California Historic Highways And Byways

[RoadDog]

While visiting my mother in North Carolina, I happened to read her DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) March-April magazine, The American Spirit, and in its supplement, came across a seven page spread on California's historic highways and byways.

 

Two were featured on each page and included every California DAR District. Each one had a picture and accompanying article.

 

District

1. Freeman's Crossing Bridge- 1921- reinforced concrete open spandrel arch bridge

2. Johnson's Cutoff- 1852- became part of the Lincoln Highway

3. Redwood Highway- 400 miles from SF to Oregon

4. Route 21- defunct north-south highway in SF Bay area

5. Golden State Highway- Ca-99- connect cities in San Joaquin Valley

6. Pancheco Pass- used by Spanish

7. El Camino Real- linked 21 Spanish missions

8. Cahuenga Pass- US-101- Hollywood Freeway

9. Pacific Coast Highway-

10. The Mother Road

11. Madonna of the Trail- four famous Cal. trails meet at this intersection-Anza Trail,Old Emigrant

Trail, Colorado Trail, and Old Trails Route

12. Mormon Battalion on El Camino Real

13. Vincent Thomas Bridge- 1,500 foot long bridge over LA Harbor

14. De Anza Trail- 1774-1776- safe overland route for settlers from Arizona

 

I e-mailed the DAR in California and received a reply from the State Regent, Anne Donahue. I thanked her for creating this article. She said she didn't belong to any highway associations, but is very interested in old highways in her state. Their state theme this year is "Light the Path" and this goes along well with it. The magazine editor worked with chapters all over the state to come up with it.

 

I tried to find a link to downlad the article, but couldn't. If you get the chance to read the article, by all means, do it.

 

It is great to see other organizations showing interest in the old roads.

 

In the same magazine, I saw that the Arizona DAR had restored and rededicated the Madonna of the Trail in Springerville.

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog