99 Alert – Saugus

Saugus Cafe Needs Your Help!

The Saugus Cafe, which has been in business for 132 years, is in danger of closing. With the ongoing crisis, business has slowed and restrictions are in place making it tougher than ever. This restaurant is a part of the history of Santa Clarita and US 99. It is located at 25861 Railroad Avenue (formerly San Fernando Road) in Santa Clarita, California. As a kid, I always enjoyed going there and getting a seat near the window so I could watch the trains go by. I was last able to stop there in January 2020. It isn’t truly a Ridge Route trip without it, as it is the LAST place that is still around that dates to that era AND is along the route.

If you’d like to help save this historic restaurant and learn more, KHTS radio has a detailed article here. The Saugus Cafe has also started a “GoFundMe” account. If you are in the area, please stop by the restaurant and show your support! We need places like this to keep going, as without we lose a part of our heritage and a connection to the past.

Highway 99 Week

In 1947, the Kern County Board of Supervisors designated the week of November 17-22 as “US Highway 99 Week”. This was to commemorate the importance of the highway in Kern County and promote the highway improvements which were needed at the time. US 99 still had a lot of two and three lane sections of highway until 1952 through the area. Bakersfield, the largest city in Kern County, wouldn’t be bypassed by a freeway until 1962. An organization called the “US Highway 99 Association, Incorporated” also spoke before the board in favor of this designation.

What a week to get the Historic Highway 99 Association of California going!