Thanks to a Route 66er on Facebook, I stumbled onto the Blue Miller’s Never Quite Lost weblog, which takes deep historical dives into assorted landmarks on Route 66.
Never Quite Lost — subtitled “The Road Goes On Forever” — launched in November 2015. New posts arrive every few months or so, but they almost always are assiduously researched.
In fact, Miller dug up a few facts I didn’t know:
— The ruins of a stone Conoco station between Luther and Arcadia, Oklahoma, have been widely reported as the site of a 1930s counterfeiting operation in the station’s secret back room. However, Miller says no record exists of such a scheme occurring there. No evidence exists of a secret room, and a 1940 photograph of the station apparently was shot after it allegedly closed after the police supposedly raided it. Miller surmises the counterfeiting tale is a myth.
— The oft-photographed 1968 Pontiac Catalina car parked in front of a long-abandoned Texaco station in the ghost town of Glenrio, Texas, once was owned by Larry Lee Travis, a Glenrio resident murdered in 1976 while running a gas station in Adrian, Texas. Travis’ car has been parked ever since near the residence of his widow, Roxann.
— Twin Arrows in Arizona once featured two anatomically correct statues in addition to its better-known pair of giant arrows. Alas, no photographic evidence exists of the former’s nether regions.
The blog also contains posts about
- Bert’s Country Dancing honky-tonk in Valentine, Arizona;
- Hinton Junction near Bridgeport, Oklahoma;
- Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona;
- Bell’s Motel in Kingman, Arizona;
- Regal Reptile Ranch in Texas and Oklahoma;
- Fort Courage in eastern Arizona
- Meteor City Trading Post west of Winslow, Arizona
- 11th Street Bridge in Tulsa
- Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico
- Henning Motel in Newberry Springs, California
- Jack Rittenhouse, author of 1946’s “A Guide Book to Highway 66”
- Rattlesnake Trading Post in Bluewater, New Mexico; Box Canyon Trading Post near the Arizona / New Mexico line; and Cobra Gardens near Grants, New Mexico.
Other posts exist about non-Route 66 landmarks or ghost towns. But the vast majority of stories are from the Mother Road.
(Hat tip to Gar Engman; image of the old gas station between Luther and Arcadia, Oklahoma, by Marcin Wichary via Flickr)
It was perhaps 20 or 25yrs ago we stopped at the remains of this old Okla stone gas station. Gazing at your photo and remembering its condition at the time of our visit, shows how swiftly Rt 66 changes — the information alters plus the very sights themselves can seemingly disappear.
While traveling the MAIN STREET OF AMERICA, my husband only wanted to stop at formal, well preserved or still-operating-sites along the road. When I got behind-the-wheel, (because I loved it all,) we stopped and investigated everything. Our son found it all amusing – the views outside and the discussion inside our car! It was a laughter filled trip and this gas station was the ‘great lost treasure’ and is still discussed amongst us today!
THIS SITE ‘proved my theory.’
We discovered a small typed story, framed and hanging to the side of the doorway. This was ‘the Counterfit Legend.’ At that time, there was no entry into the bldg (boarded up) and (although we took no photos) it seems there was a major portion of the roof still in place. We could peek through some errant opening and view the window on the back wall. Even the driveway area – as I recall – had little to no grass compared to your current day photograph.
It is best to ALWAYS to know THE TRUTH. However, if I was giving ‘A Tour’ – I would tell BOTH versions and invite my listeners to decide which saga they wish to ponder…
That typed / framed legend concluded with a typed warning. It explained the illegal ‘money-makers’ got caught, sent to prison and that CRIME DOES NOT PAY. The lives of those seeking-ill-gotten-gains became similar to the condition of the small gas station building…
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and viewing, ” Never Quite Lost “, and wonder if it is available, anyplace, as an illustrated book, or magazine. I would like to have this in
my collection of Route 66 Memorbelia. Thank you. Bill
Thank you for such a kind comment, Bill. At the moment it’s online only – I do it for my own amusement and I’ve been overwhelmed with how many people seem to enjoy it. So maybe in the future… 🙂
I completely agree with you, Audrey – if I was doing a tour I will tell both versions because the counterfeiting story is far more exciting than the truth! As well as bricks and mortar, I’m fascinated by how these legends and stories grow up around places. It was interesting to hear how that little place has changed since you first saw it – and you’re right, Route 66 constantly changes. We can’t ever take anything for granted. 🙂