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At Lakewood Boulevard and Florence Avenue in Downey, California, this preserved drive-up hamburger stand opened on August 18, 1953, as the third McDonald's in operation and the second franchised directly by Richard and Maurice McDonald before Ray Kroc's involvement. It remains significant for retaining the early standardized Golden Arches design by Stanley Clark Meston, a rare survival of the chain's first architectural identity. Because it stayed outside later corporate modernization rules, it remained independently operated until McDonald's Corporation acquired it in 1990. After earthquake damage and a threatened demolition, preservation efforts led to its restoration and reopening with an adjacent museum and gift shop.
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Downey, California · United States
