A nostalgic ride up California’s greatest highway, with secret history, lost landmarks, forgotten attractions, and the birth of American roadside culture.
Before it was a modern freeway, California’s State Highway 99 was the main street of California, a simple two-lane road that passed through the downtowns of every city between the Mexican border and the Oregon state line. Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street turns back the clock to those days when a narrow ribbon of asphalt tied the state’s communities together, with classic roadside attractions and plenty of fun along the way. Highway 99 documents the birth, growth, and transformation of the highway; the gas stations, motels, restaurants, and attractions that flourished and declined by the roadside; and the communities, personalities, and historical events that made their mark on the highway. From the migrations of the Dust Bowl to the birth of the Bakersfield Sound to the foundation of America’s fast-food culture, the history of California has happened around Highway 99, and Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street brilliantly depicts that history. AUTHOR: Stephen H. Provost is a journalist, author, and editor of The Cambrian newspaper. He has worked as an editor, reporter, and columnist at newspapers throughout California. His previous books include Fresno Growing Up: A City Comes of Age 1945-1985, a history of his hometown. 20 colour, 300 b/w illustrations