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Route
66
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[HOME] [WESTERN AMERICANA GALLERY] [ROUTE 66 HOME] [ROUTE 66 WEST] [ROUTE 66 EAST]
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Route
66
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Oro Grande on the Old Trails Highway |
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Oro Grande (Grand Gold in English) was named for the high hopes of the early prospectors who came through the area. Unfortunately the gold mines in the area never turned out to be all that grand. In the late 1880's a limestone quarry replaced the gold mines as the reason for the town's existence. The demand for cement for construction projects in Southern California at the turn of the century prompted the formation of the first cement company in Oro Grande in 1906. |
| Cement rather than gold became the main economic reason for Oro Grande. The Riverside Cement Co. is still in operation and the Santa Fe tracks that parallel the town are busy with trains carrying the powder. There are numerous businesses still located here that owe their existence to Route 66. |  Oro Grande was a popular stopping place on Route 66 for
travelers, but those days are over as this recently closed independent gas station shows. |
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Oro Grande's Antique Station is another Route 66 business that is going strong here. It is a great antique mall that is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. Close enough to L.A. to be a nice drive up Cajon Pass but far enough away to still maintain that small town flavor. Who knows what Route 66 treasures you might stumble on here? |
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| Two Oro Grande classics, the Iron Hog Saloon (formerly the Lost Hawg) and Mojave Joe's Trading Post are still going strong on Route 66. McClintocks BBQ (not shown) is located between the two establishments. Originally the Iron Hog biker bar was the Case farm equipment dealership in the 1930s and 1940s. The building is said to have been built in 1931. | |
Victorville, California |
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| After leaving Oro Grande, Route 66 crosses the Mojave River at a great old steel-truss bridge, a vintage Route 66 structure built in 1930. Once across the bridge you are entering Victorville, another town that got its start from the demand for cement at the turn of the century. During the hey-day of Route 66 Victorville had the western flavor that Hollywood was looking for and many an old B western was filmed in the area. Dude ranches and apple orchards rounded out the "getting out in the country" feel of the town. |  I love the ornate rails on this bridge! |
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San Bernardino County Fair Sign has been there awhile! |
Some Route 66 businesses are still doing great like Emma Jean's Truck Stop, Home of the Brian Burger. It's located between Oro Grande and Victorville. I came through here at lunchtime and the parking lot was packed. Does anyone know what the Brian Burger is? Or for that matter the Holland Burger? Next time through I have to stop and find out - grab some lunch too.
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Vintage Motor CourtThe New Corral Motel is a Route 66 classic in Victorville that harks back to the wild west image of Victorville 60 years ago. Today it is still going strong and is a clean, nostalgic stop for Route 66 visitors. Victorville is also the home of the California Route 66 Museum in Old Town Victorville, another "must stop" for the Route 66 roadologist. |
Old Town VictorvilleThis vintage post card shot of Victorville in the Route 66 days shows the downtown section, now know as Old Town. Once lined with cafes and road houses it is now the center piece for Victorville's historic preservation efforts. The Red Rooster Cafe (center of photo) is now the home of the Califotnia Route 66 Museum. Sadly, the buildings on either side of the Red Rooster are now gone. The upside of this historic loss is that there is plenty of parking for the Victorville Museum now. |
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California Route 66 Museum |
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Passing through Victorville on Route 66? Then don't miss the California Route 66 Museum! The museum maintains and displays a collection of historic photographs and artifacts related to the history of Route 66 and its communities. The museum gift shop offers many fine gifts, jewlery, books and clothing related to Route 66. Several products are exclusive to the museum. |
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Museum Open:Thursday - Monday P.O. Box 2151 |
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Photographs taken January, March & May 2001
Click on an area or city of Route 66 on the map below to take a cyber tour of that section of the Mother Road |
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NAVIGATION NOTE: Buckle up and hold on to your mouse! These pages are arranged like the map above, Pacific Ocean being West Route 66 and the Colorado River East Route 66. I have set up this site as if you were traveling from EAST to WEST, much like the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath. You can click on the Route 66 shields to "travel" the Mother Road in either direction though. Clicking West Route 66 or East Route 66 will take you to the next town or area on the map in that direction. Or you can select any shield below to take you to that specific state. |
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To Cajon Pass |
To National Old Trails Highway |
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