DIXON, Calif. — Today's Why Guy question from Kenny: "Why is the Milk Farm sign still up along I-80 in Dixon?"
Good question, Kenny, let's go for a ride and find out. The iconic Milk Farm sign stands out in Dixon along the highway. The sign’s been up since 1963 when the restaurant was a major reason to pull off the highway.
It's a great sign but one problem. When you exit, there's no restaurant. Not even a food truck. Just a fenced-in giant empty lot because the restaurant has been closed since 1986 and the building has been gone since 2000. Can you imagine how many people still pull off the highway thinking there has to be a great burger here?
As far back as 1924, the Milk Farm restaurant offered great chicken dinners and pony rides for the kids. The restaurant building is amazingly still in storage in case somebody wants to restore it and there have been many proposals and ownership transfers, as recently as 2022, to bring this all back. Some things take time.
Just not this time.
In spite of much talk about the Milk Farm coming back, there’s no concrete plan.
"The Milk Farm redevelopment project has been put on hold by the developer," said Madeline Graf with the city of Dixon.
So, the sign stays up because it's iconic with the continued chance the restaurant with a travel plaza will make a comeback.
If the current owners eventually put shovel to dirt, they’d like to see the Milk Farm property become a destination of sorts, much like the Nut Tree in Vacaville and Casa de Fruta in Hollister.
Watch more on ABC10: Why do some places in California have curious names?
