382 replies to this topic

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

After living here my whole life, I find the prison to be the worst piece of property on this city. And now people want this great new bridge named after someone who wrote a song about this house of criminals, who had little to do with our city's prominence at all.

I fully agree. While I agree that most people to whom you mention "Folsom" will link the city with the song, I don't know that a) anyone chooses to move here because Johnny Cash sang a song about Folsom or b) that anyone chooses to travel to or do business in Folsom because Johnny Cash sang a song about Folsom.

To name the bridge after Cash and, consequently, go out of our way to spoon feed the image that we are all about the prison would minimize the true spirit, feel, culture and history of this great city.

[ducky]

I guess we could all try and ignore that there is a prison in town, but I'm not sure what good it would do. Folsom Prison is definitely the first thing people mention whenever I'm out of the country or out of state and say where I'm from. Whether you like country music or not, we can all thank Johnny Cash for that.

I've never once had anyone say, "Oh, yeah. That's where Intel is!"

I don't think of it as glorifying the prison population. I think of the many Folsom families over the years who worked at the prison to make sure the bad guys stayed inside, sometimes getting injured and killed in the process.

I think it's some of the only beautiful rolling hills and oaks left in Folsom and provides a safe place for the deer and wild turkeys.

And even if it's the lure of Cash Crossing that gets them here, it will be the true spirit and culture of our city that they will remember when they leave.

[Darth Lefty]

Johnny Cash's only connection to Folsom was singing at the prison... I wouldn't want the name of the bridge to be something that would bring the prison to mind. Surely there's something else about Folsom we want to honor.

No one knows of the place any other way at all except those of us who live here.

I'm still betting it gets named after an obscure local potentate.

[Darth Lefty]

Like it or not folks, Folsom Prison and Johnny Cash is what made this town. Long before Intel, we were a prison town.

So why aren't we calling it the Intel Bridge?

[mando]

I think everyone is missing the tourism that the bridge could attract... next to the bridge, you could put a statue of Johnny Cash, sitting on his stool, playing facing the prison. (Tell me people wouldn't pull over to get their picture taken in front of that!)

Like it or not folks, Folsom Prison and Johnny Cash is what made this town. Long before Intel, we were a prison town.

Good point. I once went out of my way to visit Winslow Arizona - not too far off Meteor Crater - just because of the Eagles' song. There's a park there (Standin on the Corner) dedicated to the song (Take It Easy).

[Darth Lefty]

How far out of your way was it? Because I-40 was paved right through the middle of it.

I miss that country sometimes, my folks had a bit of land between there and Camp Verde that they never built a cabin on...

[momodillie]

OHHHH, the "New" Bridge has a name??? Who knew? I always called it the New Bridge. I can't wait for the Dam Bridge to open though so I can get to Granite Bay and Roseville 13 minutes faster!

[cw68]

Good point. I once went out of my way to visit Winslow Arizona - not too far off Meteor Crater - just because of the Eagles' song. There's a park there (Standin on the Corner) dedicated to the song (Take It Easy).

My friend and I passed through Malaga, Spain and stayed at the "Hotel California" just so we could say we checked in AND we could leave. It wasn't anything different than any hotel avialbe at that time, but a stupid song decided the difference where there was none.

[old soldier]

this is just another old soldier theory, but the more yuppy folks are (BMW, Mercedes, kids drive expensive car, dress to the nines for 7 year old soccer game) the less they would go for naming the bridge for a country western hero.

these folks, if its named after Cash will never have their picture taken next to his statue. I am thinking about an overlook with a big bench and a statue of Cash sitting on the bench with his old guitar, so folks from far and wide could have a photo op. Shucks we could have a Johnny Cash country BBQ on one side of the bridge with a souviner shop selling his music and bobble head dolls.

a hotel could have a Johnny Cash suite for folks to reserve.. the opportunities are endless if fiesty kerry and her council folks do the right thing.

[Andrea V]

this is just another old soldier theory, but the more yuppy folks are (BMW, Mercedes, kids drive expensive car, dress to the nines for 7 year old soccer game) the less they would go for naming the bridge for a country western hero.

these folks, if its named after Cash will never have their picture taken next to his statue. I am thinking about an overlook with a big bench and a statue of Cash sitting on the bench with his old guitar, so folks from far and wide could have a photo op. Shucks we could have a Johnny Cash country BBQ on one side of the bridge with a souviner shop selling his music and bobble head dolls.

a hotel could have a Johnny Cash suite for folks to reserve.. the opportunities are endless if fiesty kerry and her council folks do the right thing.

now you are thinking!

[Dave Burrell]

Good point. I once went out of my way to visit Winslow Arizona - not too far off Meteor Crater - just because of the Eagles' song. There's a park there (Standin on the Corner) dedicated to the song (Take It Easy).

Me too!

[Darthvader]

Me too!

Did you go and see the world's biggest ball of mud too while you were out Clark?

Btw, the idea that any tourist dollars would come here because of the name of a bridge is crazy talk. How many fans does the guy still have? Places like SF and Tahoe get tourists, not towns of stripmalls and a lake that is 1/2 empty by July 1.

[MikeinFolsom]

Great! Just Great! Now the city can divert funds to maintain the "statue of the man that built Folsom". And every year we can cut public funds so that the statue can be sandblasted and re-finished. You are correct though.....I would spend big monies going to some obscure overlook that faces a rather small dam just to get my picture taken with a statue that holds a guitar in its hands. Heck, why didn't Folsom think of that earlier? We could have used the revenue to pay for all of the public employee's benefits. Dang.

[john]

DV, I think you grossly underestimate Cash's following. There are dozens of tribute bands around the country... They made a movie about him for crying out loud!

[Darthvader]

DV, I think you grossly underestimate Cash's following. There are dozens of tribute bands around the country... They made a movie about him for crying out loud!

They make lots of movies, it doesn't prove to me that it will draw people here to see a bridge or justify naming it after him. They made a lot of movies about Hitler too.