Our Lady of the Highway is only about 50 feet from this iconic symbol of Highway 395...
Yes...it really was the Hub Cap Capital of the World...
Enter Lucy Pearson the HubCap Queen.
Lucy moved to California from Kentucky over 50 years ago.
She found and married her husband Andy Pearson here in California and together
they bought property here on Highway 395.
Andy was a mechanic and soon developed quite a business
for auto wrecking and mechanics.
He would tow broken down vehicles from up and down the highway for repairs...
in the meantime, Lucy began to collect hubcaps as Andy brought the cars in for work.
At one point in time, she reported that she had collected over 140,000 hubcaps.
Check out this youtube interview of Lucy herself!!!
Now with all that history about Lucy...there was absolutely no mention of the 30 foot statue of
our Lady of 395...
I did read somewhere that she was a UniRoyal statue which did trigger a faint resemblance
of a memory...
But maybe...she's simply Lucy...showing off her hubcaps!!!
I've stopped here a couple of times...
and am sad to say that the bursting metropolis in 2000 of 27 residents
no longer shows signs of life...
and no mention of whatever happened to Lucy, the Hub Cap Queen.
Click on the badge to see more signs from around the world!!!
Loved the link Chieftess, how super clever AND adorable is Buddy :)
ReplyDelete«Louis» had forgotten about "The Hub Cap Queen". Being the old car buff that he is, he's happy you reminded him of her!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gem! Though also melancholy to think of these places going into decline, time is relentless!
ReplyDeleteI love that first shot - great sign!
ReplyDeleteBefore she was hubcap Sally, she got her start as the Uniroyal gal.
ReplyDeleteThat would definitely make sense PA!!!
Deleteflotte i scene satt !
ReplyDeleteTakk Dirk!!!
DeleteAnd Buddy? (I admit, I watched the vid and liked it.)
ReplyDeleteMelancholy, but a fascinating story...
ReplyDeleteLove the video - what a dog that buddy was and what a lady was Lucy!
ReplyDeleteAnd Kelly barely sits on command...
ReplyDeleteWell, obviously hubcaps are more useful than teacups!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful find. Too bad there was no sign of life in Pearsonville the last time you were there. The Peasons look like interesting folks.
ReplyDeleteYou know I love this kind of quirky place. Too bad it's gone before I got to see it.
ReplyDelete