U.S. Highway 99
By Pat Edwards and Jo-Brew
In the nascent years of the 20th century, traversing the landscapes of the Pacific Coast states – Washington, Oregon, and California – presented a significant challenge. The network of roads connecting towns and burgeoning cities was often haphazard, and for the most part, consisted of rudimentary dirt trails that snaked through diverse and often unforgiving terrain. During the autumn and winter seasons, the onset of rains, particularly prevalent in the Pacific Northwest, transformed these routes into muddy bogs, hindering the passage of even horses, mules, and wagons. The advent of automobiles, those novel machines conceived by Henry Ford and his contemporaries, sparked both excitement and frustration among local residents. While their popularity grew, the vehicles often remained immobilized, perched on blocks, awaiting the return of drier weather and passable roads.
As the allure of the automobile deepened, so did the calls for a comprehensive highway system. Citizens increasingly petitioned for a main artery that would not only span the entire state of Oregon from north to south but also forge connections with its neighboring states of Washington and California. This burgeoning movement resonated in those states as well, fueling the ambition to unite the entire West Coast through a cohesive transportation network.
In 1913, Oregon’s Governor Oswald West symbolically initiated the construction of this long-awaited Pacific Highway through Oregon by turning the first shovelful of dirt at the Siskiyou Pass. It’s important to remember that at the time, the entire state of Oregon could only boast of 25 miles of paved roads. Even after the project commenced, the highway remained primarily a dirt and gravel thoroughfare for a considerable period. Federal funding did not begin to flow into the project until 1921. Until then, the financial burden of constructing the roads within their respective jurisdictions fell upon the counties along the proposed route. However, by its completion in 1926, the highway was officially designated as U.S. Highway 99 and, by 1928, it was celebrated as the longest-improved highway in the nation.
The origins of the Pacific Highway, which would later become U.S. Highway 99, predate the gold rush era and the westward expansion of European settlers. Indigenous tribes had roamed these lands for centuries, establishing their own routes between winter and summer encampments, as well as to areas abundant in fish, game, and vital plant resources such as camas roots, acorns, hazelnuts, fruits, and berries, which were harvested seasonally. These original pathways often mirrored animal trails, as migrating herds of deer and elk had instinctively identified the most efficient routes across the mountains and valleys over countless generations.
The arrival of French Canadian fur traders from the Hudson’s Bay Company, followed by gold miners and, ultimately, the wave of white settlers, led to the adoption of many of these Indigenous trails. These pathways provided the easiest means of traversing the landscape with wagons and on horseback.
Over time, these rudimentary trails evolved into stagecoach roads, a necessary development spurred by the increasing need to transport settlers, commodities, and mail between settlements.
As part of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862, which was later amended in 1866, the federal government began to incentivize railroad construction by offering land grants to the California and Oregon Railroad of California and a company designated by the Oregon Legislature to build a railway line connecting California and Oregon. Upon its completion in 1887, the railroad became the primary mode of shipping and passenger travel between Washington and California through the interior of Oregon. However, steamships navigating the Willamette River also played a significant role until the development and improvement of U.S. Highway 99.
The emergence of the automobile age saw more and more families embracing the burgeoning system of roads and highways. Bus lines, most notably the Pacific Greyhound Lines, emerged to provide transportation for those who did not own private vehicles. Soon, Greyhound, and to a lesser extent Trailways Bus Lines, also began offering parcel post service between towns along their routes.
As railroad passenger service declined, businesses catering to automobile travelers began to flourish along U.S. Highway 99. Gas stations, auto courts (precursors to motels), and other establishments sprang up, fueling the growth and prosperity of towns along the route. In many cases, the "Main Streets" of these towns were, in fact, segments of U.S. Highway 99. In some instances, entire town business districts were redesigned to accommodate the influx of tourist and commercial traffic generated by the highway.
During the mid-1920s and 1930s, an era marked by the public’s growing fascination with aviation, the Richfield Oil Company of California devised an innovative advertising campaign known as the "Lane of Light." This initiative not only provided a valuable service to automobile drivers but also aided private pilots. In that era, it was common practice for pilots of early aircraft to navigate by following highways and railroad lines. The design of these early planes often obstructed forward visibility, requiring pilots to look down and out the side of the aircraft. With radar and sophisticated guidance systems still years away, pilots relied heavily on visual landmarks and "flying by the seat of their pants." During this period, U.S. Highway 99 became a vital aviation flyway in Oregon.
Richfield gas stations were strategically positioned less than 100 miles apart along U.S. Highway 99, ensuring that drivers would encounter the next station as their fuel gauges neared empty.
At each station, a 125-foot steel tower was erected, topped with a beacon. Neon letters on one side of the tower spelled out "Richfield," while the name of the nearest town was displayed on the opposite side. Some locations even featured airfields for small planes to land, and hotels were planned for others, with some sites incorporating both. The company envisioned these locations as self-contained communities. While Richfield owned the properties, they were typically leased to local businessmen who operated them.
The Norman-style buildings themselves were designed to be comfortable and luxurious, featuring separate "lounging rooms" for men and women. They included a salesroom and a canopy over the gas pumps. The surrounding grounds were meticulously landscaped to attract customers.
Unfortunately, the onset of the Great Depression plunged the Richfield Company’s division into receivership, leading to the closure or repurposing of many stations.
The highway’s route itself, commencing at the California border, ascended the majestic, snow-capped Siskiyou Pass, winding its way into the culturally vibrant town of Ashland, Oregon, home to the renowned Shakespearean Festival.
As the highway proceeds northward, it enters the Rogue River Valley, an area celebrated not only for its exceptional fishing and recreational opportunities along the picturesque Rogue River, immortalized by Zane Grey and frequented by figures such as Jack London, Ginger Rogers, and U.S. Presidents, but also for its expansive orchards and agricultural abundance. The larger Southern Oregon cities of Medford and Grants Pass are located within this valley.
Exiting the Rogue River Valley, the highway enters the heavily forested southern reaches of the Umpqua Valley. Hemmed in by steep, rocky terrain and the vast Umpqua National Forest, the route of U.S. Highway 99 had few alternatives other than passing through Canyonville, a town steeped in the Native American history of the Cow Creek Tribe.
As the highway continues north, the Umpqua Valley widens, and the landscape transforms into rolling green hills dotted with clusters of oak and hardwood trees, offering travelers a distinct flavor of Oregon. This section of the route is characterized by numerous ranches raising cattle and sheep, and increasingly, by signs indicating the entrance into wine country. Douglas County’s largest city and county seat is Roseburg, which suffered a devastating tragedy in 1959 when a dynamite truck exploded, claiming 14 lives and destroying several city blocks in the downtown area. The city’s retail core was virtually obliterated.
Traveling further north, as one approaches the Eugene/Springfield area from the south, the highway passes through expansive Douglas Fir forests and the historic gold mines of the Bohemia Mining District near Cottage Grove. The remainder of the journey to the Washington border follows the course of the mighty Willamette River, which turns north after flowing from the Cascade Range to the east. The vast Willamette Valley is home to Oregon’s largest cities and some of its smallest towns.
The original route of U.S. Highway 99 guided motorists along the east side of the Willamette River, but crossing points to the west were scarce. Consequently, residents on the west side began petitioning for a western route, and around 1930, the highway split at the town of Junction City, merging with "Highway 3" to become U.S. Highway 99W.
This western route traverses extensive acreages dedicated to grass seed and grain production, which also serve as grazing grounds for large herds of sheep during the fall and winter months. Further north, on the east side, the French Prairie area is a major agricultural hub for the state. The western route, passing through Corvallis, McMinnville, and into Portland, is a prominent center for wine production.
U.S. Highway 99‘s east and west routes converge in Oregon’s largest city, Portland, a short distance south of the Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River, which marks the border with Washington.
U.S. Highway 99 was, without a doubt, "Oregon’s Main Street" from 1923 until its decommissioning in 1966, following the completion of Interstate 5.
Our two books, OREGON’S MAIN STREET: U.S. Highway 99 – The Stories and The Folk History, are intended to provide a glimpse into life in the communities along its path during that era.
Join us on a journey through these communities, as we make our way north from the California border, where the Pacific Highway’s construction began with that first shovelful of dirt. You’ll discover interesting, lesser-known aspects of their histories and learn about the individuals who played pivotal roles in shaping them into what they are today.
Sit back and enjoy your trip through Oregon’s heartland. You may even decide to embark on your own adventure, tracing the original paths of the old Pacific Highway and exploring the remarkable communities and sites along the way. Venture off Interstate 5 for a while, and you’ll uncover a whole other, not-so-new Oregon that awaits rediscovery.
©Jo-Brew, Pat Edwards for – Submitted December 2014. Updated December 2022.
Special note: These books are offered through Amazon separately; however, if you would like to purchase both and save on some postage, contact Pat Edwards at Groundwaters Publishing.
More about the books:
The Stories takes us along the route through Oregon today. It is filled with the stories of those who grew up, worked, played, and raised their families in the communities along the path of U.S. Highway 99. Over 150 individuals shared their stories, some in the form of old letters and diaries, but most in first-person accounts through interviews, letters, emails, and even phone calls, all done personally by Jo-Brew.
The Folk History covers how the route for the Pacific Highway was determined through its use by trappers, miners, stage lines, and the railroad. Just as important, it will show how each of the settlements along its route were formed and grew into prospering cities, small rural communities, and some that are now considered ghost towns.
About the Authors: Jo-Brew (1931-2018) is the author of OREGON’S MAIN STREET: U.S. Highway 99 – The Stories and co-author, with Pat Edwards, of The Folk History. In addition, she has written six novels. These include Preserving Cleo, Cleo’s Slow Dance, Finding Clarice, What Next Ms. Elliott? Marge, Back on Track, Anne Marie’s New Melody, and La Femme, a collection of short stories. She decided that she was ready to leave fiction behind, so she embarked on a new road, drawing on her interest in Oregon and its history which led to the publication of the two Highway 99 books.
Jo was also an active member of The Association of University Women, and for seven years, she wrote a weekly column for the Creswell Chronicle. "When I’m not writing, thinking about writing, or talking about writing, I garden, keep a house and spend time with my friends. My husband Ken and I both like to travel and go when we can. We also combine activities with our grown children and their families as often as possible. School concerts, ball games, ultimate frisbee, picnics, and camping are all part of our lives." Josephine Anne Brew passed away on March 1, 2018.
Pat Edwards is the author of two books on the history of her home community of Lorane, Oregon. The first, Sawdust and Cider; A History of Lorane, Oregon, and the Siuslaw Valley, was written with co-authors Nancy O’Hearn and Marna Hing in 1987 to help celebrate the community’s centennial. In 2006, Pat wrote a major revision of the book called From Sawdust and Cider to Wine. She and her husband, Jim, own the Lorane Family Store, and Pat spent 15 years as an Administrative Coordinator for the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon.
Since then, Pat has taken on the role of Managing Editor for the literary quarterly, Groundwaters, which is distributed throughout all of Lane County, Oregon. The magazine is now in its 11th year of publication. Pat also is the community correspondent for two small Lane County weeklies, the Fern Ridge Review and the Creswell Chronicle. Her work with Groundwaters has led her into the field of editing and publishing the works of others. It’s how she and Jo-Brew met. "I’m blessed with a large, loving family. Jim and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in 2014, and our family and home are our highest priorities."
Also See:
Oregon Trail – Pathway to the West
An Early Sketch of Oregon (historic text)
Oregon – The Beaver State
Oregon Photo Gallery