Imperial Sand Dunes
This color photo is what California's Imperial Sand Dunes look like today from my vantage point just south of Interstate 8.
The dunes themselves haven't changed since time immemorial. What's changed in the last century is the road. I-10 allows cars and trucks to traverse the dunes at 70 miles per hour in just a few minutes. It wasn't always the cae.
Between 1909 and 1927, Henry Ford built more than 15,000,000 Model T cars and trucks. The Ford Motor Company transformed the way people in the United States moved around.
Arizona became the 48th state of the Union in 1912. People were moving west! An Arizona business person wanting to travel between southern Arizona and California had to traverse seven miles of sand dunes, and those little skinny tires on the Model T didn't get it!
The original Plank Road
The solution was to create a modular, tongue and groove road in 8' x 12' sections. Seven miles of plank road! When the sand dunes would shift, covering the plank road, teams of horses were used to reposition the sections.
Double wide sections at intervals allowed vehicles to pass one another without getting stuck in the sand.
It was the only means motorists had of traversing the Imperial Sand Dunes. Today, only a few sections of the original plank road remain, and you can see them if you pull off of Interstate 8 at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
Photo by Mike in Tucson (Model T truck is not my photo.)
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That was a very creative solution to an enormous problem. American ingenuity at work. Thanks for a great post.
that was interesting - I have never been west of Texas and I only flew into that state and back out again. In reality, I should say never west of the Mississippi!!!!
Fascinating!
I know of plank roads but I've never seen one before.
Bill
I wonder what those motorist on the plank road would have said if someone told them the sand dunes would be a recreation stop in the next century for ATC riders and dune baggies.
Barbara-Jo, I have never been east of the Mississippi-we need to get out more!
Mike, wow! Didn't expect to get up this morning and learn about this wonderful piece of Americana! Thanks.
That is a nice piece of history my friend. I had no idea that people used to travel on wood plank roads anywhere in the US.
Don,
I hadn't either; thanks for commenting!
Pat,
You're welcome!
Deanne,
They wouldn't have believed it, I'm sure.
Bill,
Always something new on the Mike in Tucson Show. LOL
Barbara Jo,
Come on out!
Don,
You're welcome! Thanks for being the first to comment.
Mike in Tucson
Not to brag, but my grandpa Henry was such a smart entrepreneur!
Kate,
For real?
Mike in Tucson
Well, of course. Are you questioning my lineage? Kate
Mike,
What an interesting post. I have never heard of plank roads and I used to live in Arizona.. missed it. Thank you for posting.
Mike thanks for sharing this. I have never seen a plank road.
Wow! I had not heard of these either. That is so cool that you found it. Thanks for learning us something new!
What is the water? I just now noticed it. Is it a canal or part of a river?
What an interesting post, if there was a will there was was a way. I have never seen a plank road.
Diane,
Neither had I until I stopped to see this. Thanks for commenting.
Doreen,
It's a canal, I think. I'd have to google it.
Jennifer,
Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Judi,
Maybe I knew that, but I'd forgotten that you used to live in AZ.
Kate,
Very interesting!
Mike in Tucson
Very cool and interesting - thanks for sharing.
Hello Mike - Thanks for the great post. As they say...."where there's a will, there's a way!"
Wow Mike...the dunes in July? It's rather hot out there. :) Michael and I love the dunes, of course in the cool fall. :) Thanks for sharing the history!
Cheron
Cheron,
We were on our way to the oceanfront for our anniversary.
Andy,
Thanks for stopping by to comment!
Carol,
You're welcome!
Mike in Tucson
Can you imagine a Model T traversing over seven miles of sand dunes? How long did that take? Now it just takes a few minutes. Wow, those sand dunes are awesome. I've never been to AZ, but would love to visit someday.
Barbara,
I'll bet you would like Arizona!
Mike in Tucson
Mike: Great bit of info. Thanks for taking the time to write such an informative post.
Kirsten,
You're welcome! Blogging in the Rain builds business.
Mike in Tucson
Hi Mike
Thank you for the interesting post. I love reading about other parts of the country and history.
I love th epost and it was very interesting. This gives me another great reason why I should visit California in the near future.
That's something i never heard of either! Thanks for showlng some great pictures of the old plank road and the dunes.
Great post Mike! Love the local history. My grand dad use to tell us the story about driving his Model A Ford from Seattle to San Francisco. Most of the road back then was dirt or gravel. I wasn't aware of the plank road over the dunes. That was a creative solution!
Thanks for stopping by, Rene!
Gayle Rich-Boxman, thanks for spotlighting my post in today's
Fishhawk Lake Tuesday Travelogue-July 15th
Mike in Tucson
Wow those are some sand dunes. They remind me of the moonscape at the end of Yellowstone.
I love visiting the sand dunes along the Oregon coast, and would no doubt love these too. The plank road probably sounded wonderful as vehicles traveled over it ... thanks for the post today. I found it via Gayle. :)
Hi Mike. Thank you so much for your interesting travelogue about the dunes in California. I am so grateful to Gayle for leading me to your post and I would love to visit the dunes of the West Coast. I've been on the Dunes of the Sahara and the Dunes of the Atlantic but would love to traverse the Pacific Dunes too!
Mike, Great pics and love the history you shared. Came over from Gayle's post and so glad I did.
I have traveled quite a bit in California but that is one area I had not made it too. Been close in the Indio area.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting, Don. It's amazing to me that posts from years past still have currency today. Much success to you today.
Mike in Tucson
Mike,
Thank you for the photos and the history behind the planks. I most definitely will appreciate the planks much more the next time I come across them.
We just re-visited this place over the weekend, on our way back from San Diego. Sunstreet Mortgage, LLC is now licensed in California!
The Plank Road is a fascinating piece of history. Oddly enough, I have never seen or heard of it prior to this posting.