Remembering the Historic Lebec Hotel on the SoCal Ridge Route
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Jeff checks out the location of the old historic Lebec Lodge along the old Ridge Route, a hotel which was was permanently wiped away from the earth in 1971. He will also tell of the famous Deadman's Curve as well as visit the historic Fort Tejon near the Grapevine.
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What a memory trip. As a young child in the late 40’s I remember driving with my Mom from Lindsay to Los Angeles to the Good Samaritan Hospital to visit my Dad who was there for major back surgery. I was 7 at that time and recall my Mom telling me about Dead Mans Curve. We later moved to Porterville where my brothers and I were raised and attended elementary, Jr. High & High School. In March of 1960 I was returning from Air Force boot camp in San Antonio, Tx and had gotten off a plane from San Antonio to Los Angeles. I was hitch hiking from Los Angeles to Porterville where my parents lived and had secured a ride as far as the Lebec Hotel. I called my Dad from there and asked if he could pick me up at the Lebec Hotel. I spent the next couple of hours in the dining room at the Hotel waiting for my dad to arrive.
In the early 70’s my wife and two sons were returning from a visit to my parents in Porterville and we stopped at Ft. Tejon for a picnic lunch before returning to our home in Valinda, Ca.
Thanks for those wonderful memories.
I had not thought about those moments until I watched this video
When I was a kid, my dad worked for Atlantic Richfield. We used to spend weekends at ARCO's Tejon pump station in a 2bed visitor's apartment there. The pump station is maybe 1/2 mile down a frontage road to the right of the entrance to Ft Tejon State Park (some of the pump station is still there...although surely abandoned by now). We hiked all over the hills behind the pump station lease between there and Ft Tejon.
Next door to Ft Tejon State Park was a U-fish trout farm. It closed in the early-/mid-1960s. I'll bet some of the (empty, drained) ponds are still there. Past the pump station lease on the frontage road was an abandoned carnival ground with all kinds of abandoned structures in which to look for lizards & snakes (for the express purpose of freaking out my mom). There were always plenty of rattlesnakes...something I learned early on.
I remember the transition from US99 to I-5 in the 1960s...and the construction of the dam that formed Pyramid Lake. ARCO had to undertake large amount of construction in order to move existing pipelines that would be under the lake bed once the dam was completed and the lake was filled. My dad had some role in that project so we made many trips to Tejon during that time.
ARCO had a pipeline field-service/-engineering crew that worked out of Tejon. When I was 17, one of the crew taught me how to drive a stick shift using one of the 16-gear Dodge trucks owned by ARCO and used by the crew. The crew maintained a machine shop, welding shop, auto service shop and a small office. It was truly a place of wonder and the crew members were anxious to answer all my (incessant) questions and demonstrate their considerable skill in their trade.
These were pretty grizzled guys with minimal formal education. They worked with their hands and were proud of it. Their drink of choice was whiskey...a fact that my dad always remembered. The whiskey always lubricated their (tall-) storytelling abilities ;-)
ARCO had a similar pump station in Grapevine Canyon between the two roadbeds of I-5 to pump the oil from Taft (the 2007 Coen Bros film "There Will Be Blood" uses the Taft oil boom as a backdrop for its story) up to Tejon. A similar crew with different responsibilities was based there (although, I'm pretty sure it was just field-service...no engineering). That station was the site of many a venison BBQ during deer season.
From Tejon, the oil was pumped to a station at Castaic Junction. From Castaic, the oil could take one of two routes...along the Santa Clarita River to Santa Paula and the tanker load/off-load terminals at Ventura and Santa Barbara or over the mountains to Newhall. At Newhall, the pump station there pumped the oil over the Santa Monica Mtns to the refineries at Carson & Dominguez Hills. Each of these stations were the bases of operations for pipeline field-service crews as well.
We drove by the Lebec Lodge many, many times. The old-timers on the pipeline service crews regaled us all with the stories of illegal Prohibition-era booze, gambling and meeting Carole Lombard. The store, gas station and auto shop attached to the hotel were long gone by the time I first saw it. I never did go inside... I always wondered what it had been like.
I missed your message from long ago! Wow you have lots of great information there! Thank you for sharing it all!
The station isn’t abandoned but just about. Every once in a while you will see someone working there
Huell Howser did a fun episode where he rode on the Ridge Route in a Model T. Also and episode of Fort Tejon and another about Tejon Ranch. Fun stuff.
I remember that episode Huell always put it down like a Boss 💪
I now call this "Howsering"
Jeff, it was an insulator for the old fashioned cloth covered wiring. In the attic of my Long Beach, CA house there was cloth wiring found. My Grandfather had the house rewired for 230 V service where one leg was taken for 115 V, neutral and ground / earth. That old cloth wiring was 100 volts two wire system of a hot lead and a neutral, no ground. Rats would bite into the cloth insulation and cause fires.
Also, to quote Jan and Dean, "won't come back from dead man's curve."
Sunday morning, cup of Joe & History Hunters.....😁
Morning!
Another walk down memory lane! 1966 the family had departed (Corona) on vacation. My sister had just turned 16 and was a newly minted driver. Dad had given her instructions on taking the Ventura Freeway to head up the coast, then decided to take a nap. Going up the Golden State, she found herself on the far wrong side to take the Ventura (freeways were as confusing then as they are now!). Missing the turn off, Denise woke Dad up, expected a tongue lashing. Instead, Dad said that he had been looking for an excuse to find the old Ridge Route, so we went looking for it. Had to drive about a mile and a half on the graded (no pavement) new 8-lane Int-5 before reaching the Ridge Route. (There were signs directing drivers on the construction, a not yet built frontage road was to become the access road.) So, that afternoon, we drove the Ridge Route from Castaic to Gorman, a really wild ride!
It's been thirty years since I've been up the I-5, but since watching this, it dug up a long forgotten memory. In the late seventies, I drove the I-5 quite frequently. And, every time, I had one of those "didn't there used to be..." moments. Thanks to this video, I remember seeing that hotel in numerous childhood trips to the Central Valley. Thanks for the memories.
Wow, great story
In the past, since childhood, I transited the Grapevine many times. Thanks for the memories.
Our pleasure!
What a great find! Weird how history can just be wiped out.
Wont be long now and America will be wiped out with all the woke cancel culture tards trying to wipe out our history
Went there many times as a kid thanks for showing fort tecone
I was born in the early sixty's. The freedoms we enjoyed growing up are becoming a part of history along with everything else. So many places we no longer have access to. Places we walked to, places we hiked all over mountains to get to, just to enjoy the view a day of swimming, fishing, digging for crystals and panning in the river. All a thing of the past. Sad! Kids now day's have no idea what they missed out on.
Well said! Thank you!!!
My father was a musician in the early’30’s and played for dances on weekends at the Lebec Hotel. He said it a major undertaking just to make the drive on the ‘Ridge from Los Angeles. He would stay Friday through Sunday morning. The gig was for dances both evenings. Because they were “working class”they were allowed to sleep free by placing mattresses on the roof! In the summer of course, it was nice sleeping under the stars. He remarked that it was one of the happiest times of his youth. It was the Great Depression and the wages for musicians was quite good.
As a longtime resident of The Mountains where the Hotel Lebec was located, that was very interesting. This area (Fort Tejon) has a fascinating history. It was a major trading hub for Native Peoples from the Pacific to the Mississippi for thousands of years. The Chumash People hold Mount Pinos to be the Center of The World , and have Solstice/Equinox ceremonies there.
Is there anybody else that stumbled on this UA-cam channel And can't stop watching it like me?🙌🏻
Wow that’s an amazing compliment! Thanks! We have heard many others have binge watched our show! It’s definitely humbling to know!!!
This must be my day to find old History Hunters videos to catch up on
How did you miss this one? It must be years old by now!
@@jbenziggy 🤷
Was a truck driver and drove Interstate 5 many times for a few companies. Good to see the background on this. Especially deadman’s curve. Thanks you guys, wonderful job.
I watched this video a couple of years ago. I didn't know how to post a comment then. In 1958, my parents and family moved to Lebec. My dad was an Auto Mechanic and 24 hour Tow Truck Driver at the Lebec Garage. My mother worked at the Lebec Coffee Shop. In 1958, our School watched the Olympic Torch Runner run North on Hwy 99 (now I-5). During the time I lived in Lebec I was able to see I-5 being built. During the first years, I remember Hwy 99 was only on the west side of the well known Grapevine. It was called the Grapevine because of all the twist and turns of Hwy 99 and Dead Man's Curve. The locals called the Original Hotel "Lebec Hotel " which my siblings and I used to play in the destroyed portion at that time. Also in 1960, I watched the Presidential Debate between Kennedy and Nixon on TV. I would walk to Lebec to visit my parents at work. There was a combined political campaign office in the main rock building where I at 10 years old would gather Bumper Stickers and Large Kennedy Pins and them hand out to travelers that would stop in Lebec. The School I went to is the Spanish Styled building on the East side of I-5 at the Truck Scales called Lebec Grade School. Our family moved to Rosamond near Edward's Air Force Base, before moving to Sacramento, Ca, where I still live today at age 74. Thank you for all of the Memories and Videos.
Thanks for sharing your story of life in Lebec! I have a local area question you may be able to answer...there is a structure just east of the junction of Ridge Route Road and Lancaster Rd (138). A group of buildings in the Spanish style that include a lovely water tower. Any idea what it may have been? It appears to be a private residence now, but I get the impression it may have been a lodge or rest stop of some kind. Thanks again for your recollections!
Been over the Grapevine too many times to count going all the way back to the mid 50's. Never stopped now I think the next time over the ridge andI will stop and check this place out. Love the program.
Thank you! Glad you like our videos!
Lancaster, that’s me since 1983. It’s sad to see things gone but, we love what you do and the stories you and Sarah bring us every Sunday.
I drive by there every other weekend and would have never known that was there. Thanks History Hunter!
What a tremendous history lesson. Old photographs are priceless. Imagine a full chicken dinner feast at the hotel for only $2. But you know that $2.00 back then was probably more like $40 today and we would be complaining about the outrageous prices especially say for a family of four. Rooms with a bath for 3 or 4 dollars as well. I remember as a small child, I'm 64 now, listening to my uncle talk about the Ridge Route. I have never been on it but have been fascinated all my life about these out of the way bits of our local [ gone but not forgotten ] historical locations. This video took an amazing amount of time and research to present to us and be sure that we all truly appreciated your efforts very much.
Yet another road gone to improvements and safety. I thank you for sharing and posting a few pictures to give us road hounds a glimpse into the way it used to be. Your tenacity in digging up old photos and in person scenery is second to none . 👍❤️😉
There ought to be a marker for the Hotel to keep It's memory alive, It's sad how some things that use to be around is now forever lost in history. Thankyou Jeff for this history.🙂
We have a museum up here in Frazier Park. Ridge Route Communities Museum..
Hey, Hello Sarah & Jeff how are you guys doing well just wanted To stop bye and wish you and everyone a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Wich I think I these times Everyone need some kind of happiness...And I really appreciate this type of Vidoe old Road's, town's, house's, buildings, people, you know the kind of stuff you usually do Wich I find so informative and learn so much from and places I'll never get to I get to see but through your cameras so thank you take care, stay safe, and God bless MARK D
Super history lesson. I spent a few days in the area as a 12 year old boy with my uncle in 1965, who was the superintendent for the Kirst Constrution Company during the constrution of the I5. Together we explored many of the mentioned land marks explained so well. Thank you so much!
I am old enough to remember the dangerous ridge route while riding with my parents and two sisters. 15 miles an hour behind a truck and trailer. Seems like it took forever to get to Bakersfield from the Valley. Thank you so very. And blessings to you guys.
Thank you, Jeff, for investigating the property of the Lebec Hotel. Love the history behind it! You are quite the detective! I appreciate your curiosity about these “off road” places that are long gone! So great to see the old photos and hear the stories of “Bugsy” Seagle, Carole Lombard, etc. It’s interesting to see the bits of remnants of buildings that were destroyed ie: terra-cotta roof tiles, bathroom window glass and gas station islands. You are a “Super Sleuth”! Loved the old 20’s/30’s music at the end! You are so good at what you do. Thank you! “Mo’ in Stockton”
I did not know how much history was in this mountains which I travel often as a truck driver WOW. THANK YOU FOR SHARING .
The ground holds secrets! I like exposing them!
Eu que não sou americano não conheço a América más gosto também de explorar lugares assim obrigado @@jbenziggy
What a great video! As a kid I remember traveling through the area with my father who drove truck from San Diego to the bay area. Then in 1968 I became a truck driver and ran the same roads as I had with my father. I kind of watched the whole area change over the years. I'm 71 now and it's great to watch this video and learn about the area of the old days. You're obviously a history nut like myself, and I'm very appreciative that you take the time to make these videos, being that you work full time for a living and still make time for your educational videos. I think you do a great job of helping people to see the great history this country of ours has to offer. Please keep up the great work. Stay safe out there driving and enjoy your travels 👍
I grew up in Lebec. So cool to come upon this video. Thank you for posting.
I can remember as a child, going with my parents to visalia via the Ridge route, and every time the car boiled, this was in the 1940's and we had to have lunch at a place with tables and water for the car. Great fun, every time!!
I LOVE ALL THE DETAIL YOU PUT INTO YOUR STORIES!!!! THE LITTLE FACTS ARE SOMETIMES THE MOST INTERESTING!!!!
Glad you enjoy it! I will remember your comment in the future!
Wow! Memories. We use to travel the Grapevine often.
Born and raised in Bakersfield we would travel to LA (on the old road..5 hours each way) once a month to visit my Aunt and grandmother. I remember seeing this old hotel and always wanted to stop and explore inside but never had time since the whole family was in the car. Years later my dad and I went down south by ourselves to pick up a dresser my Aunt gave me. I talked my dad into stopping at the old hotel so I could look around. I remember going in the main lobby and seeing the registration desk with the grand staircase behind it. There was a couple of fallen columns (shown in the lobby picture here) laying on the floor. I didn’t go up the staircase because it didn’t look safe. That was on a Sunday and within 3 or 4 days afterwards they burned it down. Sorry I didn’t go and explore more of this once great hotel.
i automatically liked this before I even watched, cause I love what you guys do! Can't wait!
Thank you so much for this video. My husband was a truck driver. Portland to LA every week and this was his route. He’d take 99 or I-5 depending on the weather. We had passed these location and never knew the history.
Very interesting. I like seeing pictures of what it used to look like.Buildings and people come and go, but the mountains remain the same...
very kool "jeff n sarah" ! history at its best .... ...happy trails always....
Thank you! Happy trails to you too!
Very nice. Another piece of California history to be remembered.
Yes indeed! Thanks!
I’ve traveled near there many, many times going over the Grapevine.
Hey Jeff great video that's a neat looking place I love california my aunt and uncle lived outthere I love it when I would go visit them a lot of history outthere you and Sara are awesome Randy from Kentucky.
Thank you! Randy we really do appreciate your comment and spirit if friendship!
The new CA gold. Keep them coming. Love it
Thanks, friend! We really appreciate the views!
@@jbenziggy Exactly you take up where Huell Howser left off
Fascinating! Great research and period photos and films. Thank you!
Huell Howser Quote "Thats Amazing!" Crazy something so grand barely remains. And the animal museum too. Thanks for the history lesson.
I really enjoy your videos. I'm a history geek (B.A. in History from UCSD) so I really love what you are doing. There is so much history that is being lost and people like yourself are doing all of us a great service by documenting it. Keep up the good work!
Awesome to hear! Thank you very much for supporting this channel and our efforts to tell our history!!!
Thanks for the video. This was really interesting. The old photographs were wonderful. I subscribed.
I enjoyed watching and learning about this stretch of Ca.
I love the old pictures with the stories. Great job.
I vividly remember my grandparents talking about the "Ridge Route" and how dangerous it was. I have driven past this area many many times on my way to SoCal and back. Thank you Jeff and Sarah for taking the time to educate all of us about this area. Once again, my Sunday mornings are always one of turning on my computer to find what video you have for us. Thanks for feeding my addiction to your channel......Russell D.
I love out of the way long ago places of history. Never knew about the hotel and this area. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it! Not many folks know about the Hotel Lebec but they do now!
Wow! Dead Mans Curve! And Jan & Dean Dead's Man Curve song "Is No place to play" Thank You for sharing
Different "Deadman's Curve"... The subject of the Jan & Dean song is a tight corner of Sunset Blvd near UCLA Drake Stadium. The song mentions Sunset & Doheny Blvds by name and "popping the clutch at the lights". Sunset/Doheny are nowhere near the Deadman's Curve on the Ridge Route..and there are certainly never were any traffic lights there. The Deadman's Curve on the Ridge Route had been long-abandoned by 1964 when Jan & Dean recorded their song.
Thanks for doing this. I grew up in Lebec and lived there in about 1959-1960. My dad was the accountant for the Tejon Ranch. I vividly remember the Olympic torch runner running past our house for the 1960 winter Olympics. I have vague memories of seeing the old hotel.
Great job of research and your commentary delivery is the best. I know this area well because of recreating in the area for years. I also have a great appreciation for Junior Lindbergh, as being in the aerospace business for decades . I also have been slightly involved with gliders and knowing of Lindberghs local involvement. The San Diego Glider Club brought me to launch off the same cliffs of Blacks Beach as Charles and wife did in the 30' as founders of that club. AMAZING COUPLE. He brought her to a World of adventure.
Love seeing your "finds" in the ruins. Love your pictorial overlays showing locations and changed landscape.
What a great post I live in the top of Frazier Park, I’ve stopped there to read that marker and never knew that’s where the Lebec hotel was. Fantastic history in this post thank you.
Wonderful! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Does it snow much where you are in the winter?
Thanks for sharing this treasure of History! It bothers me to see parts of these areas simply rotting and decaying. Lost to the public and not appreciated. Thank you for your work and your endeavors to jar our minds to remember where we come from and where.we are headed.
As always very good.. If you had been my history teacher in high school.. i wouldnt have fallen asleep..
Thankyou so much for your show. Watching from South Central Montana. Had alot of family in California. They're all passed on now. I love to see the history of places they may have mentioned. Thankyou for the wonderful tours!
I've been driving this highway since the late 1950s. Thank you for the information I did not Know!
Glad to help! Thanks for watching, Ronald!
I've been by that Area numerous times, Did not have a clue .
A fun video Jeff near our SoCal home. Thank you again.
This has been on my "to explore" list for a few years now. Such an interesting area with a lot of history.
Love your channel and watched many episodes now. I love American history and how you present it. Carry on the good work Thank you. 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Thanks for a nice informative video as a truck driver I've made over a thousand trips over the Grapevine and there is a lot to see including several spots were you can see the old original concrete roadway................
So cool !!! Thanks for bringing that interesting piece of history alive !!!
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for returning to Kern County! So much interesting history here.
Dovie Ruth, was the building North of the gas station around back then, What's the story about it? Thank you. " I see a building north of the old gas station, you did not talk about it, is it still being used? Thank you. At the 9:31second mark. "
Thanks for another history lesson.
Fascinating episode!! Crazy how it all has been erased from existence!! Loved looking down at dead mans curve. To think how many old time cars had been through that curve and area. Loved the old 20s and 30s music you added in as well!! Excellent episode!!
A lot of History in Tejon Pass.. When we would travel from Modesto too Sun Valley we would always take that rounte!😊
I love these videos. I never knew about this. Thank you. lived for a while in pine mountain club and I remember we would take some crazy side road starting in castaic trying to get through the crazy traffic there would be going north.
This is a great documentary piece of work, thank you for making this film!
Glad you enjoyed it! You wouldn't even know it was there! What a rich history at that place! Thanks for watching!
Great show.....i had the day off from work..... and have been watching your channel all day ...Im a fan now !
Wow thanks! That’s really nice to hear! We appreciate your support and amazing compliments!
Another great video - thank you!
My dad would tell me stories about dead mans curve on are way to Disneyland from seattle we would stop and look it's pretty cool. Great video
Very cool, had no idea about that Hotel. We went over the Grape vine every summer for Vacation, thanks I love this kind of delivery about local and State history.
I already commented earlier, but I just wanted to tell you how nice it was to see someone research and explore and do a video on the old ridge route. I absolutely eat this stuff up. Sometime in the early 1990s, I "discovered" route 66, and started taking road trips on old route 66 in 1996. After making many trips up and down old 66, I became fascinated with old highway 80, from Tybee Island Georgia to San Diego. Old 80 runs through my home state of Mississippi. About the same time, I became very interested in the ridge route. I've done quite a bit of reading on it, but I was so pleased to see your video. Very well done. I have subscribed to your channel and I look forward to seeing many more videos.
Thanks again for the interesting story!
This episode was one of your best yet. I've driven past there so many times yet didn't know the history of it at all. As usual, you did a great job of matching up old photos with the present day landscape.
Enjoyed the video. Sad that all the buildings of different time are gone. Thanks for showing.
Thank you, Darlene! It's too bad that grand building was destroyed by fire (likely squatters)!
In the early 80's, a friend of mines Dad owned a cabin in Lebec ( in the hills to the west ), where we went deer hunting. Also toured Fort Tejon, which is pretty cool. Plus I used to drive hazardous waste tankers from Long Beach to Taft and Fellows about once a week. Awesome video !! As always !
That plant was actually a Yucca bush it is native to Lebec 😊 great video. I live right around the corner where the later cabins were built.
Thank you for another great show.
Thank you very much. We appreciate all of our viewers out there!
Humberto that's a great one like all your storys
Not far from wear I live. Never knew about. Time for rad trip. Thank you so much. Really cool 😎
As a truck driver I've pass by this area 1000's times for the last 30 yrs, never knew about this hotel and other business. Thanks Jeff for this info.
As usual, great research, filming, editing, narration and full of interesting information. It's become a part of my Sunday morning ritual. Thank you.
I was thinking, "he should have a metal detector with him at some of these sites" and a few moments later you said the same thing, funny!
Loved this episode!👍🏼
Back in the early ‘80 ‘s a buddy and I made the drive up the Mountain to the Piñon Pines for the opening of the Band Tailed Pigeon hunting season a couple of times w / my Lab. On one trip we stopped for breakfast before heading up & the waitress asked us what we were up to , when we told her she got quite indignant that we hunt ! She didn’t get a gratuity ! John
My Uncle was one of the Ridge Route Terrors❤️
What a wonderful lesson, thank you! My grandparents traveled the Old Ridge Road numerous times and I heard tales of how harrowing it was.
Thank you for sharing. I love history and your videos.
Glad you like them, Rosemarie!
I’m glad I ran across this channel very informative 👍🏼
We were just out in that area at the end of January 2021. Stopped into Bakersfield and was impressed by the old movie theaters and the old hotel there in town. Stopped at the crypt of Buck Owens too, after going to the wrong cemetery. Lol. Taking Hwy #99 - south was a whole lot nicer than Hwy #5 - south was. That will be the highway to take from now on, at least for me anyway, when going to Los Angeles . Great video !
Very, very interesting. Thank you for the video and presentation.
Well researched, well done and....interesting! Thank You.
I loved this video 🤗 I am sure the hotel was so beautiful!!
This was very interesting .. I love these types of shows, looking forward to more of your videos !
Wife and I commented how you find locations that are so interesting. Growing up in Modesto, cant tell you how may times we have driven by that location on the way to LA. Never knew it was there. One thing that caught my interest was the name Don Pedro. Makes me wonder if that name ties to Lake Don Pedro east of Modesto. I'm chuckling, now you have me hunting for history.
Thank you. I do believe that the Don Pedro near Modesto was named after prospector Pierre "Don Pedro" Sainsevain. So no connection there. Like you, I had traveled this route millions of times and didn't know until I became a ... History Hunter! LOL
Great, thank you. So interesting!
I used to drive the Grapevine between Fresno to San Diego and Ontario. I had never heard of the Lebec hotel. I-5 was not the best choice some times of year due to snow or fires in the summer, I've eaten at that Carl's Jr in Gorman a couple of times. Except for some of the knucklehead drivers on I-5 and 99 I miss the drives. Thanks for the video and hope you gave Sarah a big box of chocolates for Valentines Day.
Thanks for the feedback. And yep, Sarah is getting a box of chocolate today and something special too. Thanks!
Yep I got some chocolate 🍫!
@@jbenziggy I actually ate at the Carl's Jr at the Grapevine turnoff. Gorman was just a place to get gas and move along to Fresno. It was very seedy looking.
@@HistoryHunterSarah atttta girl!!