A local nonprofit historic preservation organization has acquired the historic Cucamonga Service Station along Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., reported the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
Route 66 IECA (the last part stands for Inland Empire California) intends the turn the station into a tourist destination for Route 66 travelers, said the group’s president, Anthony Gonzales.
The newspaper also produced this video of Gonzales at the station:
The report added:
“The desire is to try to restore it to a period of time in the past that would bring a little historic site to Route 66 and have the community have a treasure like this historic gas station, come in, visit and learn about the history of the gas station and learn about the history of Cucamonga as a whole.”
Gonzalez said the hope is to turn the place into a museum where travelers and locals could come and learn more about the history of Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga.
The gas station had been owned by an outdoor advertising company. The City Council awarded historic landmark status to Cucamonga Service Station in 2009, thus giving it nominal protection. Alas, the back repair shop of the gas station collapsed during severe rainstorms in 2010.
The station was believed to have been built during the 1920s.
(Cucamonga Service Station photo in 2010 by Pete Zarria, via Flickr)
This is AWESOME news. Once again proving what a few folks can accomplish by NOT giving up.
Thank you so much. We love California Route 66!!
I finally got a chance to photograph this in January and am absolutely thrilled to read it will be preserved. I will be following any and all updates waiting for it to open. My husband and I will definitely be there for it.
Im very happy,I have taken an number of pics of this station over the years,and was concerned about Its fate,good news,thank you
I wish them the best of luck. A third Route 66 museum in California will be an interesting thing! I hope that they can bring something new and incredible to the Route 66 experience in Southern California.