In the early days of aviation, pilots had to rely on their instincts and the feel of the seat and controls to navigate their aircraft. This was due to the limited use of radios and instruments until the mid-1930s. As passenger and mail services began to emerge after World War I, the need for improved navigation became a priority.
In the mid-1920s, nighttime air mail deliveries began and aviation supporters worked to install large rotating light beacons to guide pilots through darkness. These navigational support devices were often installed by local chambers of commerce and private groups. In 1928, the San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce announced plans to paint a 500-foot “sky sign” on the roof of the National Orange Show building, featuring the city’s name and an arrow pointing to the nearby Tri-City airport.
To aid in navigation, town names were often placed on building rooftops and large concrete or wooden platform arrows were built in remote desert and mountain areas. In Southern California, lighting beacons were placed along specific flight routes, spaced about 25 miles apart and visible up to 75 miles. In 1927, two new beacons were installed along the route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with the aim of saving a full business day in transcontinental mail service.
In 1928, the Richfield Oil Company announced a $10 million plan to build about 30 “highway villages” with 125-foot-high beacon towers to guide aircraft and motorists. This ambitious plan, known as “The Richfield Lane of Lights,” would stretch from Palm City to the Canadian border. The beacon towers were designed to resemble oil well gusher towers and would carry 10-foot neon-lit letters spelling out “R-I-C-H-F-I-E-L-D. ” These villages also included Spanish-style gasoline stations and a semi-circular plaza with a hotel, garage, and storerooms.
The Richfield Oil Company, founded in 1911 in Los Angeles, experienced rapid growth in its early years and by 1929 had completed its headquarters building in downtown LA. The 12-story Art Deco style building featured a large beacon tower, making it the highest aviation beacon in Southern California at the time. The beacon promotion successfully drew customers to the Richfield motor villages, which were situated outside city limits and provided full-service amenities for motorists.
Some of the most well-known examples of Richfield’s beacon villages included the Beacon Tavern in Barstow, which included a 50-room hotel and was a central part of the town’s tourist industry. Other Southern California cities with Richfield Beacons included Palm City, El Centro, Dana Point, Alhambra, Beaumont, Castaic, and Santa Barbara.
As aviation technology advanced, governmental requirements took over and the need for these beacons diminished. They were eventually replaced with modern navigation systems and many of the Richfield Beacons were bypassed by major highways, leading to their closure and demolition.