A few days ago, Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., wondered what happened to a Texas-shaped monument that greeted Route 66 travelers in the border town of Texola, Okla.
Mayberry and his wife had their picture taken at the monument in 1955. On a Route 66 trip a few weeks ago, Mayberry tried to find the monument again in Texola, to no avail.
The folks at the Texas Old Route 66 Association didn’t know what happened to the monument. So, like the art deco monument that also once stood at Texola, its fate looked to stay shrouded in mystery.
However, an e-mail to the Texas Department of Transportation bore fruit. Barbara Seal, the agency’s public information officer, wrote today:
This monument is prominently displayed at the newly restored U-Drop Inn in the City of Shamrock on a portion of Old Route 66. It is located on the west side of the building; in fact, I drove through Shamrock yesterday and saw it there.
Sure enough, you can see the monument in the lower left of this photo, between the antique gas pumps. The original stone base is gone, but the Texas-shaped stone remains intact.
Because the U-Drop Inn is so striking and photogenic, folks tend to overlook the Lone Star stone nearby. Seal offered no explanation of when or why it was moved.
So Mr. Mayberry can still visit the monument on Route 66, albeit 15 miles to the west.
UPDATE: An important update to the story can be found here.
Nice detective work! What a treasure to still be in existence. If it was at the u-drop in in 2007, i missed it. Mr Mayberry let me know when you will be by there again. I’d be happy to photograph you with the monument, if I’m available to make it there.
David Schwartz
Pics On Route 66
Ditto – nice detective work, maybe the art deco sign will be found too, and maybe the U Drop Inn can put some sort of new informational plaque near it with it’s history now intact? Mr. Mayberry, you’ve put enough work in, I think you should get that photo on it and have it posted right here!
Hi Mr Schwartz, sorry to inform you but that Texas Marker is not the right one.
We stoped at the U-Drop Inn in May 17, 2010 to take pictures of that marker. I have pictures and would be glad to e-mail them to you,If you send me your e-mail address. Thanks again and please keep looking, maybe we will find it someday. Corkey Mayberry. 3-11-2011
Corkey, I submit that the original marker was likely destroyed in an auto accident and replaced with a new marker — hence, the minor differences between the original and the current one.
Did you see the signs that where on Hwy 37 and the is Hwy 259; this was in McCurtain county near red river? This was in messages I researched. I am too looking for that sign – I have a picture that was taken on it in 1966.
That information helped me find the monument that my family took a picture in front of about 1955 on the way to California. I was able to find it and take a picture in front of it 58 years later. Thank you so much!
I found the marker at the U-drop Inn. It’s appears to be the same one, of course the original base was removed and cleaned up. It took awhile but I finally found a local who knew the history of the marker. The owner of the Inn bought or otherwise acquired the marker when he found out it was being removed and had it placed at the Inn. When he died he left the inn to the city. A senior center and a small chamber of commerce now occupy the building. The lady at the chamber didn’t even know the marker was there. But if you walk around the outside of the building it’s there.