An article about the Lee Highway, now called the Ocean to Ocean highway, by historian Tina Clark.

The Lee Highway:
Yuma Once Again Makes Transportation History by Tina Clark

On February 28, 1925, fifteen thousand people from across the country gathered in Yuma Arizona for a historic event, the opening of the (Robert E.) Lee Highway---the first southern transcontinental highway. This was an especially momentous event for the citizens of Yuma. Indeed, the party was so large that Yuma’s busy hotels could not handle the influx and all of its citizens were asked to open their "divans" to visitors. The population of Yuma at the time was under 5000 and the citizens of bustling little Yuma open their hearts and their homes to their guests. The Arizona Republican wrote of the event, "Today’s occasion is by far the most pretentious that has ever been held in Yuma," and accordingly, Yuma’s citizens prepared a sumptuous barbecue for 15,000 at Sunset Park.

Los Angeles and San Diego also acknowledged the event and its singular importance. On February 27^th San Diego Herald reported that the phrase, "On to Yuma, let’s go." was on the lips of virtually every San Diegan. San Diego had in fact fitted out a special party train for the occasion, and as the date drew near the whole community took an interest in the event. According to the Herald, "The finest appointed train ever to have left the Union Station here and equipped with many unusual features will carry the San Diego delegation to the transcontinental highway celebration. Among the many novel features of the train are a steam calliope installed in the baggage car, a soft drink bar, regular movie show and a forty-piece band. The entire party (of over 1000) will be attired in sport clothes and colorful costumes." To add to the celebration, on the 26^th San Diegans, Henry Ricks and Colonel Ed Fletcher, driving a 1925 Hudson, made a record-setting run from San Diego to Yuma in three and one half hours on February 26^th, 1925. Then, on the following day, they drove to Phoenix in just three hours and forty minutes, another record.

The name Lee Highway fell out of usage almost immediately and was given by locals the more popular appellation, "Ocean to Ocean Highway." In fact most Yumans no longer remember the name at all, and its only remnant is found in the name of Yuma’s oldest operating hotel, the Hotel Lee---located on Main Street, part of the Old Lee Highway, and soon to be Yuma’s only Bed & Breakfast Inn.

 

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