"Weaving through mountains, plains, boulders, gullies, and deserts along the Sierra Nevada range, this highway spans endless vistas, surprising twists and turns, and small, quaint towns. One of the quirkiest detours is a throwback stop at Randsburg General Store, where an old-school soda fountain from 1904 still serves genuine phosphate sodas."
"Phosphates are made by combining flavored syrup and soda water with a small dose of acid phosphate, which creates a bright, tangy zip on the tongue. The mouth-puckering sensation is somewhat similar to lemons or limes, but lacking the citrus taste. They were especially popular from the early to mid-1900s when soda fountains were all the rage."
"What's now named the Randsburg General Store came to life in 1896 as a drug store, which was consumed by fire multiple times and rebuilt in 1904, the same year the showpiece soda fountain arrived from Boston. Though the pharmacy transitioned into a general store in 1949, the fountain tradition survived."
Highway 395 winds through California's Sierra Nevada range, offering scenic vistas and charming historic towns perfect for road-trippers. Randsburg, a small ghost town of about 100 residents located between Death Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, features the Randsburg General Store, originally established as a drug store in 1896. The store's iconic soda fountain, imported from Boston in 1904, continues serving phosphate sodas—old-fashioned beverages made by combining flavored syrup, soda water, and acid phosphate. These drinks create a bright, tangy sensation similar to citrus but without the actual citrus flavor. Popular during the early-to-mid-1900s soda fountain era, phosphates remain a unique nostalgic experience at this historic location.
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