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The Original McDonald’s: A Museum in San Bernardino I stumbled upon this museum when I was researching some stuff to do on Route 66 . This is the site of the first McDonald’s that was open in 1940, but the property has since been purchased by the owner of local chicken restaurant Juan Pollo and converted into a museum.
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WELCOME TO THE CALIFORNIA ROUTE 66 MUSEUM . bottom of page
Many motor courts and motels in San Bernardino gave overnight refuge to Route 66 tourists. Just off Route 66, there’s more dining history at the site where the first McDonald’s opened in 1948. An unofficial McDonald’s museum founded by Albert Okura preserves a huge collection of early memorabilia.
Original McDonald's Site & Museum. Not far off Route 66 in San Bernardino is a piece of American business history - the original restaurant of fast-food giant McDonald's. A local fast-food franchise company now owns this site and has turned it into a museum.
- What to Do, Places to See
- San Bernardino and Its Route 66 Attractions
- Route 66 Motels on Mt. Vernon
- "City Alignment" Us 66
- Detour For Service Station Fans
- Tours & Itineraries
- The Alignment of Old Route 66 from Victorville to San Bernardino
The Friendly City
San Bernardino's classic Route 66 sights include: Motels: Cajon Motel, Palms Motel, Lido Motel (old Andy's motel), Mount Vernon Motel, Valley Motel, Holiday Inn, Oasis Motel, Travelodge Motel, Sands Motel, and the Historic Wigwam Motel. And landmarks like the Museum that marks the point of the First ever McDonald's or the historic site: Santa Fe Railway Station and Depot, or the California natural monument, the Arrowhead.
Lido Motel
2180 N Mt. Vernon The first motel is the Lido Motelwhich used to be the Andy's motel, it has changed, but is still recognizeable as you can see if you compare the postcard below with its current appearance. Its's neon sign is great: The arch is gone, but the building on the left is still there. The original "Lido" is a beach resort near Venice, Italy; the word in Italian, means "shore" or "bank".
Mount Vernon Motel
2140 N Mt. Vernon Ave. The old Mount Vernon Motel is now a 26 unit apartment complex with 25 one bedroom units and 1 two bedroom unit. Included are 10 carports and laundry room. The place is unchanged, there is a wall in the front, next to the sidewalk, and the trees have grown, but it is basically the same place: Dream Inn motel. Google. Click for street view.
Motel Dream Inn
2042 N Mt. Vernon Ave. The orange and blue neon sign is worth a photo. Head south for another motel, also on your right.
North E Street
Now you must head north again to 16 W St., and take a right eastwards, cross I-215 and at North E St., take a right again (See map with directions) this will take you to the "other" alignment of Route 66 through San Bernardino, along North E Street. The first sight is a Classic Burger spot:
Historic McDonald's museum
1398 N E St. This was the first restaurant opened by the McDonald brothers, it was where they worked out the formula that led to their globally successful Hamburger chain. McDonald's Museum. Google Click image for street view Dick and Mac McDonald opened their "McDonald's Barbecue Restaurant" here in 1940, they sold cheesburgers, pork sandwiches, ribs and more. The McDonald brothers sold 15 cent hamburgers using a "Speedee Service System" and they became a hit. In 1948 they refocused their bu...
Ken Lin Motel, now Motel 7
1363 North E Street, San Bernardino The old Ken Lin is still open as a motel and now is the Motel 7 (what is it with motels and numbers?). Then old neon sign has changed but is stil very attractive, topped with a star. The portico over the entrance has gone, but the building is just as it used to be. The old postcard says "Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Posey. Mgrs... Swimming Pools, T.V., Phone & Refrigerated Air Conditioning in every room". You can Book a Room in the Motel 7
If you like old filling stations, take a left instead and drive east for 1 mile along 5th St. until reaching North Waterman Ave., this is map with directions. Here are two "oldies" which were not on Route 66, as it ran further west.
The Arrowhead
California Historical Landmark - geological monument Arrowhead formation. Chuck Coker The Arrowhead is a natural feature and the origin of the name of neighboring Lake Arrowhead and the county's seal. It is a rock formation of light colored quartz on a mountainside that faces San Bernardino and the Valley. It is shaped like an arrowhead and measures 1,375 ft (419 m) by 449 ft (137 m). The local natives' legend says that an arrow shot from heaven burned the shape into the mountain showing a sp...
From Victorville south to San Bernardino on Route 66
This segment is 44 miles long, and this is the map with directions. As mentioned above, the first road through San Bernardino was the National Old Trails (N.O.T.) road which was a highway that was projected to link New York and Los Angeles in the early 1910s. This road ran close to the Santa Fe Railroad between Los Angeles and Needles.
Victorville to Cajon Pass
Leave Victorville along 7th Street and when you reach the Green Tree Golf Course by I-15 Exit 150, keep along the frontage road, Mariposa Rd. which runs more or less close to I-15, it does curve away from it at Exits 148,147 and 143 but otherwise it runs along the old alignment. At Exit 143 was the site of the Miller's Corners service station mentioned by Jack Rittenhouse, on the Main St. into Hesperia, which is located 4 miles east. Keep southbound, and at Exit 141 the old road headed to the...
Across Cajon Pass
We describe the route from Caliente Road, across Cajon Pass and all the way to Kenwood Ave and Route 66 in Devore, Here: Route 66 across Cajon Pass, it has all you need to know about the pass and its attractions & landmarks.
The California Route 66 Museum is devoted to the representation of U.S. Highway 66 in both historic and contemporary exhibition. The California Route 66 Museum is located on Historic U.S. Route 66 in Old Town Victorville, in the Mojave Desert within San Bernardino County, California.
