Skip to main content

Monterey County Route G18

By


Monterey County Route G18 is a 16.40-mile highway aligned over Jolon Road from US Route 101 near Bradley to Monterey County Route G14 in Lockwood.  The corridor of Jolon Road is tied heavily to the history of the Spanish El Camino Real and Mission San Antonio de Pauda.  Jolon Road was improved during World War II after the creation of Fort Hunter Liggett.  Jolon Road was assigned as part of Monterey County Route G18 and Monterey County Route G14 during 1971.  The segment of Jolon Road between Bradley-Lockwood now part of Monterey County Route G18 from the March 1943 California Highways & Public Works is featured as the blog cover.  




Part 1; the history of Monterey County Route G18 and Jolon Road

The corridor of Monterey County Route G18 and Jolon Road is tied to that of the Spanish iteration of El Camino Real and Mission San Antonio de Pauda.  The Santa Lucia Mountains and general course of the San Antonio River were explored by the Spanish during 1769 Portola Expedition of Las Californias.  Mission San Antonio de Pauda was founded during 1771 near the San Antonio River.  The San Antonio River proved to be a reliable source of water for irrigation purposes between Mission San Miguel Arcangel and Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad.  Thusly general path of the Spanish iteration of El Camino Real followed the general corridor of modern Jolon Road from Mission San Miguel Arcangel through the Santa Lucia Mountains towards Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad.  

During the period of early American statehood in California the major stage roads used the highways inherited from Mexican Alta California.  The road north of San Miguel still followed the general corridor of Jolon Road towards Mission Soledad via Mission San Antonio.  The main stage road from San Miguel is seen following the San Antonio River towards Mission San Antonio and northward towards Mission Soledad on the 1857 Britton & Rey's Map of California.  


During the 1870s and 1880s the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a line through Salinas Valley towards San Miguel.  The Southern Pacific Railroad would develop frontage roads which would replace the corridor of Jolon Road as the primary through highway between San Miguel and Mission Soledad.  These frontages during the 20th Century would form the basis of Legislative Route Number 2 as part of 1909 First State Highway Bond Act and US Route 101 when the US Route System was created during November 1926.  

Jolon Road can be seen in detail as a major local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Monterey County.  Jolon Road can be seen originating at US Route 101 near Bradly and looping back to it near King City.  Jolon Road east of Lockwood is shown to be following what is now Bradley-Lockwood Road  



Jolon Road became prominent during World War II due to the formation of Fort Hunter Liggett during 1940 near Jolon. Forty miles of improvements of Jolon Road began as a Work Projects Administration (WPA) project during early 1941 and would conclude during late year 1942. The segment of Jolon Road between Bradly to Lockwood was straightened as part of the corridor improvements. The improvements to Jolon Road were featured in the 1943 California Highways & Public Works.








Jolon Road facing south from US Route 101 near King City can be seen in a photo form the July/August 1945 California Highways & Public Works.  


During 1971 Jolon Road was assigned as Monterey County Route G14 and Monterey County Route G18.  Monterey County Route G18 was assigned to the 16.40 miles of Jolon Road east of Lockwood.  Monterey County Route G14 was assigned to the 23.82 miles northwest of Lockwood.  At some point between the mid-1970s and early 1980s the Jolon Grade on Monterey County Route G14 north of Jolon was straightened.  



Part 2; a drive on Monterey County Route G18

Monterey County Route G18 and Jolon Road begin from US Route 101 Exit 252 near Bradley.  Monterey County Route G18 is mistakenly signed as "Monterey County Route 18" by Caltrans.  Traffic wishing to access Mission San Antonio is directed to utilize Monterey County Route G18.




Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road crosses under US Route 101 and intersects Monterey County Route G19 at Nacimiento Lake Drive.  





Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road is signed as 18 miles from Lockwood.


Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road passes through Hames Valley and enters the Santa Lucia Mountains.  







Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road crosses through a small portion of the Santa Lucia Mountains and enters the San Antonio River Valley.  Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road intersects the earlier alignment mentioned in Part 1which is now signed Bradley-Lockwood Road.  











Monterey County Route G18/Jolon Road enters the community of Lockwood.  Monterey County Route G18 ends at Interlake Road and Jolon Road transitions onto Monterey County Route G14.  Lockwood is named in honor of Belva Lockwood who ran for President on the Equal Rights Party ticket in 1884 and 1888.  Post Office Service in Lockwood was established in 1888.  






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

By
The Crescent City Connection is a massive dual-span steel truss bridge that spans the lower Mississippi River at downtown New Orleans, about 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the great river at the Head of Passes Light. If counted as a single bi-directional highway bridge, the parallel spans combine to form the single busiest bridge on the Mississippi River and its importance as a linchpin in the region’s transportation network cannot be overstated. While there have been various schemes over the years to construct bridges downriver from Algiers Point, this bridge has been the southernmost bridge on the Mississippi River since its initial construction in the 1950s. The years immediately following the end of World War II were a transformational period in the history of New Orleans. Already one of the great economic and cultural centers of the American Deep South, it was recognized at this time that major changes and improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old US Route 99 through Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch

By
This summer I had a look into the alignment history of US Route 99 through the Tulare County communities of Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch.  While this slab below might seem like much it is one of the few remaining reminders of how US Route 99 was during the 1920s in Tulare County. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch Tipton and Tulare were both founded in 1872 as sidings of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of southern San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Ange...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 and California State Route 41 through Paso Robles

By
Paso Robles is a city located on the Salinas River of San Luis Obispo County, California.  As originally configured the surface alignments of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 converged in downtown Paso Robles.  US Route 101 originally was aligned through Paso Robles via Spring Street.  California State Route 41 entered the City of Paso Robles via Union Road and 13th Street where it intersected US Route 101 at Spring Street.  US Route 101 and California State Route 41 departed Paso Robles southbound via a multiplex which split near Templeton.   Pictured above is the cover of the September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works which features construction of the Paso Robles Bypass.  Pictured below is the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Luis Obispo County which depicts US Route 101 and California State Route 41 intersecting in downtown Paso Robles.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 i...
Post a Comment
Read more