The End of the Line, Wheeler Ridge, CA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Bernd das Brot Team
N 35° 01.159 W 118° 57.359
11S E 321543 N 3876933
The southernmost point of the Central Valley and the end of California's State Route 99
Waymark Code: WM3ZT4
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 06/13/2008
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member Team Farkle 7
Views: 74
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We apologize in advance for making things complicated:

We know that US Highway 99 runs all the way to the Mexican border. However, you will not find any Hwy 99 signs south of Wheeler Ridge. In California, highways are numbered by a state system, and California State Route 99 ends here, merging with Interstate 5.

Today, this is only an intersection, but 333 years ago, it shaped California's history:

It was here that Padre Francisco Garces opened a new trail through the Central Valley between the Spanish Missions in Mexico and the Mission of San Carlos Borromeo in Monterey.

A statue of Pater Garces (see picture above) and a Historical Marker commemorating the event are located 15 miles from here at St. Thomas Church in Arvin
(N 35°12.483' W 118°49.283').

This junction also marks the southernmost point of California's Central Valley and US 99 is one of two roads running through the entire valley - 600 miles from north to south.

Coming from the mountains, one gets a pretty good idea how large the Central Valley is!

State: California

Nearest City: Arvin, CA

Type: Marker or Milestone, historic in nature
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shell1fish visited The End of the Line, Wheeler Ridge, CA 06/20/2012 shell1fish visited it