Other than remembering where I purchased this snapshot (the Mr. Roberts estate sale) I have no idea what's going on. I purchased a series of shots of men and young men in cars/jalopies driving on dirt roads. This one with the sign is the most telling of location. Perhaps there's someone out there who knows something about the sign and road. I'm guessing this was the "highway" of its time located in Southern California. The photo was most likely taken in the late 1920s to early '30s. As to what the tower is in the background, I haven't a clue.
Click on image to see it larger.
The copy on the sign:
History of the United States
San Bernardino 2 Miles
Six miles northeast of San Bernardino in the Arrowhead with its hot springs, one of which has a temperature of nearly two hundred degrees and a daily flow from the rock of half a million gallons.
UPDATE from reader Daniel Nauman. Thanks Daniel!
I believe that's a mid 1920s Hudson---at least all Hudsons had a triangluar emblem on the radiator. I'd date the photo circa 1930, because the tire on the billboard (a US Tire) is starting to 'balloon' into the tires we're familar with, which became standard circa 1934. A side note would be that US tires were made at the old Samsome factory south of LA---they one with the hyroglipchics(sp), now an outlet mall. I suspect this is taken near the shoulder of US 99, which ran through Colton at the time, about that many miles south of San Berdoo (US 66 actually went into Berdoo). The Sierra Madres are probably hidden behind the billboard. The tower looks like to be a rock crusher to me---the area is all river washes, and it may have been used to grade gravel for a paving project.
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I believe that's a mid 1920s Hudson---at least all Hudsons had a triangluar emblem on the radiator. I'd date the photo circa 1930, because the tire on the billboard (a US Tire) is starting to 'balloon' into the tires we're familar with, which became standard circa 1934. A side note would be that US tires were made at the old Samsome factory south of LA---they one with the hyroglipchics(sp), now an outlet mall. I suspect this is taken near the shoulder of US 99, which ran through Colton at the time, about that many miles south of San Berdoo (US 66 actually went into Berdoo). The Sierra Madres are probably hidden behind the billboard. The tower looks like to be a rock crusher to me---the area is all river washes, and it may have been used to grade gravel for a paving project.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the information. I've been curious about this photo for years.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do know the building you mean. It was the old tire factory with the Mesopatamian front. Such an unusual building. Was worried when it was shut down that that front would be torn down.
Again, thanks for the info1!