Exploring the Highways and the Byways.
Being a fan of both history and neon signs, the Neon Museum in Las Vegas (sometimes called the Neon Boneyard) has long been on my list of things to see when visiting the city. Finally, my schedule lined up, and I was able to take a stroll through Las Vegas history in what might be…
Just outside of the town of Hemet, California, there is a boulder with an ancient petroglyph on it that has baffled historians for more than a century. Known as the Hemet Maze Stone, researchers aren’t sure who created the mysterious symbol on the rock. Theories have included everything from ancient Chinese mariners who got lost…
When driving down Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, it’s impossible not to notice the bright yellow Spanish Colonial-style service station on the north side of the road. The building is the Cucamonga Service Station, and it dates back to a time before Route 66 even existed. There were once thousands of similar service stations…
Near Joshua Tree is a town that is one of the most filmed locations of the Old West. The only thing is, this town wasn’t created until the 1940s. Pioneertown, California, was created as a living, breathing movie set, and a visit there is like stepping into a 1950s TV western (which makes sense as…
Buckman Springs is probably best known these days as a rest stop east of San Diego on Interstate 8, but until the 1940s it was a popular resort town. Founded in the late 1880s, it was known for its spring waters that were pledged to have medicinal properties. While the town is long gone, you…