Recently while visiting Central California I stopped in downtown Lodi to see the Lodi Mission Arch.
The Lodi Mission Arch is located on the eastern side of the intersection of Pine Street at Sacramento Street near the Union Pacific rails. The Lodi Mission Arch is part of what is known as Mission Revival architecture which replicates the design of the Spanish Missions of Las Californians. In the case of the Lodi Mission Arch it was constructed in 1907 for the first Tokay Carnival. In 1956 the Lodi Mission Arch was rebuilt in 1956 with the structure essentially being unaltered since.
Of note; Lodi was originally a Central Pacific Railroad siding known as Mokelumne Station which was constructed in 1869. Mokelumne Station was named after the nearby river but the name was confusing since so many communities had similar names. In 1873 the community name was changed to Lodi and the origin of said name appears to have come a local horse which had run a record four mile time in the 1860s. Sacramento Street was the early downtown hub of Lodi as most of it's businesses were located between Elm Street south to Oak Street.
Interestingly the Lodi Mission Arch was never part of any major highways like the Lincoln Highway or US 99. The early route of the Lincoln Highway largely bypassed downtown Lodi in favor of Lower Sacramento Street to the west of the Lodi Mission Arch. Street car service by way of Sacramento Street did go as far south as Stockton by 1907 and north to Sacramento by 1910. US 99 and the 1927 route of the Lincoln Highway bypassed the Lodi Mission Arch to the east on Cherokee Lane. Nonetheless the Lodi Mission Arch still served as the gateway into downtown Lodi. This becomes apparent heading westward from what was US 99 on Cherokee Lane on Pine Street towards Sacramento Street.
The Lodi Mission Arch is located on the eastern side of the intersection of Pine Street at Sacramento Street near the Union Pacific rails. The Lodi Mission Arch is part of what is known as Mission Revival architecture which replicates the design of the Spanish Missions of Las Californians. In the case of the Lodi Mission Arch it was constructed in 1907 for the first Tokay Carnival. In 1956 the Lodi Mission Arch was rebuilt in 1956 with the structure essentially being unaltered since.
Of note; Lodi was originally a Central Pacific Railroad siding known as Mokelumne Station which was constructed in 1869. Mokelumne Station was named after the nearby river but the name was confusing since so many communities had similar names. In 1873 the community name was changed to Lodi and the origin of said name appears to have come a local horse which had run a record four mile time in the 1860s. Sacramento Street was the early downtown hub of Lodi as most of it's businesses were located between Elm Street south to Oak Street.
Interestingly the Lodi Mission Arch was never part of any major highways like the Lincoln Highway or US 99. The early route of the Lincoln Highway largely bypassed downtown Lodi in favor of Lower Sacramento Street to the west of the Lodi Mission Arch. Street car service by way of Sacramento Street did go as far south as Stockton by 1907 and north to Sacramento by 1910. US 99 and the 1927 route of the Lincoln Highway bypassed the Lodi Mission Arch to the east on Cherokee Lane. Nonetheless the Lodi Mission Arch still served as the gateway into downtown Lodi. This becomes apparent heading westward from what was US 99 on Cherokee Lane on Pine Street towards Sacramento Street.
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