At first glance, the highway doesn’t seem all that exciting.
Made of crushed rocks and Caltrans plans, it can seem like a wasteland of black pavement and potholes that we ignore on long car trips, focusing on oleander bushes in the median or the Slug-Bug game instead.
Why should we care about a highway? Because it carries people to funerals and weddings. It takes us to new jobs and new babies. It’s a part of our stories, whether we realize it or not.
For those of us in the Fresno region, Highway 99—an artery in the middle California—is an unsung element in our individual life experiences. Now, thanks to author Stephen Provost, the highway’s tale is being told. Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street is the highway’s story, complete with photographs and rich history spanning the Dust Bowl to present times.
A self-proclaimed “eclectic” author, Provost is a familiar name to FresYes. He grew up in Fresno and wrote a book about it, appropriately titled Fresno Growing Up: 1945-1985. He spent a lot of time in the Valley as an editor for newspapers like The Fresno Bee and The Tulare Register, and currently resides on the Central Coast, working as an editor at The Cambrian.
Provost will return to Fresno on Saturday, Sept. 23 for a book talk and signing at the Fig Garden Regional Library. He’ll share information about “the 99” from his book, as well as photographs.
So if you have fond memories of highway icons like the Mammoth Orange Stand near Chowchilla, you’ll want to check out this book talk. (And then of course, read the book.)
You can learn more about Stephen Provost on his website here. If you want a copy of Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street, you can buy one on Saturday at the library and get it signed by the author, or purchase it on Amazon here. Amazon carries a wide variety of Provost’s books, ranging from non-fiction to paranormal adventures, and you can find them all here.
Event Details
When: Saturday, Sept. 23 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Fig Garden Regional Library, 3071 West Bullard Ave., Fresno, CA 93711
(559) 600-4071
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