Camp Cajon Monument
Tax deductible
The Project to Rebuild the Camp Cajon Monument
A group of local historical societies and history fans have joined forces to rebuild the landmark stone monument that stood at the entrance to Camp Cajon, the historic "Gateway to Southern California" built in 1919.
Camp Cajon was built on National Old Trails Road, the United States’ first “Ocean to Ocean Highway,” opened in 1912 to serve the newly motorized American population. National Old Trails Road became U.S. Route 66 in 1926.
The present-day site of Camp Cajon is located on Wagon Train Road, just east of Interstate 15, and south of Highway 138, in the Cajon Pass. It was approximately 1,000 feet south of the existing McDonald’s.
Camp Cajon grew in popularity as a rest stop for motorists, and it was a favorite picnic area for residents of San Bernardino County. The site became a nationally-known landmark, and a source of pride for Southern Californians.
Tragically, Camp Cajon was decimated by the great flood of 1938. The beautiful handmade stone structures were buried, or damaged beyond repair, and the camp was abandoned.
Rebuilding the Monument
Reconstructing the iconic Camp Cajon Monument will help preserve the fascinating history of Camp Cajon, and it will highlight the decades of travel through the region on Route 66.
The Camp Cajon Monument project leaders agreed that the best location for the new stone spire would be at the site of the existing Santa Fe and Salt Lake Trail Monument. This site has level, buildable space off the road, ample space for parking, and it is close to the original site of Camp Cajon.
The new monument will closely follow the original design, and will include plaques with the original inscriptions, and a flagpole. Plans for the monument’s design and a full proposal for the project have been submitted and approved by the U.S. Forest Service, and San Bernardino County (plans and details are available upon request to the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society).
The project needs your donation to purchase the plaques, flag pole, and to help with overall construction costs. Donations are being collected and managed by the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, an organization that has been preserving local history since 1888.
The dedication for the reconstructed monument is planned for July 4th, 2019, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the camp’s opening. We look forward to seeing you there!
Visit the Camp Cajon Facebook page for more photos and details:
Camp Cajon Facebook Page
A group of local historical societies and history fans have joined forces to rebuild the landmark stone monument that stood at the entrance to Camp Cajon, the historic "Gateway to Southern California" built in 1919.
Camp Cajon was built on National Old Trails Road, the United States’ first “Ocean to Ocean Highway,” opened in 1912 to serve the newly motorized American population. National Old Trails Road became U.S. Route 66 in 1926.
The present-day site of Camp Cajon is located on Wagon Train Road, just east of Interstate 15, and south of Highway 138, in the Cajon Pass. It was approximately 1,000 feet south of the existing McDonald’s.
Camp Cajon grew in popularity as a rest stop for motorists, and it was a favorite picnic area for residents of San Bernardino County. The site became a nationally-known landmark, and a source of pride for Southern Californians.
Tragically, Camp Cajon was decimated by the great flood of 1938. The beautiful handmade stone structures were buried, or damaged beyond repair, and the camp was abandoned.
Rebuilding the Monument
Reconstructing the iconic Camp Cajon Monument will help preserve the fascinating history of Camp Cajon, and it will highlight the decades of travel through the region on Route 66.
The Camp Cajon Monument project leaders agreed that the best location for the new stone spire would be at the site of the existing Santa Fe and Salt Lake Trail Monument. This site has level, buildable space off the road, ample space for parking, and it is close to the original site of Camp Cajon.
The new monument will closely follow the original design, and will include plaques with the original inscriptions, and a flagpole. Plans for the monument’s design and a full proposal for the project have been submitted and approved by the U.S. Forest Service, and San Bernardino County (plans and details are available upon request to the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society).
The project needs your donation to purchase the plaques, flag pole, and to help with overall construction costs. Donations are being collected and managed by the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society, an organization that has been preserving local history since 1888.
The dedication for the reconstructed monument is planned for July 4th, 2019, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the camp’s opening. We look forward to seeing you there!
Visit the Camp Cajon Facebook page for more photos and details:
Camp Cajon Facebook Page
Organizer
Mark Landis
Organizer
Wrightwood, CA
City of San Bernardino Historical Society
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
