U.S. Route 99: Pioneering Oregon Quiz

Answer: US 99W and US 99E

The two highways were known as U.S. Routes 99W and 99E (for West and East branches). Splits like this were once common in the U.S. Highway system. Most suffixed splits are usually found in the southern states these days.

US 199 is a completely different highway which travels between Grants Pass and Arcata, California.

Answer: True

Lobbied by Samuel Hill, the Pacific Highway Auto Trail was added to the list of Oregon's state highways in 1913 as Pacific Highway #1. Between 1920 and 1923, it was completely paved. Partially due to this, US 99 was the most paved highway in the country by 1928 with most of its 1500+ miles being paved with concrete.

Interstate 5 still carries the Pacific Highway #1 designation to this day.

Answer: True

There are in fact three covered bridges near the highway. Two are located in Myrtle Creek and one is located on the highway itself in Sunny Valley. Only two, including Sunny Valley's Grave Creek Covered Bridge are still drive-able.

Answer: True

Believe it or not, the Siskiyou Trail played a huge part in Oregon's creation as a state. The Siskiyou Trail was set up over a former Native American trading route between the Columbia River and Spanish California. The Hudson's Bay Company took over the route and set up their headquarters in present day Vancouver, Washington.

The trail was widened after a man named Ewing Young drove livestock from Alta California to British and American settlements in Oregon Country. The widening of the trail allowed it to be more accessible leading to Oregon's settlements being solidified.

The first telegraph in the region was even set up along the trail. Due to its heavy traffic, the Siskiyou Trail became part of the Pacific Highway and later US 99 and I-5.

Answer: It is the second oldest town in Oregon

Next to Astoria, Oregon City is the second oldest town in the state of Oregon. Dr. John McLoughlin, the former head of the Hudson's Bay Company, had a house in Oregon City. US 99E was named after him in this area (McLoughlin Boulevard) and a large volcano in south central Oregon also carries his name (Mount McLoughlin).

Answer: True

Oregon Routes 99, 99W and 99E follow most of US 99's original route in Oregon. Only Oregon Route 99W has been truncated since the decommissioning in 1972.

Answer: The old junction between US 99 and US 97

US 97 used to end at US 99 underneath present day Emigrant Lake. US 97 was later extended to end in Weed, California and US 99 was re-routed to a straighter more westerly alignment. In the 1960s, a dam was built on the old path of US 99 and the junction along with a small town were drowned under a new reservoir called Emigrant Lake. Today, OR 66 and OR 273 take the place of US 99 and US 97. Emigrant Lake is also an alternative water supply for the nearby city of Ashland.

Answer: Wolf Creek Inn

The Wolf Creek Inn was restored in the 1970s by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Division. There are about 7 hotel rooms in total. President Rutherford B. Hayes was rumored to stay there once.

The National Forest Inn and Half Way Inn are defunct establishments along the Ridge Route in California.

Answer: The "dome" is cylindrical

The "dome" is a solid concrete cylinder with rectangular abutments attached at certain areas of it. At the top is a gold plated pioneer statue. US 99E passes close to the building on Center Street.

Answer: Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose

Howard Hughes' massive flying boat, "Spruce Goose" (the real name of which is the "Hercules"), is located at the Evergreen Air & Space Museum in McMinnville. The museum complex includes many great attractions including a waterpark with waterslides portruding out a vintage 747 airliner. The Spruce Goose/Hercules still retains the longest wingspan of any aircraft ever built.