Hello family, friends, and roadside attraction fans. I hope that you enjoy this little stroll down memory lane, or should I say... a stop on the highways of California.   Bill

ROAD SIDE DISTRACTIONS: GIANT ORANGE

I’ve written about giant dog heads, railroad flat cars loaded with huge fruit and vegetables, 20 foot tall fiberglass characters, and an Elephant Hotel named Lucy. I have been known to travel long distances just to get photos of giant donuts, hot dog stands, oversize artichokes, an Alien Flying Saucer that crashed into a convenience store, a town named Santa Claus, and clutches of cement dinosaurs. But until now I have overlooked the iconic Giant Orange stands that could be found along California byways dispensing freshly squeezed ice cold orange juice to hot and thirsty travelers. After the success of serving cold lemonade from the window of a huge plaster lemon in downtown Menlo Park, Frank Pohl built his first Giant Orange stand in 1926 just outside of Tracy. The eye catching huge orange and enticing signage alongside busy route 50, spawned a franchise of 16 stands the length of California’s Central Valley along Highway 99 from Bakersfield to Redding. Countless imitations of Pohl’s classic Giant Orange sprang up throughout the state including the “Yosemite Fruit Stand” on Highway 108 just East of Manteca near the intersection of Jack Tone Road. We looked forward each year to October when dad would drive us out to the Manteca over the old Altamont Pass to select our annual Halloween pumpkins, late season tomatoes, ripe honeydew melons and, of course, a cold glass of orange juice and a chocolate and marshmallow Moon Pie. The number of stands began to decline after the 1950’s as fenced freeways replaced slower paced highways, auto air conditioning became commonplace, and efficient fast food franchises began providing drive up windows. Except for a few abandoned and crumbling orange shells that have managed to survive, ice cold fresh squeezed orange juice and tangy lemonade served on the side of the road from a Giant Orange and enjoyed at an inviting shaded picnic table are only memories of a slower and simpler time.   -Bill (1/18/22)