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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

West Sacramento's Motel Row


RoadDog
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I came across an excellent blog by Tom Spaulding who goes by NorCal Explorer. In it, he talks about US-40 which was the major approach to Sacramento from the Bay area. It was once a part of US-50 as well.

 

Motels, restaurants and a drive-in theater along this stretch used boldly designed buildings and neon to lure tourists off the road. A lot of this has been lost and what's left is greatly endangered by the town of West Sacramento's very strict sign ordinance. This area was west of the old Tower Bridge (1935) which looks like a mini version of London's Tower Bridge.

 

When the new freeway bypassed this area, decline set in and West Sacramento is on a mission to change its image, often at the expense of its heritage.

 

This blog entry is loaded with pictures and informative captions and worth a check.

 

http://tspauld.blogspot.com

 

September 24th "US Route 40: West Sacramento's Motel Row"

 

You can also search NorCal Explorer

 

Well Worth a Visit. --RoadDog

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I came across an excellent blog by Tom Spaulding who goes by NorCal Explorer. In it, he talks about US-40 which was the major approach to Sacramento from the Bay area. It was once a part of US-50 as well.

 

Motels, restaurants and a drive-in theater along this stretch used boldly designed buildings and neon to lure tourists off the road. A lot of this has been lost and what's left is greatly endangered by the town of West Sacramento's very strict sign ordinance. This area was west of the old Tower Bridge (1935) which looks like a mini version of London's Tower Bridge.

 

When the new freeway bypassed this area, decline set in and West Sacramento is on a mission to change its image, often at the expense of its heritage.

 

This blog entry is loaded with pictures and informative captions and worth a check.

 

http://tspauld.blogspot.com

 

September 24th "US Route 40: West Sacramento's Motel Row"

 

You can also search NorCal Explorer

 

Well Worth a Visit. --RoadDog

 

Good tip, RoadDog. Well worth a visit. I am always saddened by the disappearance of our long standing roadside artifacts.

 

I truly don’t know the best approach to preservation. This is America, and what survives is what is in demand. If we don’t want it, we don't get it. Nothing surprising there.

 

So, what is the answer? Is it education...in all forms? American Road is one important educational form. The fact that both of us, and perhaps a few hundred others, paid attention is a recent development. Ten years ago, no one cared.

 

And do we (American Road) have a historic road curriculum guide available for elementary school teachers? Know any former teachers here on the forum? :rolleyes: Does anyone have postcards, maps, photos to include? :unsure:

 

Well, I’m babbling...but thanks for the great tip!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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And do we (American Road) have a historic road curriculum guide available for elementary school teachers? Know any former teachers here on the forum? :rolleyes: Does anyone have postcards, maps, photos to include? :unsure:

 

Well, I’m babbling...but thanks for the great tip!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

Hi all--

 

Glad you brought this up (the teacher's curriculum idea). This is actually one of the activities that we plan for the American Road Foundation. If there are any teachers on the Forum that would like to participate on the task force, please let me know. I anticipate that work should start on this in the next two or three months. More to come on the Foundation.

 

:) Becky

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