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California Citrus State Historic Park, Riverside, CA, September 2005 (James Lancaster Photo)

Mammoth Orange and Giant Orange Stands in California

Copyright 2006 by James E. Lancaster, Ph.D.

Additional photography by Robert Smaus.

Created 20 August 2006

Last Update 14 November 2011

Notice:The photographs on this web page are the property of the contributors and may not be used for any other purpose without permission.

Original Giant Orange - Tracy

The original Giant Orange stand was opened by Frank Pohl on 11th Street in Tracy, CA in 1926. 11th Street was originally part of the Lincoln Highway and later US Highway 50. The latter also originated in 1926 and was the main cross state highway between Nevada and the San Francisco Bay Area.


The business did well and Pohl opened a second stand in nearby Banta near Highway 50 and Grant Line Road and yet another in Tracy near the Southern Pacific railroad tracks.  The business did well and Pohl franchised the Giant Orange name. By the 1930s Giant Orange stands were scattered all across the San Joaquin Valley, including along US Highways 99 and 40. (Source: Giant Orange squeezed slice of Americana, by Jerry Bowen, Historical Articles of Solano County, January 16, 2005)


Giant Orange stand, Tracy, CA, 1934.
(Photo property of the Tracy Historical Museum, used by permission)

Giant Orange Cafe - Redding

The Giant Orange Cafe is along I-5 just north of Redding, CA. The orange stand in the front is authentic. It was built in the mid-1940s and was located on US 99 near Redding.

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Giant Orange Cafe, Redding, CA, October 2005 (James Lancaster Photo)

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Giant Orange Stand on US 99 near Redding, CA, ca. 1946. This stand 
has been preserved and is shown in the previous photo. (James
Lancaster Photo of a photo inside the Giant Orange Cafe)

Fast Eddies Mammoth Orange - Fairmead

Fast Eddies Mammoth Orange was on the west side of Hiway 99 near Fairmead, between Madera and Chowchilla.  Unless otherwise indicated, the photos of Fast Eddies were taken by myself in June 1991. It was no longer in use at that time. It was torn down in the mid-1990s.  

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Overall view of Fast Eddies from the south side.

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East side (front) of Fast Eddies.

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North side of Fast Eddies.

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Fast Eddies Rest Rooms.  Inside plumbing or just a biffy?

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Fast Eddies sometime after June 1991. Weeds have grown and there's a little graffiti. (Bob Smaus Photo)

Mammoth Orange - Fairmead

This large Mammoth Orange stand was on the east side of Hiway 99 at Fairmead, CA, between Madera and Chowchilla.  It has closed because of freeway construction. 

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Mammoth Orange, Mid-1990s. (James Lancaster Photo)

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Mammoth Orange, Mid-1990s. (James Lancaster Photo)

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Mammoth Orange. (Bob Smaus Photo)

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Mammoth Orange counter. (Bob Smaus Photo)

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Mammoth Orange ceiling. (Bob Smaus Photo)

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Mammoth Orange, August 2005. (James Lancaster Photo)

Postscript on Mammoth Orange:

Due to freeway construction along Highway 99, the orange stand is closed and the orange itself moved to another site. You can read about it's status here and here. You can also view another nice web page about California orange stands.  

Giant Orange - Date and Location Unknown

All photos of this partially dismantled orange stand are by Bob Smaus.

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Lemon Cove


Lemon Cove is a very small town northeast of Exeter, CA. This fruit stand, with it's replica of a "big orange," is on California State Highway 198 just north of the town. The photos were taken on August 22, 2011.
(James Lancaster Photos)





Fontana


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Bono's Historic Orange stand, Fontana, CA, September 2005. The stand is located next to the now-closed Bono's Restaurant on Foothill Blvd (former Route 66). (James Lancaster Photo)

Visit the companion web sites:

Historic Packing Houses and Other Industrial Structures in Southern California

Historic Packing Houses, Packing Sheds and Other Industrial Structures in Central and Northern California

Packing House Models