What is Roadside Heritage?
Roadside Heritage has its origins in the stunning landscape of the Eastern Sierra. Running parallel with the eastern side of the Sierra Mountains, Highway 395 connects Reno, Nevada and Southern California, passing through Mono and Inyo counties. Along this beautiful byway, you will encounter a gorgeous natural landscape and a rich cultural history. Roadside Heritage allows you to experience this wonderfully diverse region through the web. If you plan to visit us, you may download any or all of our audio stories, burn them to a CD, and listen to them as you drive along 395. Or, if you are just curious about our region, explore the regional virtually through our maps and audio stories: be careful, you may feel the sudden urge to visit us!
About the Stories
Some of the most colorful stories in the history of the American West were written in the landscape known as the Eastern Sierra. Yet, only the smallest fraction of visitors realize the breadth of stories hidden in the scenery. The Roadside Heritage Project aims to change that by bringing you engaging, authentic stories from one of the most beautiful areas of the western United States: California’s Eastern Sierra as told by those who live here. The tales of Paiutes and pioneers, of natural beauty and the forces that created this area, railroad barons and robbers, and of scientists and nature lovers who study or care for the region are here to download.
Acknowledgments
The Roadside Heritage program lends voice to people who have made this country their home for generations. Behind the stories of Paiute trading routes, geologic forces, plants and animals, pioneer settlers, and railroad barons, an elaborate web of partners have come together to bring these stories to life. Roadside Heritage is a project where science folks, historians, interpreters, foundations, advisory committees, management types, students, audio and graphic experts, and others come together to make it all happen not only with integrity and humor, but also respect for everyone involved along the way.
Roadside Photos
If you have travelled to or plan to travel along 395, you’ll probably want to capture your memories through the lens of a camera. We’ve collected some of our photos on Flickr.com. If you want to upload photos taken along 395 to Flickr, please tag them with, “Roadside Heritage” so that others may enjoy them, too!
