One of Modesto’s most cherished landmarks is the I Street arch. Learn the history behind it

Uniquely is a Modesto Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Central Valley so special.

Standing tall at the intersection of Ninth and I streets, the Modesto Arch symbolizes the city’s rich history.

In 1911, the Modesto Business Men’s Association, the predecessor to the Modesto Chamber of Commerce , proposed constructing an electric arch downtown to “tell travelers what we have to offer,” according to a 1911 article from The Modesto Bee, then known as the Modesto News.

The association hosted a design contest won by Bernard J. Joseph, who received a $50 prize. Joseph was a San Francisco architect who later designed the Hotel Hughson in 1914.

The steel arch stands at 25 feet tall and 75 feet wide and is adorned with hundreds of lights that illuminate the arch’s phrase at night.

In the contest ad , the arch’s budget was set between $1,000 and $2,000 – equivalent to roughly $32,378 to $64,756 today.

“We purposely made this arch elaborate. We believed that Modesto should have something that any city might be proud of. Paris itself would not sneer at an arch such as this,” Joseph’s assistant Clarence Dakin said in a 1911 article . “You intend to place the word ‘wealth’ on the arch. Therefore you do not want something that looks like it cost a nickel.”

The Search for a Slogan

“Water, wealth, contentment, health” — they’re four words every Modestan knows well, yet the iconic phrase was nearly something completely different.

In 1911, the association launched a contest to find the city’s perfect slogan. Among the 199 entries, James Hanscom and others proposed phrases including “While others dream, Modesto dares,” “Modesto won’t wait,” and “Modesto. Modest — but O — watch her grow,” according to a 1991 story .

Hanscom won the $5 grand prize with his slogan “Nobody’s got Modesto’s goat.”

After weeks of public debate, the association decided against the first-place phrase and opted for its runner-up. S.R. Harbaugh’s “Water, wealth, contentment, health” won him $3 and Modesto’s heart.

Unveiling Modesto’s Landmark

The completion of the arch called for celebration, and Modesto did just that. On March 9, 1912, the city came together to unveil the arch. Thousands of bright-eyed residents turned out, excited about the start of a “new era of progress and prosperity,” according to a 1912 edition of The Modesto Bee, then called the Modesto News.

A car parade traveled through the downtown streets and ended at the arch, where the Modesto Boys’ Band, now MoBand , played. Councilman George Perley spoke before the arch was christened.

It has long been rumored that the arch was christened with a bottle of canal water.

Charline Weil, referred to as “Little Miss Charline Weil” by the Modesto News, was the daughter of the Business Men’s Association’s president, C.B. Weil. It is reported that Miss Weil stood underneath the arch while she broke the bottle of canal water on the arch’s stone pillar. “For Modesto, I christen thee prosperity,” she said as the crowd erupted.

Confetti filled the streets as the celebration ended at midnight.

Bringing the Arch Back to Life

The arch has been largely untouched throughout its lifetime. Besides its slight relocation in 1934 to widen Ninth Street, the only large upgrade made to the arch was in 2012 for its 100th anniversary.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce launched a restoration project with plans to repaint the arch to its original color, patch minor cracks, replace the flagpoles on both sides of the arch and replace the light bulbs.

By 2013, the project was completed accompanied by the installation of a monument near the arch. It’s inscribed with a brief history and a time capsule is buried nearby. The capsule is to be opened in 2062 — the arch’s 150th anniversary, according to a 2013 Modesto Bee article .

Local Landmark in the Spotlight

The arch may be a Central Valley celebrity, but it has also had its own 15 minutes of fame.

In 2017, Grammy Award-winning artist Macklemore visited Modesto to shoot the music video for his hit song “Glorious.” Macklemore’s grandmother lived in Modesto and the two are seen in numerous Modesto businesses throughout the video. The pair drive through the arch at the beginning of the video.

Courtney Love’s Rock band, Hole, used an image of the arch for its 1998 “Celebrity Skin” album art, though the name “Modesto” was edited out.

The arch’s Wikipedia page says it’s depicted in the video game “American Truck Simulator.”

Sign Up for Local Breaking News