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Sign pointing to Santa Rosa Speedway along Mendocino Avenue (Highway 101) near Russell Avenue in Santa Rosa, California, 1959

Title

Sign pointing to Santa Rosa Speedway along Mendocino Avenue (Highway 101) near Russell Avenue in Santa Rosa, California, 1959

Creation Date (Original)

1959

View on Alternative Site

View photo location on the Sonoma County Historical Photos Map hosted by the City of Santa Rosa

Description

Sign pointing to Santa Rosa Speedway.

Item Format or Genre

["black-and-white photographs"]

Local History and Culture Theme

["Sports and Recreation"]

Subject (Topical)

["Racetracks (Automobile racing)"]

Subject (Corporate Body)

["Santa Rosa Speedway (Santa Rosa, Calif.)"]

Digital Collection Name(s)

["Sonoma County Library Photograph Collection"]

Digital Collections Identifier

cstr_pho_006610

Item Details
Image Details

Item Details

Title

Sign pointing to Santa Rosa Speedway along Mendocino Avenue (Highway 101) near Russell Avenue in Santa Rosa, California, 1959

View on Alternative Site

View photo location on the Sonoma County Historical Photos Map hosted by the City of Santa Rosa

Maps/StreetView

View location in Google Maps

Description

Sign pointing to Santa Rosa Speedway.

Biographical or Historical Note

In 1961, construction began on the the new Highway 101 just to the west and after completion, much of the old highway was renamed as Old Redwood Highway, with the section at Russell Avenue named Mendocino Avenue. The Santa Rosa Speedway, just north of Russell Avenue, opened in July 1939 as the Di Grazia Motordrome. The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) reported on July 29, 1939, that "Santa Rosa's new oval, the Di Grazia Motordrome, will open [on July 30 1939]...with an inaugural 100-mile Model "T" Ford race...The eight-foot banked oval will help keep accidents at a minimum...Construction of a 200-foot grandstand which will accommodate 3,000 fans is nearing completion on the grounds adjoining the airport on the Redwood highway. A special parking lot has been provided opposite the track on Russell Avenue." (The Press Democrat, 29 July 1939. P. 4, col. 5). The following day, the Press Democrat published the following: "Santa Rosa's new $5,000 motordrome will be opened today with an inaugural 100-mile race for Model T Fords...The tracks, on the Di Grazia property a mile and one-half north of the city adjoining the airport, are overlooked by a newly built grandstand with a 3,000 person capacity. Additional accommodations will be available for today's race fans...A starting field of 17 cars will go to the post for the inaugural, with possible entries to be filed later. . . The race tomorrow marks the start of a series of midget and motorcycle races. The oval, made from adobe land, is said to be lightning fast, dustless and well banked for turning. Parking space has been provided on the Russell avenue side of the new track." (Press Democrat, 30 July 30, 1939, Page 6.). In October 1941, the motordrome was renamed the Santa Rosa Speedway and operated through 1960, when construction of the new Highway 101 freeway forced the racetrack to close.

Creation Date (Original)

1959

Item Type

["Still image"]

Item Format or Genre

["black-and-white photographs"]

Number of Parts or Pages

1 photographic print

Other Physical Details

b&w

Item Physical Dimensions

20 x 26 cm

Local History and Culture Theme

["Sports and Recreation"]

Subject (Corporate Body)

["Santa Rosa Speedway (Santa Rosa, Calif.)"]

Subject (Time Period)

1959

Subject (Topical)

["Racetracks (Automobile racing)"]

Country

["United States"]

State or Province

["California"]

California County

["Sonoma"]

City or Town

["Santa Rosa"]

Geographic Feature

["Mendocino Avenue","United States Highway 101","Russell Avenue"]

Street Address

Mendocino Avenue and Russell Avenue, Santa Rosa, California

Latitude

38.469246

Longitude

-122.724304

Geocoding Status

["Exact geocoding"]

Credit line

Courtesy, Sonoma County Library

Local System Identifier

1251576

Digital Collections Identifier

cstr_pho_006610

Digital Collection Name(s)

["Sonoma County Library Photograph Collection"]

Digital Collections Area Group(s)

["Local History & Culture"]

Physical Item Barcode(s)

37565039848451 (ANNEX PHOTO 6610);37565024929761 ARCHIVES OVERSIZE PHOTO 6610

Item Call Number(s)

ANNEX PHOTO 6610;ARCHIVES OVERSIZE PHOTO 6610

Shelving Location of Physical Item(s)

Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library, 211 E Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (https://sonomalibrary.org/locations/sonoma-county-history-and-genealogy-library)

Copyright Statement

The Sonoma County Library makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to digitized images and can claim only physical ownership of the image(s) described in this records. However, these images are intended for Personal or Research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Library. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use. Preferred credit line is: Courtesy, the Sonoma County Library. Please see additional reproduction and reuse information at https://sonomalibrary.org/locations/sonoma-county-history-and-genealogy-library/order-photo

Project Affiliation

Sonoma County Tourism Grant (2009-2010)

Contributing Organizations

Sonoma County Library, 211 E Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (http://www.sonomalibrary.org)

Fiscal Sponsor

Grant provided to the Sonoma County Library through the Sonoma County Advertising Program

Date Digitized

2016

Digitizing Agency

Backstage Library Works, 533 East 1860 South, Provo UT 84606 (http://www.bslw.com)

Archival File Data Quality

["High resolution master file image (600 ppi)"]

Acquisition Type

["Gift"]

Date of Acquisition

1992

Filename

cstr_pho_006610.jp2

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