Johnny Cash Trail Memorial - Citizen Memorials on Waymarking.com

The Johnny Cash memorial bike trail and bridge was officially opened in October, 2014 crossing the Folsom Lake Crossing bridge roadway over the American River in Folsom, California.

The bike path and pedestrian walkway links an extensive array of pathways created for recreation by the City of Folsom. This bridge and memorial is part of a tribute to Johnny Cash who sang at Folsom Prison in 1968. His record "Folsom Prison Blues" became a pop hit and put Folsom on the map through musical memories. The tribute will eventually include a statue an art work honoring the singer.

The memorial plaque reads as follows:

Johnny Cash Trail

The City of Folsom has a rich history beginning with the 49ers during California’s Gold Rush. It was the site of the West’s first railroad and the world’s first long-distance transmission of electricity. For thousands of years prior, the area was home to Native Americans who lived off the region’s rich plant and animal life. Today, Folsom is forward-looking city; A high-tech town blessed with abundant natural amenities and comprised of culturally diverse residents ranging from young families to active retirees.

However, just one man may be more responsible for Folsom’s contemporary notoriety than any other: Johnny Cash.

On January 13, 1968 Johnny Cash performed two concerts at Folsom State Prison before an audience of inmates and guards. Songs recorded live during the shows were released on the album “At Folsom Prison.” The single “Folsom Prison Blues,” became the Top 40 hit, propelling the city and the prison into the public consciousness as a result. The album’s success served as a turning point for Cash, revitalizing his career and transforming a popular and successful musician into a worldwide superstar. Folsom’s connection with the artist was now as solid as the prison’s granite walls.

Therefore, it seemed only natural that the city’s recreational trail traversing Folsom State Prison property would be named in honor of the Man in Black. This 2.5 mil trail over rolling terrain of red soil, craggy wild oaks and swaying meadow grasses serves as a vital gegmento in the city’s cherished network of trail. The Johnny Cash Trail connects n the east to the Folsom Lake Trail and the State Parks facilities with a bike/pedestrian overcrossing, and to the American River Parkway bike trail to the south.

City Council: Mayor: Kerri M. Howell: Vice Mayor: Ernie Sheldon; Steve Miklos, Andy Morin, Jeff Starsky.

Dedicated October 4, 2014.

Website with more information on either the memorial or the person(s) it is dedicated to: [Web Link] Location: Plaque appears on a boulder near the west end of the bridge crossing Folsom Lake Crossing near E. Natoma Street, Folsom, California

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