A road less traveled

Bob Alvis.

Part of the old road that still exists above the current day Highway 58.

In 1913, a funding bill was passed to build a road from Bakersfield to Mojave to replace the wagon and horse trails that, at the time, were the only way in and out of the Tehachapi Valley.

In 1916, a 28.2 mile road was completed from Tehachapi to Mojave that opened the area up to better forms of transportation. Construction began in 1937 on a more modern highway, which took many years to complete. WWII took many of the able-bodied men away to the service, so prisoners were used for the construction. It was not until 1948 that the route from Keene to Mojave was completed. In 1932, the road was designated Route 466 and would continue to have that designation until the 1960s when it became Highway 58.

Over the years many of us have traveled between Mojave and Tehachapi and never thought twice of what a perilous journey that was, as that narrow two lane road rolled across the desert encountering switchbacks, steep grades and the constant threat of washouts and cliffs. In the area of Cameron Canyon, those early road builders wanted nothing to do with that narrow canyon as it was a constant battle with washouts when the creek bed turned into a raging flood taking everything with it. When road developers came to that canyon they decided to go up and around, not down, to prevent calamities when heavy rain fall came to the region. However, what they ended up with was just as dangerous, as the narrow two-lane road and tight turns clinging to the hillside were a challenge to navigate in all those early automobiles and trucks.

I committed to taking these old bones of mine and making the hike up to the location of that old road. It is all that remains after the new highway cut most of it out and the hillside was reworked to handle the modern and widened highway we drive on today. I was not disappointed when I found myself standing on the remains of a highway conceived and built over 100 years ago.

Looking down on the speeding traffic of Highway 58, I can only imagine the sights and sounds of early automobiles speeding along at about 10 miles per hour, looking over the edge of a road with no shoulder and hoping any opposing traffic was taking up less than two lanes. The names and faces of all those that traveled this road are no longer with us unless they are very long in the tooth, and it goes without saying that many people of stature and celebrity traveled this road in their travels between Mojave and Bakersfield. They are now just memories of a bygone era. Down in the valley stood the old Cameron railway station.

I bet at night, when some brave travelers made their way around the mountain, the crew at the station would sit and watch those weak headlights winding back and forth, and the chugging of those old model whatever cars of the era.

Bob Alvis.

Old map of Cameron Canyon showing the old road alignment.

So here is my photo evidence of that more than 100-year-old road cut into a hillside high above the Highway 58, as you make the curve around the hill just west of the Cameron off-ramp. For many years it was just a road without a designation, then it became Highway 466, but never became the 58 as it was abandoned with the addition of the new highway.

I can't express the wonderment and joy I get discovering what eyes long closed saw traveling in a world we can only imagine. I wish for just a few minutes to see it play out as they saw it all those years ago.

Peace my friends.