The Original McDonald's Museum, San Bernardino, Californa

Not far off California Route 66, we stopped at the Original McDonald's Museum in San Bernardino, California. This is the site of the original McDonald's, Dick and Mac McDonald founders. 

They first opened this restaurant (The Airdome) in 1937 selling hot dogs, orange juice, coffee and tea in Monrovia, CA.

                                                                                                       Source: The #Fatsite, Science & Nature

In 1940 they moved the Airdome building to San Bernardino at 14th & E St., and it became McDonald's Barbecue Restaurant. In 1953, the brothers began franchising their fast-food system and closed their successful restaurant, reduced their menu to cheeseburgers, hamburgers, milkshakes, and fountain soda. They demolished the octagonal building and built a new restaurant with two golden arches designed by Dick McDonald. 

                                                        Source: Bellevue University's Economics Department, 2000.

McDonald's Original Menu

In 1954, McDonald's #4 opened in Downey, CA, which remains open to this day. Back to the Original McDonald's Museum. A local (Albert Okura) fast-food franchise company (the Juan Pollo restaurant chain) now owns this site as well as the classic Route 66 town site of Amboy, CA. Mr. Okura is an avid Route 66 enthusiast and supporter, turned this site into a museum (unofficial museum). 

Source: "Original McDonald's Museum," The Sun, Jan 22. 2019.

The Museum contains the most extensive collection of McDonalds memorabilia such as news article, pictures, and mementos such as menus, straws, cups, a prototype of ketchup dispensing gum, a copy of McDonald's menu, etc., that were donated by people. 

Overall, a good place to check out and learn little bit of McDonald's history. The museum is located at: 1398 N E St, San Bernardino, CA. Thank for traveling with us. Blessings!

Route 66 - California - Part II

Part II of our Route 66 California journey. After departing Amboy Crater, we noticed few old buildings along the route west to Los Angeles, CA.

Route 66 Westbound

Entering Newberry Springs, California, we arrived at Bagdad Cafe. Originally built in the 1950s, this world-famous restaurant was the location of the 1988 film, "Bagdad Cafe," which became the new name of the restaurant in 1995.

One can see busloads of visitors received over the years.

We've made our mark!

Flags from countries the world over hanging from the ceiling.

Notice One Billion Dollar and One Million Dollar bill? (I don't think is real)

Few sites along Route 66 are as immediately recognizable as the teepee-shaped cabins of the Wigwam Villages. Depicted as the Cozy Cone Motel in the film "Cars." There were seven such villages build around the county and only three remain today: Wigwam Village #2 in Cave City, Kentucky, Wigwam Village #6 in Holbrook, Arizona, and Wigwam Village #7 in San Bernardino, California. We visited the Village #7.

Three other stops along the Route 66 were: First Original McDonalds, Cucamonga Service Station, and the Aztec Hotel. 

For the First Original McDonalds, I'll do a separate blog to give you some history and more photos. 

Until then, thanks for traveling with us. Blessings!

Today's Thought - "He Is Risen!"

 “In him was life, and the life was the light of people.” - John 1:14

On one occasion Michelangelo, the great artist, turned on his fellow artists in a spirit of indignation. He said: “Why do you keep filling gallery after gallery with endless pictures on the one theme of Christ in weakness, Christ on the Cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead? Why do you concentrate on the passing episode as if it were the last work, as if the curtain dropped on Him with disaster and defeat? That dreadful scene lasted…a few hours. But to the unending eternity, Christ is alive; the stone has been rolled away and He rules and reigns and triumphs!” (Source: “Christ is Alive,” Ministry 127, April 2021).

It seems we see much darkness over the world as we continue to deal with COVID-19, racism, and hate crimes agains asians. It appears that darkness has extinguished the light. But, Easter morning is the declaration that the light of the World cannot be put out. In John 1:5 says, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

The empty tomb, the resurrection of Jesus celebrate at Easter is a declaration of the transforming power of Christ overcoming darkness and bringing hope. The light shines on these dark areas with vaccine, people speaking out, and the public being aware of these hate crimes. 

As Christians, we are called to be lights into this darkness. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the reason we put our faith and trust in Christ who gives us strength and comfort.

May you know the transforming power of the Risen Jesus, be filled with his light and so “your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

With Easter Blessings 

Route 66 - California - Part I

Hello Everyone! Continue on our Route 66 journey, we had an opportunity to drive Route 66 from Las Vegas, NV to Los Angeles, CA. As we drove about 130 miles southwest of the landmark Roy’s Motel and Cafe sign, Amboy, California, we caught sight of two large white statues, set back about 500 feet from the roadside. These two solid marble Chinese lions are surrounded by nothing but desert, hot sun, and unimpeded winds.

Route 66

One of the most photographed on California Route 66 is the Roy’s Cafe Motel just about 3 miles from the lion statues. The town Amboy became a popular destination after the opening of U. S. Route 66 in 1926. 

The Roy’s service station opened in 1938, owner Roy Crawl teamed up with Herman "Buster" Burris to grow the business to a 24-hour motel with six cottages, a café and a gas station. Amboy grew to 700 with a school and a church. 

Cottages

Amboy School founded in 1883, the school closed in 1999 after the last students moved away.

Across from the Amboy School, is the St. Raymond Church. 

St. Raymond’s Church was dedicated March 8, 1951. The church was designed to seat about 100 people. An estimated 40 Catholic families lived in the region; most of the patriarchs worked on the railroad or the salt mines. The church closed in 1970.

But after Interstate 40 opened in 1973, it was the beginning of the end for the small town. In the '80s and '90s, Amboy became a popular film destination. Roy's appeared in films such as "The Hitcher" and "Kalifornia."

A life size statue of a white horse rearing up in the small courtyard.

Few miles down the road, we visited the Amboy Crater, which is an inactive volcano. 

Amboy Crater, formed of ash and cinders, is 250 feet high and 1,500 feet in diameter. The crater is in one of the youngest volcanic fields in the United States.

We didn’t have the time to hike up to the crater and plus the sign says: “HEAT WARNING.” Hiking is not recommended.” 

Part II will cover few old building along the Route 66, Bagdad Cafe, the First Original McDonalds Museum, The Wigwam Motel, and Cucamonga Service Station. Until then, thanks for traveling with us. Blessings!