The Continental Bus System used this color film to entice viewers to use their bus line to visit the Western United States in the 1950s. The film opens with a map of the United States and the explanation that from the Midwest, East, or South, Continental Bus Service provides routes to Albuquerque — “gateway to the Southwest” — and on to El Dorado. Beginning at mark 00:45 we’re taken to Albuquerque as the cameraman drives along the street showing us locations such as the Franciscan Hotel and New Mexico University and residents as we learn a bit of its history. We drive along the infamous US Route 66 (mark 01:50) into the Painted Desert and into Arizona and Oak Creek Canyon (mark 02:35) toward the Golden State. Entering California at mark 03:17 we visit Mission Inn in Riverside and onto Los Angeles (mark 04:30) where we’re shown City Hall, Pershing Square, and the Old Mission Church. On to Hollywood there’s the famed Brown Derby restaurant (mark 06:15) and Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and UCLA. Following obligatory views of the beach and Pacific Ocean the film heads to Catalina Island (mark 10:30) and Laguna Beach as we’re shown the home of actress Bette Davis and later one of the missions founded by Father Junipero Serra in San Diego. Into the San Joaquin Valley goes the film by mar 17:15 as the camera catches vineyards and other scenic views including Tagus Ranch and Giant Sequoias (mark 18:15) in Yosemite National Park as well as Yosemite Falls. We see San Francisco (mark 22:15) and Union Square and catch a glimpse of a night time parade (mark 24:45) with a Chinese dragon before finally seeing Golden Gate Bridge (27:12) and cable cars.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com