Route 66 is the historic road that runs from the West at Santa Monica, California and ends in the East at Chicago, Illinois. It was used from 1926 through 1985 until it was officially closed down. The length of the “Mother Road” is 2,448 miles. At that time in history, it connected the Midwest to the West. Of course, Arizona has a large chunk of Route 66 running through it. 

Today, we talk about a section in Texas: On one of My Route 66 adventures we stopped at McLean, Texas. It was the last town on Route 66 to be bypassed because of Interstate 40. 

In 1929 Phillips Petroleum made its first Texas gas station there in McLean. (Pictured below) 

The reason this gas station looks like a cottage is because of the Tudor Revival design, gabled roof and front chimney, making gas stations look like cottages. At the time they wanted the traveler to feel at home when they stopped for gas and refreshment. 

This gas station closed in 1977 but has been fully restored as a part of history. 

Main street in McLean, Texas still is paved with the original bricks. (Picture of old wagon and the bricks in the background) 

One of the sites to see in McLean is the Devils rope museum, it’s a museum of the history of barbed wire and fencing tools. Also, the history of how this impacted the development of the old west. In the same building is a Route 66 museum of the “Mother Road”. 

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Photo Credit Grady Butler
Photo Credit Grady Butler
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