|
Legends Home
Site
Map
What's New!!

American History
Ghost Towns
Ghostly Legends
Historic People
Native Americans
The Old West
Photo
Galleries
Roadside Attractions
Rocky Mtn Store
Route 66
Travel
Destinations
Treasure Tales
Legends Blog
Free E-Newsletter

P.O. Box 19423
Lenexa,
KS 66285
913-708-5119
Please report
broken links, missing pictures, or other problems online by clicking
HERE or send us an
email.
Thanks!
| |
|
|
|
San
Bernardino, California |
|

|
|
<<
Previous
1 2
Next >> |
|

The early days of
San
Bernardino,
California,
vintage
postcard.
|
By 1910, the population of
San
Bernardino had doubled to more than 12,000 residents.
Having been chosen as the headquarters as the
headquarters for the Santa Fe Railroad's Pacific Coast Locomotive
Works, a grand new depot was completed In 1918. Designed in the
Mission Revival style, the magnificent structure served as both a
passenger transportation center as well as the railroad's administrative
offices. The oppulent structure, complete with polished tile walls
and floors, also included dining areas, a telegraph office and a Western
Union office.
|
|
Just a few years later, the depot was
expanded to make room for a Harvey House Restaurant, which opened in
1921. Neatly dressed in starched black uniforms with crisp white
bibbed aprons and starched white caps, the Harvey Girls began to serve
hot meals, bakery goods and strong coffee to travelers and locals
alike.
In 1926,
Route 66
was completed through
San
Bernardino and the town quickly responded with motels, gas
stations and other services for the many travelers, several of which
can still be seen today.
Unfortunately,
due to the many new automobile travelers, rail travel began to decline
and by the 1950's the
Harvey
House Restaurant was closed. Before long, the historic depot
began to fall into disrepair. However, in the mid-1990's, the
San
Bernardino Associated Governments and the City of
San
Bernardino began to work together to bring the depot back to life.
Today, it has been fully restored and serves the Metrolink, a commuter
rail service, Amtrak, and the offices of the
San
Bernardino Associated Governments.
As
San
Bernardino continued to grow into the large metropolitan city that
it is today, many other treasures from the past were also preserved.
There were two alignments of the
Mother Road
through
San
Bernardino, the latter one now called Business 66. Here you
can see the first McDonalds Restaurant, which now houses the McDonalds
Route 66
Museum at 14th and E Streets. Also along this route
is the
California Theatre of Performing Arts, a landmark since 1928, and
the place of Will Rogers’s last performance. The theatre now
displays a mural of Mr. Rogers.
Along the older alignment, several motels
and cafes can be found tucked between the newer buildings, one of
which is the Mitla Café at 602 N. Mt. Vernon Avenue. Established
in 1937, this historic restaurant is a family owned business that’s
been serving up great Mexican cuisine since the early days of
Route 66.
|
|
|
|
While in the
San
Bernardino area, you will surely notice the well-known natural
landmark of the Arrowhead that sits high on the mountainside.
Clearly visible long before white settlers came to the area; the
phenomenon was created by the natural uplifting of the soil and can be
seen from as far away as 30 miles on a clear day. Many legends
surround the Arrowhead, but the most popular is an Indian story that the
Great Spirit created the arrow to guide them to where they were to live.
The Arrowhead, measuring 1,360 feet long and 450 feet wide was once
believed to be man-made, so perfect are its proportions.
Beyond
San
Bernardino,
Route 66 fades into the suburbs of
Rialto,
Rancho Cucamonga,
Upland, and several others before reaching the city of Pasadena, where
you will know you have reached the
Los Angeles
sprawl.
©Kathy Weiser,
Legends of America,
January, 2006
|
|
|

The
California
Historic Route
66
Association Museum is located at 1398
North "E" Street. Photo courtesy
County of
San Bernardino
|
|
<<
Previous
1 2
Next >> |
|

|
|
From the Rocky Mountain General Store
The
Whole 66 Package -
EZ66 Guide,
Eight
State Map Series,
Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide,
and Images of 66. Retails for $73.80, but you get it here for $66.95.
Save money on the books and on shipping. Ships Priority Mail.

|
| |
|