In Fairfield, the future of one of its most iconic fixtures downtown took a big step forward on Monday morning.
After months of fundraising in a project spearheaded by the Fairfield Lions Club in collaboration with the city, the arch that has hung over Texas Street for more than a century started coming down piece by piece.
It is part of a renovation project hoping to restore the arch to its former glory with a modern makeover as they work to give this piece of the past some new life.
"When you see it, it's that big of an icon that you know, 'Hey, that's, that's Fairfield!' " said Sandra Whaley, incoming president of the Fairfield Lions Club.
A drive through downtown Fairfield will take you right underneath the iconic arch, welcoming you to the seat of Solano County. "It's restoring it to new glory, but keeping and honoring the history of it," Whaley said of the project. For the Fairfield Lions Club, fundraising for and installing the sign 100 years ago was one of the club's very first projects after its founding in 1924. Aesthetics aside, it served an important purpose at the time before modern technology took over. "There's a red light above there. So it's also used to be our 911 system when that red light was lit that was for the fire department and police to respond," said Nancy Meadows, past Lions Club president and member for nearly 40 years. At the time, it cost $1,000 to build.
City of FairfieldAfter a century, this token of Fairfield is in need of a tune-up. "Being neon, it's a little outdated. So we've been asked to partner with the city of Fairfield and restore that to its natural beauty, but using modern technology," said Meadows. They are going to install LED lights, add new paint and rewire it to have a modern power supply and updated electrical components.
The sign itself will look the same, a nod to the nostalgia it's brought for neighbors and passers-through for a century.
"We would like to keep it the same. We're not changing the look. It's still going to have the old feel of it and just get a little facelift," said Meadows. A century ago the historic Highway 40 route ran right through Fairfield. At the time, it was the main connector from San Francisco to the East Coast before Interstate 80 was built. While not as heavily traveled today, those who spot the sign on a downtown stroll are glad it is here to stay. "I've lived here since 1970," one woman told us downtown. "It needs to be here." It is thanks to the community donating money to restore the arch that it happened. Jelly Belly, matching all donations for two weeks in April, helped the Fairfield Lions Club meet the goal needed to kick off the restoration project Monday morning. "We will unveil it on our Fourth of July, America 250 parade that the city is doing. So, we're excited about that," said Meadows. It's been a Fairfield fixture for one hundred years, and hopefully will be for one hundred more. The Lions Club is still seeking donations and corporate sponsors to support the project. Visit the city's website for more information on how to get involved.
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