Memories of the Nut Tree?

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Anyone remember this complex on Hwy 80, outside of Fairfield, CA I think? An airport, restaurant, little train, gift shop... a strange mix of aeronautics, geology, and peanut brittle. It was a must stop when I was a kid, I thinks it's been closed for a few years now.

― andy ---, Monday, 9 January 2006 23:16 (twenty years ago)

http://www.alamedainfo.com/nut_tree_CA.htm

Pictures!!

― andy ---, Monday, 9 January 2006 23:19 (twenty years ago)

Fairfield? HYPHY!

― adamrl (nordicskilla), Monday, 9 January 2006 23:19 (twenty years ago)

http://www.alamedainfo.com/Nut_Tree_CA_PC_01.jpg

― miss michel legrand (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 9 January 2006 23:20 (twenty years ago)

"The Nut Tree was born in 1921 in the shade of a black walnut tree off a dusty stretch of two-lane road between Sacramento and San Francisco.

"It would eventually grow into a complex that included a restaurant and gift shop, toy store, bakery, candy store, airport and miniature railroad.

"The first restaurant opened in 1922 and was a humble eatery. The candy kitchen was added in the late 1950s. The main dining room, influenced by a Swedish design, followed in 1958 and The Plaza in 1960.

"'They hated the word 'tourists.' It was always the 'traveling public,' " said Vacaville Museum Director Shawn Lum, a former Nut Tree employee. "The Nut Tree drew people looking for a high-end eating experience...."

I don't remember this part of the Nut Tree experience.

http://63.192.157.117/specials/NutTree/pages/01.html

― andy ---, Monday, 9 January 2006 23:36 (twenty years ago)

goodbye 20th century.

― miss michel legrand (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 9 January 2006 23:41 (twenty years ago)

We used to stop there every time my family went to the Bay Area. I don't think I ever enjoyed it, but that area does look strange now that the building's been torn down.

― wmlynch (wlynch), Monday, 9 January 2006 23:44 (twenty years ago)

In high school I was friends with a kid whose parents owned the Nut Tree. I stopped in a couple times to eat and check out the airplane stuff. Andy's description of it as "a strange mix of aeronautics, geology, and peanut brittle" is completely OTM. One of those odd roadside stops like Little America or the Madonna Inn that we'll sadly never see again.

I still have my big poster of the Northrop Flying Wing that came from the Nut Tree airport gift shop.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 01:44 (twenty years ago)

i hope the madonna inn stays open forever.

― 2 columbus circle in 1964 (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 01:45 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad that the Nut Tree Airport endures. (long live VCB!)

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 01:50 (twenty years ago)

xpost:

http://image.hospitalityonline.com/e/2050/205049_2.jpg

― 2 columbus circle in 1964 (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 01:53 (twenty years ago)

I remember going there once on the way to Sacramento. The Bay Area was full of these kind of places Frontier Village and Santa's Village. I was scanning some slides of my sister at Frontier Village the other day from some time in the 70's. The male employees wore scarves around their necks in a very dainty manner. I think it was between Newark and Fremont or soemthing.

― svend (svend), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 02:44 (twenty years ago)

Frontier Village? What is this? Like Knott's Berry Farm or something?

― andy ---, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:55 (twenty years ago)

yes. I remember it vividly. They tore the building down???? Is the sign still there?

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:59 (twenty years ago)

is there a weird california book yet?

(i was glad to learn that there's a weird wisconsin... that is one fucked-up state.)

― 2 columbus circle in 1964 (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:20 (twenty years ago)

I have stayed in the Jungle Room at the Madonna Inn.

What's Little Amaerica?

― adamrl (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:24 (twenty years ago)

http://www.frontiervillage.net/

I was wrong, guess it was in San Jose. I could have sworn it was around Newark where Newpark mall is.

― svend (svend), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 23:08 (twenty years ago)

I have a picture of me at Sonoma's Traintown when I'm like three... it still chugging along: http://www.traintown.com/

It's sad they tore down the Nut Tree... it had a cool style, lots of concrete bas relief and crazy mobiles hanging everywhere... turquoise burlap wallpaper and shit like that... very danish modern in the best way.

― andy ---, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:00 (twenty years ago)

What's Little Amaerica?

Giant truck stop on I-80 in Wyoming that grew into a hotel, gift shop, etc. etc.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:25 (twenty years ago)

From http://www.antarctic-circle.org/E60.htm

http://www.antarctic-circle.org/103.jpg

"Back in the eighteen nineties when Little America's founder was a young man herding sheep in a dreary section of Wyoming, he became lost in a raging northeast blizzard and was forced to camp out all night at the place where the original Little America now stands. On that long January night, in a terrible storm, with fifty-mile per hour winds and 40 below temperatures, he longed for a warm fire, something to eat and wool blankets. He thought what a blessing it would be if some good soul would build a house of shelter at that desolate spot. Many times in his heart he dreamed of a haven for travelers with a crackling fire, a warm bed, delicious food.

In the nineteen-thirties when he saw Admiral Byrd's picture of "Little America" in the Antarctic and his isolation so many miles from his base camp, it reminded the founder of his experience in the Wyoming blizzard. The thought came back to fulfill his dream, to erect a haven of refuge on the spot of his harrowing experience. The name, of course, was a natural "Little America."

From its beginning on Wyoming's southwestern desert, Little America has grown to include properties throughout the Western United States."

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

http://www.strayhound.com/memorabilia/18c3c2750.jpg

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

Wall Drug is still going strong, I bought Everclear there a couple years ago.

― andy ----, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:34 (twenty years ago)

http://www.lileks.com/institute/motel/index.html

THE GOBBLER TO THREAD...

― andy ---, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:36 (twenty years ago)

i don't know why faux-stone walls ever went out of fashion. really.

― 2 columbus circle in 1964 (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:49 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

Nut Tree Reopened. I saw it on the news this morning. They have a new carousel!

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 12:56 (twenty years ago)

the nut tree was grebt
we stopped there every time
we drove down I5

glad I didn't know
that it was torn down until
it was reopened!

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 13:17 (twenty years ago)

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