The Lonely Bones
San Jacinto, CA Photo courtesy Justin Parpan
In the hills near the glittery Soboba Casino, one can find a peculiar collection of sculpted prehistoric skeletons. They stand alongside an old crumbling road, and are a particularly odd sight too behold in the brown barren hills beneath the towering San Jacinto Mountains. Their construction is a mystery. Many have tried to seek out the artist, but with little avail. And to this day, the Lonely Bones stand secretly in the hills, solemnly watching the comings and goings of the tiny town of San Jacinto in the nearby distance. Text above was posted in the local newspaper and written by Justin Parpan.
The Lonely Bones are in the town of San Jacinto and are near the Soboba Indian Reservation. They are also about a thirty minute drive from the world famous Cabazon Dinosaurs. All photos were taken in the Summer of 2000 and info courtesy Justin Parpan. 07-06
For more information on the mystery of the Lonely Bones, check out this blog site.
Check out the character advertising Am-Mex, complete with muscles and a rather impressive set of eyelashes. Not the usual friendly face waving motorists into a business. This fellow looks like he might have climbed out of a toxic waste barrel and decided to help with the advertising.
The expression is part of the attraction. A plain sign could get the business name across, but it probably wouldn’t earn quite as many second looks. Apparently a little roadside muscle doesn’t hurt, especially when it comes with eyes like these.
UPDATE: This photograph preserves Am-Mex’s unusual roadside mascot. Its installation date and eventual whereabouts remain unconfirmed, but there’s no mistaking the personality in this particular sales representative. 10-26
Family Dental
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the smile at Family Dental on North Figueroa Street. This car gets a parking space above the business, giving passing motorists a rather unusual reminder to take care of their teeth. Looks like someone went in for an alignment and came out with a whole new grin.
Located near Avenue 43, the office sits along an old Route 66 corridor. The car makes a fitting roadside attraction on a street that carried highway travelers before the Arroyo Seco Parkway opened in 1940. No appointment needed to appreciate this bit of automotive advertising.
UPDATE: The car appears to still be here along Figueroa smiling at passersby. 10-26
Tony's Muffler Art
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
If you’re looking for unusual exhaust-shop advertising, check out Tony’s Muffler Art. Two characters appear to have gone headfirst into a muffler, leaving a rather curious scene for motorists passing outside. Hopefully this isn’t the standard installation procedure.
The joke works without much explanation. A muffler tells customers what the shop handles, while the two unfortunate helpers give everyone else a reason to look twice. A little shop-made humor can go a long way when competing with the rest of the signs down the street.
UPDATE: This view preserves Tony’s distinctive muffler sculpture. 10-26
Pomona Man
Pomona, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A little thin for the job but apparently ready to help, the Pomona Man holds a muffler where passing customers can get a good look. No need to wonder what sort of service is being advertised here. This fellow brought along a sample.
Unlike the towering fiberglass roadside men, he gets the message across with a much slimmer build. His narrow frame makes the muffler look like a fairly substantial load, though he seems content to keep holding it. Hopefully someone gives him a break when the shop closes.
There’s a certain appeal to automotive advertising made from the materials of the trade. A few metal parts take on a personality, and suddenly the shop has an employee who spends the entire day catching the attention of passing motorists. No waving or sales pitch needed.
UPDATE: This photograph records Pomona’s distinctive muffler-holding character. His maker, installation date, and current whereabouts remain unconfirmed, but the old view preserves a roadside helper with a firm grip on his line of work. 10-26
Northridge Auto Wrecking
Northridge, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
An old car gets another assignment at Northridge Auto Wrecking, where a full-size automobile serves as part of the roadside marquee. Most vehicles arrive at a wrecking yard at the end of their working lives. This one apparently qualified for a position in advertising.
The “Complete Radiator Service” wording supplies the practical message, while the car overhead takes care of attracting attention. It’s a fitting approach for an automotive business, giving drivers a sample of the merchandise well above the usual parking space.
Business records date Northridge Auto Wrecking to 1955, placing its origins in the San Fernando Valley’s busy postwar growth years. The elevated car makes a memorable companion to that long history.
UPDATE: Northridge Auto Wrecking remains listed on Parthenia Street. 10-26
G&R Mufflers
Lake Elsinore, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
There’s a whole household waiting above G&R Mufflers in Lake Elsinore, and even the dog gets a place in the lineup. This family of metal characters turns the shop’s automotive materials into something with considerably more personality than the average exhaust system.
Owner Gary Koppenhaver created a collection that included figures golfing, playing music, and showing off elaborate hairstyles. Apparently there was plenty to do up on the roof while the actual muffler work took place below.
The animals are a particularly nice touch. Once a shop has assembled a family of muffler people, leaving out the household pet would seem a little unfair. Take a closer look and there’s plenty of ingenuity in giving these familiar parts a second job.
UPDATE: G&R’s sculptures were documented in newspaper coverage by January 2000.. 10-26
Am-Mex
Family Dental
Tony's Muffler Art
Pomona Man
Northridge Auto Wrecking
G&R Mufflers
