950s through the 1970’s.
However, the construction of I-5 to replace U.S. Route 99(E) and 99(W) would change everything. Joe was a naturally gifted man in finance and accounting even though he was the youngest sibling. He had the wisdom to realize that I5 would deter business away from Red Bluff’s Main Street hence, potentially becoming detrimental to the family business. Like many untold Chinatown stories, the construction of I5 would forever eliminate their once thriving neighborhoods ending the legacy of Red Bluff’s Chinatown in 1973 when the Ming Terrace closed. It was the last residence and business to operate in the long-lost historic Chinatown of Red Bluff, CA.
Although, a Chinatown no longer exists today, Red Bluff’s Chinese Pioneers now have descendants who have not only made America their home for generations but prospered due to the cross-pollination of ideas, ingenuity, contributions to science, healthcare, public service, business, and the arts, paving the way for the advancement of all Americans today. The newest transplants of Chinese families in Red Bluff have added to the town’s growth and diversity in numerous ways contributing to businesses and the labor market. In memory of the original Chinese Pioneers and in tribute to the honorable work of today’s Asian community in Red Bluff, the Helen and Joe Chew Foundation has submitted an application to name the alleyway adjacent to Main Street (where the old U.S. Route 99 once ran through), to “Historic Chinatown Alley”. We would like to thank you old U.S. Route 99 from the bottom of our hearts, you have made our Chinatown flourish and you are forever in our memories.
For further information, we strongly recommend heading to their website at Red Bluff Chew.
May Presentation
Deadman’s Curve, Grapevine Canyon. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Join us on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 6 pm for a presentation via Zoom on the Historic Ridge Route by Michael F Ballard. The road will be covered from Castaic to Gorman. Learn about the current status of the roadway and the Ridge Route Preservation Organization that is working to reopen the roadway.
Please register for the presentation using the link below:
On the evening of Thursday, April 14, I gave a presentation on the history of US 99 through the San Gorgonio Pass to the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society at the Cherry Valley Grange. This was the first time I had given a presentation in person in a very long time. To be honest, I was quite nervous but was confident it would go well in the long run. The event was well attended with a total of 68 people, far more than I had expected. It was also their second highest attendance. I want to thank the Historical Society and the attendees for allowing me the opportunity to give the presentation. I had a really great time and had a lot of fun.
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. Join now and help us grow!
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
Looking south at the San Fernando OH (53-0730) on December 28, 1956. Courtesy – Caltrans
In 1955, the first section of the Golden State Freeway was completed in Newhall Pass. It stretched from Tunnel Station (Junction US 6) to Sepulveda Blvd (Junction State 7). Heading south into the San Fernando Valley, a choice had to be made. Follow US 6 / 99 to Los Angeles or go to the westside and follow Sepulveda Blvd. The photo above shows the split where it crosses over San Fernando Road (old US 99). You can also see how the striping was modified, likely to give more room and reduce the chance of someone cutting across three lanes to stay on 99. Today, this same split is a little further south, where I-5 and I-405 meet. The same choices are to be made today. Go to the city or go to the beach.
The historic structure was restored to its former glory thanks to the generous donation of time and materials by the Rotary clubs of Chowchilla, Madera and Madera Sunrise. 
