Route 66 in the Inland Empire

 


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The area of Southern California where we live is called the Inland Empire and Route 66 goes right through it. One Saturday we decided to drive it and document some of the things on and near the Route as we often have visitors where we volunteer asking and there isn't much of anything on it. The building to the left is site where , Dick and Mac McDonald opened McDonald's Barbecue Restaurant in San Bernardino. In 1948 they pared the menu down to the hamburgers, shakes and fries and the McDonald's as we know it today was born. There are many old historic motels in the area but I had to pick 5 shots to post here.

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The Wigwam Motel on the border of Rialto and San Bernardino is part of a chain built in the 1930's and 40s. There are only 3 reaming and two of them are on Route 66. The property is very well maintained and well worth staying at if you are in the area. While in Rialto we veered off Route 66 a few block to the Rialto Historical Society Museum. Housed in an old church building. The museum features displays depicting a turn of the century home, a citrus exhibit and packing house office, military display with medals and uniforms, and an early 20th century doctor's office with a display of medical instruments.

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The Santa Fe Depot in San Bernardino is also off Route 66. It currently houses the Amtrak Southwest Chief and Metrolink lines. There is also the San Bernardino Railroad and History Museum. We stopped at Bono's Historic Orange and discovered the restaurant and Orange were in the process of being moved. It looks like they are just moving them further back from the road. We then stopped at Fontana's Auto Club Speedway and found 5 different types of racing going in in different areas. I had many places on my list to stop and we never made it. They will have to be another day as we only made it as far as the speedway.

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