Santa Fe Grade Road of Merced County is an approximately thirty-mile mostly unsurfaced highway built on a repurposed railroad grade. Santa Fe Grade Road begins at California State Route 140 near Gustine and terminates to the southeast at the Fresno County line in South Dos Palos. The grade was constructed by the San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad during the 1880s but was found to be consistently flood prone. The grade was later sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1898 which later abandoned it to Merced County.
Part 1; the history of Santa Fe Grade Road
The origin of Santa Fe Grade Road lies in the 1880s when San Francisco & San Joaquin Valley Railroad president Claus Spreckels was attempting to acquire right-of-way. Spreckels' line was in competition with the Southern Pacific Railroad to build a line in western San Joaquin Valley. Any prospective westside line would have to cross the properties owned by the so-called "Cattle King of California" Henry Miller. Miller held a substantial amount of ranching land in the area around modern-day Los Banos and western Merced County.
According to the Los Banos Enterprise Miller had held a grudge against Spreckels due to the circumstances surrounding a previous banking loan. Spreckels had been a San Francisco banker during the 1860s and 1870s. During that time Miller sought a loan from Spreckels to replenish his depleted cattle herds around Los Banos. Spreckels requested a form of security on the loan which was taken as an insult by Miller.
When Spreckels approached Miller regarding granting a railroad easement the latter granted it in low lying flood prone terrain. Miller waited until 1891 when approximately 100 miles of the overall San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad had been constructed before granting another easement through his land to the Southern Pacific Railroad. The land granted to the Southern Pacific Railroad was located on better terrain which rarely flooded. By the time an easement had been granted to the Southern Pacific Railroad approximately thirty miles of San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad had been graded in Merced County. The grade spanned from the Stanislaus County line near modern day Newman southeast into the Fresno County via South Dos Palos towards the current site of Mendota.
The Southern Pacific Railroad line between Gustine and South Dos Palos was completed by 1891. From Newman the new Southern Pacific line crossed through Gustine, Ignomar and the original town site of Los Banos near modern day Volta. From Volta the line crossed through the modern downtown area of Los Banos onward to South Dos Palos.
The San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad shuttered development of their flood prone grade. The company would relocate and construct their line mostly through eastern San Joaquin Valley between 1895 and 1898. Following completion, the line was sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) during late 1898.
The entirety of Santa Fe Grade Road can be seen as a minor local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Merced County. Santa Fe Grade Road north of California State Route 140 near Gustine is no longer a public road.
The 1935 Division of Highways Map of Fresno County displays a southern portion of Santa Fe Grade Road. The Fresno County segment is shown to originate near Oxalis siding and terminate to the southeast near Mendota. This portion is still signed as a public roadway between Herndon Avenue and Ashlan Avenue.
Part 2; a drive on Old Santa Fe Grade Road
The southern segment of Santa Fe Grade Road is accessible from California State Routes 152 and 33 east of Los Banos. Traffic is advised that Santa Fe Grade Road can be used to access the Gadwell Unit of the North Grasslands Wildlife Area.
As the southern segment of Santa Fe Grade Road begins traffic is advised it is part of the Gadwell Auto Tour Route.
Heading south from California State Routes 152 and 33 the asphalt surface gives way to gravel. Santa Fe Grade Road passes by the Widell/Ramacciotti Wetland Restoration project area.
The gravel surface on Santa Fe Grade Road regularly washes out which can make getting through in a low clearance vehicle difficult at times.
Southbound Santa Fe Grade Road approaches a minor curve where it once met the Southern Pacific Railroad and where Argatha siding was once located. The West Side Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad eventually came under the ownership of Port Railroads Incorporated and later the San Joaquin Valley Railroad. The tracks between Los Banos and Oxalis (south of Dos Palos) were removed in 1993.
Santa Fe Grade Road continues south past Sprig Haven Farms.
Santa Fe Grade Road becomes surfaced at Britto Road.
Santa Fe Grade Road continues south into the community of South Dos Palos.
In 1891 Henry Miller was convinced to plot a siding community along the new Southern Pacific Railroad West Side Line. The location new siding community was given the name "Dos Palos Colony" in reference to the boundary of Rancho Sanjon de Santa Rita. Dos Palos Colony was found to be located poor agricultural land which led to the creation of a second town site being plotted two miles to the east in Fresno County during 1892. The second town site came to be known as "Colony Center" and began to thrive. Dos Palos Colony managed to linger on given it was the location of Dos Palos Station.
During 1906 the United States Post Office designated Dos Palos Colony as "South Dos Palos" and Colony Center as "Dos Palos." The names of both communities ultimately stuck which would culminate with Dos Palos incorporating as a city on May 24th, 1935.
Santa Fe Grade Road continues south from South Dos Palos and becomes Dos Palos Avenue at the Fresno County line. Dos Palos Avenue terminates at California State Route 33.
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