Tucumcari

Kobel's Place was a well-known fuel stop along the old "Mother Road. Located in Foss, Oklahoma, it now stands rotting away.

During the Golden Age of Route 66, McLean, Texas boasted 16 service stations, six motels and numerous cafes.

McLean, Texas is one of the few real time capsules of the Mother Road, where one is transported back in time for a true Route 66 experience.

In 1912, Alfred Rowe, the town's founder, left McLean to visit his native England. Tragically, he would never see McLean again, upon his return to the United States, he met his death on the Titanic, when the ship sank in the Atalntic in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912.

The Avalon Theater in McLean, built in the 1930s, has a beautiful Art Deco facade that the Old Route 66 Association of Texas has restored.

Cadillac Ranch, Soncy, Texas, built in 1974 by Stanley March III, 10 Cadillacs buried nose down in concrete, at the angle of the great pyramids, one of each of the models from 1948 to 1964.

The leaning water tower of Groom, Texas, designed so to attract visitors - and still successful at it!

1023 East Route 66 Boulevard, Tucumcari, New Mexico. The new owners David and Amanda Brenner renamed the former Royal Inn Motel in The Roadrunner Lodge - a lovely place to stay.

The Teepee Curios was built in the early 1940's and is a curiously excentric souvenir shop with a great history and beautiful neon.

The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico is a 12-unit L-shaped motel listed on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico.

Clyde the camel sits atop the main sign, paying tribute to Edward Fitzgerald Beale's Camel Expedition, which once traveled through the surrounding areas, around 1857.

If you want to step back in time, the Blue Swallow Motel will take you there. 

The swallow, as well as bluebirds and sparrows, has always had a symbolic meaning for sailors these birds were usually the first sign that land was near. And, a swallow tattoo reflected a sailors hope of coming home safely.

The Tee Pee Curios was built in 1944 as a Gulf gas station, grocery and souvenir shop. When Route 66 was widened in 1959, the teepee entrance was added and the pumps removed. The neon sign arrived during the 1960s.

Roadrunner Lodge was originally two different properties. The older portion on the west side was known as La Plaza Court built in the late 30s or early 40s. 

Agnes Leatherwood opened Leatherwood Manor on the east side in 1964, locals tell they used to swim in the pool as kids and Mrs. Leatherwood had a reputation for holding some fun parties for her local friends.

The Historic Pow Wow Restaurant and Lizard Lounge is a Route 66 favorite for food and drinks. 

Great murals on every wall of the Pow Wow Restaurant- I felt watched all the time ;-)

The Palomino Motel opened in 1953, the sign that is here now is probably from the late 1950 or 1960s. The smaller original sign is on display at Neonopolis in Las Vegas.

They advertised "Why pay more? Please inspect our rooms. You will stay." The 30-unit Palomino Motel is still in business today at 1215 E Highway 66, Tucumcari.

The Apache Motel opened in 1964, in 2009 new owners refurbished the motel and restored the sign and painted it withe.

The Apache Motel, a closed and declining motel was purchased in 2006 by an Oklahoma group and should be rehabbed.

All-Rite Towing provides fast and affordable car and heavy truck towing in New Mexcio. Linda, the owner is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum and is a previous winner of the Geico Direct Woman of the Year in Towing Award.

With its pink stucco walls decorated with shell designs and a stepped parapet, the façade of the Blue Swallow Motel reflects a modest use of the Southwest Vernacular style of architecture.

The garage units of the Blue Swallow Motel, some with original wood overhead doors, are located between the units.

Fillmore, a 1960 model Volkswagen Bus is a character from Cars and Cars II. 

Lets walk the road - mural at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM. 

66 Eyes on Route 66 - the mural, over 50 feet long and 20 feet high features 32 boxes, each with a pair of eyes. The people featured are actual people from the area who donated money to charity to have their eyes displayed in the mural.

"Daylight Train" mural on Everyone's Fed. Credit Union building, 505 E Route 66, Tucumcari. On the West side of block wall the mural "Waterfall" can be seen.

Drop on by and grab a bite at Joe's  Back N The Days in Tucumcari, NM.

Rubee's Diner at 714 W Old Rte 66 Blvd in Tucumcari - best breakfast burritos in town. 

This building, which now houses Four Season Pest Control, has been repainted to resemble an old-time Magnolia Station (Tucumcari, NM).

The old Ranch House Cafe in Tucumcari was opened in 1953 by Pearl and Dugan Barnett. Their slogan of "Good Food Always-Always Good Food" was not enough to keep the cafe open on.

Dad's Root Beer is an American root beer created in Chicago in 1937 by Ely Klapman and Barney Berns, in the basement of Klapman's home. 

Put a Tiger in your Tank, mural on historic gas station in Tucumcari, NM.

Great place to stay in Tucumcari, NM.

No more swimming at the Pow Wow Inn in Tucumcari, NM.

Native guard at the lobby of the Pow Wow Inn, Tucumcari, NM.

The Lizard Lounge is also home to Tucumcari's favorite local band "Double Shot".

Most murals by local artist Dough & Sharon Quarles.

There are many songs that mention "Tucumcari" in the title, from big band, weird folk, Tex-Mex, honky-tonk country and classic pop. "Tucumcari tonight" is one by the Colin Sphincter Band.

Do not - stay a while in Tucumcari and step back in time.

La Cita Mexican Foods was opened in the 1940, the new building with sombrero-shaped entrance in  1961 and  is a well known Route 66 site.

The "Dodge and Cowboy" mural, 221 E Route 66, is the first Tucumcari mural copleted by Doug and Sharon Quarles.

Mural on South exterior Wall an 211 S. 1st Street, Tucumcari Lumber Co - one more can be found inside the Men's Restroom.

"Ranch Scene" and "Conchas Dam and Lake", 214 S 2nd St, Tucumcari.

Wall of Danford Dan's Music Shop in Tucumcari, NM.

On Main Street Historic Downtown Tucumcari, NM.

Most of Tucumcari's oldest buildings lie along or near Main Street in the Historic Downtown area. The Princess Theater was built in the 1930s, Art Deco makeover sometime during the early 1950s. Today it is fire damaged and vacant.

"The Magazine Women believe in", let's have a look at the November 1960 issue...

Attacked by bugs ...

In 1901 the Chicago "Rock Island and Pacific Raildraod" built a construction camp in the western portion of modern-day Quay County. Originally called Ragtown, the camp became know as Six Shooter Siding, due to numerous gunfights. After it grew into a permanent settlement, it was renamed Tucumcari in 1908.

For many years, Tucumcari has been a popular stop for cross-country travelers on Interstate 40, formerly U.S. Route 66.

Old U.S. Route 66 runs through the heart of Tucumcari via Route 66 Boulevard, which was previously known as Tucumcari Boulevard from 1970 to 2003 and as Gaynell Avenu before that time.

Billboards reading "Tucumcari Tonight" placed along I-40 for many miles to the east and west invite motorists to stay the night in one of Tucucari's "2000", later changed to "1200" motel rooms. 

Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants and motels were constructed in the 1930s to 1950s, to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road.

Boulevard Cleaners and Laundromat, 405 E Tucumcari Blvd, NM.

Since 1950 the Paradise Motel is located near the city limits of Tucumcari. Back in the day, the swimmer on the sign would have been animated to appear to be diving into the water, which would have also been animated to look like splash. 

The Shell Truck Plaza and Restaurant on old Route 66, alas, was closed for good.