Hames Valley Section

This section is a ten mile stretch of highway 101 that spans the area between Bradley and San Ardo. It's unusual in the project because the old route in this area is almost entirely on privately owned land, and permissions were needed to be obtained in order to photograph most of this section.

Except for one short piece, the old route through this section is either under the current freeway, or just east of it between the freeway and the Salninas River. It starts to the south just north of the N. Bradley bridge at a gate to the Porter ranch property and continues north for about a mile until it merges with the current freeway at a point near the intersection of 101 and Jolon Rd. just west of the home on the Porter Ranch. From there it continues north under the current freeway for 1.8 miles where it emerges for about 100 yards on the west side of the freeway. It emerges again east of the freeway at a point about a half a mile north, and crosses into the property owned by Sam Avila. The old cement highway is well preserved here as it conitues north for about 4 miles through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the project on the Avila ranch in the area between the Salinas river and the freeway.

From near the off-ramp at Alvarado Rd. north to near the Los Lobos Rd. exit, the old route is either under, or just east of the freeway, and has been obliterated as it crosses through the San Ardo oil fields owned by Chevron-Texaco. There is a short section of the old highway exposed just north of the Los Lobos exit, but from there up until just south of San Ardo, it appears that the original cement route is under the current freeway. This is mostly property owned by Gordon Rosenburg of San Ardo, and was confirmed by phone that there are no areas of the old highway left in this area.

I would like to thank Norman and Janet Buchman, Margaret Avila, and Gordon Rosenburg for their help in completing this section, and for being so kind as to give me permission to go on to this private property in order to obtain these wonderful images.

Location #	Thumbnail	Description
1		Porter Ranch South
2		Porter Ranch Central
3		West of 101 freeway
4		Porter Ranch North
5		Avila Ranch South
6		Avila Ranch Central
7		Avila Ranch North
8		Giant Milk Bottle
9		San Ardo Oil Fields
10		Los Lobos Rd. South
11		Los Lobos Rd. North

Comments, suggestions, and feedback are welcome
E-mail me at: don@Historic101.com