Don Birrell hired as Design Director, and his ideas would shape the look of Nut Tree from then on.
1955
1958 Nut Tree Airport opens.
Retail store opened.
1959
1961
Nut Tree Airport recorded 25k fly-in passengers.
Grand opening of the Nut Tree Plaza.
1962
1964 Richard Nixon visits during campaign stop.
The 72 foot high Nut Tree Tower sign is installed. Each of the 6 panels was hand crafted and weighed 12 tons.
1965
Coffee Tree opened to accommodate customers looking for a faster meal off the newly built I-80.
Nut Tree made quite an impression. For almost 75 years it stood as a vibrant stop along highway 40. The Nut Tree showcased the fresh flavors of California’s harvests, the energy of California’s people, and the diversity of California’s experiences. It was fun, it was food, it was shopping, it was private aviation, it was entertainment. In the words of Alan Temco of the San Fransisco Chronicle it was, “An oasis of good taste.” Harbison House is the family home around which Nut Tree grew. Luther and Hester Harbison built the home in 1907. Their youngest daughter Helen Harbison, marries Bunny Power on the porch in 1921, and opened the fruit stand they named Nut Tree in the same year. Harbison House stands today as the last architectural element of the former Nut Tree. After 75 years in business, the original Nut Tree closed it’s doors in 1996. in 2006, the Nut Tree re-opened under new management with a bold new look, a unique mix of popular retail stores, restaurants and services, as well as beloved and newly renovated Nut Tree Plaza, featuring the Nut Tree Train, carousel, and other elements of the original Nut Tree. Today a visit to the Nut Tree is sure to be an enjoyable and memorable experience for the whole family.