Does the building in the above photo look somewhat
familiar? If you’ve seen a certain Disney/Pixar movie, you might be
experiencing a bit of Déjà vu. It was built in 1936, when art-deco was still at
the height of fashion. And it was once one of many places on the Mother Road
where travelers could get fuel for their cars and tummies. (Airstream was
founded the same year, and a struggling pharmacy, Wall Drug in South Dakota,
started transforming into a tourist destination.)
Ah, the Mother Road, otherwise known as Route 66. It’s on
the bucket list of many travelers who love the romance of the open road. RVers
are no exception, and for those interested in making the trip, there are plenty
of books and other info designed to help find its remnants from Chicago to the
West Coast. We want to make the trip ourselves, and with a family event
occurring in Ohio next year, we certainly have a good excuse to explore a lot
of it on our way there.
Shamrock is in the Texas Panhandle, not too far from the Oklahoma
border. It’s on Hwy 83, just south of I-40. The first time we passed thru was
in 2007. Just like Radiator Springs, it was a town time seemed to be leaving
behind. When we first saw the Conoco station, it may have been around the time
Shamrock began the process of restoring and turning it into a visitor’s center.
We remember the building looking a bit sad. It was a Sunday, and there was no
activity around the concrete/tile relic. We had no idea anything was being done
with it. Imagine our surprise to pass thru this year and discover that the
downtown businesses located on Hwy 83 appeared busier. Some have interesting
vintage signs which have been restored. Kristal would love to photograph those,
but stopping there with the trailer in tow wasn’t such a good idea. Instead, we
saved our photo ops for the Conoco station, which is further north and faces E.
12th St (Route 66). If you’re northbound on Hwy 83 (Main St.), it’s
to the right. (To the left if coming from the interstate.) Just like downtown,
we were delighted to find the building basking in its former glory and open to
visitors. It also amused us to see the Tesla charging stations on the east side
of the building, a nod to its service station past with a 21st
century twist.
Taking photos of the building, inside and out, is allowed.
They also offer free coffee in the café, U Drop In. The gift shop is
well-stocked with Route 66 souvenirs. We picked up t-shirts and a snow globe
for our younger daughter and her room-mate.
Kristal got the community cookbook for herself. She’s a bit
of a collector and often finds them an entertaining read. It was “road tested”
too. There are a few cobbler recipes very similar to what she’s seen on TV,
when The Salt Lick BBQ joint has been featured. We enjoyed blueberry peach
cobbler while staying at San Angelo State Park in Oct.
Some of the small towns north of Amarillo, along with Shamrock,
will most likely be the starting point of our Route 66 trip. There are other interesting
bits of history, some of it older than the Mother Road, we haven’t seen yet. When
we travel in and out of Texas, it’s often an excuse to see more of our home
state, too. Can’t think of a better reason to mosey thru the Hill Country or
visit Palo Duro Canyon State Park while on our way there.
Want to learn more about Shamrock and Route 66? Start here:
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/tower_station_u-drop-inn_cafe_shamrock.html
https://roadtripusa.com/ (Good
resource for other themed road trips, too.)
