State Route 3

California State Route 3

California 3 is generally a north-south route in Northern California, passing through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest between California 36 near Peanut and Interstate 5 in Yreka. However, at Yreka, California 3 turns into an east-west state route, linking Interstate 5 with the city limits of Montague. The state route's northern (eastern) terminus is the eastern city limits of Montague in Siskiyou County. Most of the highway is a designated scenic route. A major attraction along California 3 is the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area, which features the Trinity River and Clair Engle Lake. California 3 is also a gateway to the Trinity Alps Wilderness to the west of the national recreation area. In Yreka, the seat of Siskiyou County, most of California 3 shares alignment with Business Loop I-5 and Historic U.S. 99.

References:

  1. Yreka History: Yreka's Welcome Arch, January 26, 2009. http://yrekahistory.blogspot.com/2009/01/yrekas-welcome-arch.html Relevant quote: "It has been read that Yrekans first saw our own Welcome Arch in 1917. It was an exciting time with travel by automobile staging a promising future! By automobile, Yreka was the midway point between San Francisco and Portland on the Great Pacific Highway. ... In the 1930's the Pacific Highway was "modernized" and the route officially changed into Highway 99. By 1931 the portion of the new Highway 99 through the Shasta Canyon was complete, but the changes were yet to come in Yreka proper. During the mid 1930's Main Street (Pacific Highway, later Highway 99) was widened through town. ... The Yreka Arch was taken down in the 1930s during this reconstruction of the Pacific Highway into Highway 99. It was in storage and fell into disrepair until 1976 when the local Soroptimists made the move to restore and replace the sign. The citizens of Yreka helped with funding and support and in 1977 the Welcome Arch was rededicated. It now sits at the Central Yreka Interchange but seems somehow smaller at eye level."

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Page Updated Saturday September 13, 2008.