Orange (Gone)
Williams, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Along old Highway 99W in Williams, there’s an Orange that has seen better days. The paint has faded and the stand is empty, but it still looks enough like a piece of fruit to catch the eye. Give it a little imagination and it’s easy to picture a driver pulling over for a cold glass of orange juice on a hot valley afternoon.

Orange-shaped stands once dotted California highways, selling juice and a quick bite to travelers. The building did the advertising all by itself. This one stayed behind after the customers stopped coming, its weathered peel still holding its shape beside the old road.

UPDATE: The Williams orange has been documented standing in poor condition, but its present condition has not been confirmed. Even as an empty shell, it recalls a time when a giant piece of fruit was reason enough to pull off the highway. 09-26