Plank Road

Plank Road. Through the Years. , (Panel 1) , In the beginning , 1915 - 1926, The story of the Plank Road began with the era of automobile transportation and a spirit of competition between the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles. San Diego was determined to become the hub of the Southern California road network. Civic and business leaders recognized the benefits of establishing roads to link their communities and promote commerce. Businessman and road builder "Colonel" Ed Fletcher was a key promoter for San Diego who sponsored a race from Southern California to Phoenix, Arizona. The Examiner, a Los Angeles newspaper, issued a personal challenge to Fletcher for the race. , The race took place during October 1912. Fletcher completed the race from San Diego to Phoenix in 19½ hours. He beat the Examiner's reporter who had been given a 24-hour head start and was racing from Los Angeles to Phoenix, by 10 hours! Fletcher managed to have his car pulled across the Imperial Sand Dunes before there was an established road by a team of horses. He also got his car across the Colorado River in Yuma on a railroad bridge, winning the race. The approval to build the Plank Road through the Dunes was decided with support from Imperial County Supervisor Ed Boyd, the local newspapers and local communities. Also a factor in the decision was the recent State and Federal Government decision to build a bridge over the Colorado River in Yuma. With great fanfare, the first planks for a 2-track road were installed on February 14, 1915. Traffic and maintenance quickly wore the road. A second plank road, consisting of a continuous 8-foot planks was built in 1916. The second plank road remained in use until 1926 when a 20-foot wide, asphalt-like concrete road, was constructed by the State Highway Commission. , Captions , Middle Left: Horse drawn plows were used to clear the drifting sands. , Bottom Left: A spirit of adventure was part of the experience. , Bottom Middle: Commerce was greatly expanded , Top Right: Eight-foot sections of the Planks Road were constructed off-site and transported to the dunes for assembly. , (Panel 2) , Revitalization , 1973 - 1974 , Through the years and with little use the Plank Road began degrading. In the 70s, a major effort took place to revitalize the area and create a monument in recognition of the Plank Road. The Bureau of Land Management, Imperial Valley Pioneer Historical Society, California Off-Road Vehicle Association and Air Force personnel collaborated to assemble a 1,500-foot section of the Plank Road using various portions of it remaining in the dunes. This revitalization stands today to memorialize the determination and vision of those who forged the first automobile highway across the dunes. CORVA's volunteers and mission were recognized by the Bureau of Land Management naming their efforts the "Preservation Project of the Year.", Captions , Middle Left: CORVA volunteers transport unearthed portions of the Plank Road and move them to be reassembled at the monument site. , Middle Right: Over 400 volunteers worked to recover and preserve the Plank Road. , Middle Bottom: Volunteers of all ages joined to ensure the preservation of the historic Plank Road. , (Panel 3) , Today and Tomorrow , The Plank Road is a piece of history in the Imperial Sand Dunes. While only fragments remain, of Bureau of Land Management recognizes it as an important example of transportation technology. The area is a source of fun and excitement for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the desert. Every year thousands of people visit the area with off-road vehicles, camping and other desert toys, contributing to the local economy and ensuring the future of the Imperial Sand Dunes.