Shamrock

History: Founded in 1890 and named for its Irish heritage, Shamrock thrived as a ranching and oil town before Route 66 brought travelers right through its heart. Neon lights, friendly locals, and iconic roadside stops made it one of the Panhandle’s busiest pit stops on the Mother Road.
Fun Fact: Shamrock’s neon-lit U-Drop Inn & Tower Conoco Station inspired Ramone’s Body Shop in Pixar’s Cars — keeping its art deco charm alive for a whole new generation.
Highlights:

• U-Drop Inn & Tower Conoco Station — 1936 art deco landmark with a restored visitor center and operational diner — a must-stop for photos and a bite to eat.

• Magnolia Gas Station — Restored 1920s filling station and classic roadside landmark.

• Pioneer West Museum — Stories of pioneers, ranchers, oil boom days, and local Route 66 history inside the old Reynolds Hotel.

• Tallest Water Tower in Texas — Still standing proud on Historic Main Street — a perfect photo backdrop.

• Blarney Stone Park — Shamrock’s own piece of Ireland, just off Route 66 along Historic Main Street — a unique spot to kiss the stone for good luck.

• Historic Main Street — Stroll Shamrock’s original downtown lined with vintage storefronts, local shops, and small-town charm.

Lela

History: Once a small railroad shipping town, Lela faded when the highway realigned but still holds hidden pieces of early 66.
Fun Fact: Lela was so busy it once had two hotels and its own depot.
Highlights:

• Lela Schoolhouse Ruins — Remains of a once-busy community.

• Original Route 66 Alignment — Trace pieces of the early roadbed.

McLean

History: Nicknamed the “Heart of Old Route 66,” McLean thrived on railroad trade and became a favorite stop for early highway travelers. During World War II, it was home to a prisoner-of-war camp for captured German soldiers. It was the last town on Texas Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1984. This community has deep agricultural roots and a big love for country music and dancing!
Fun Fact: McLean once had more gas stations per person than any other town in Texas — and it was founded by Alfred Rowe, a British rancher who tragically died on the Titanic in 1912.
Highlights:

• Devil’s Rope & Texas Route 66 Museum — The world’s largest barbed wire collection plus a special section for the Old Route 66 Association of Texas.

• Restored 1928 Phillips 66 Station — The first Phillips 66 station approved and built in Texas, beautifully restored.

• McLean & Alanreed Area Historical Museum — Local pioneer life, railroad stories, and a tribute to Alfred Rowe.

• Historic Main Street — Take a stroll down McLean’s vintage downtown with classic storefronts and small-town charm.

• McLean Dance Hall — Home to the largest hardwood dance floor in the Texas Panhandle — a legendary spot for country dances and community gatherings.

• Cactus Inn Motel — A classic Route 66 motor court still welcoming travelers today.

• POW Camp Historical Marker — A roadside marker telling the story of McLean’s WWII prisoner-of-war camp.

Alanreed

History: A ranching hub turned early pit stop, Alanreed thrived thanks to the oil boom and passing motorists.
Fun Fact: Alanreed’s cemetery is one of the oldest continually used in the Texas Panhandle.
Highlights:

• 66 Super Service Station — Vintage gas station at Main & Third.

• Alanreed Cemetery — Quiet place with pioneer headstones.

Jericho

History: Founded in 1902 as a ranching community, Jericho became famous for its muddy stretch of Route 66 known as the Jericho Gap — notorious for trapping early travelers in sticky clay. Today, the site is still visitable thanks to Blair and Blanca Schaffer of Amarillo, who unexpectedly purchased the old town site as farmland and now work tirelessly to preserve its history and restore its remaining ruins.
Fun Fact: Local farmers once earned extra cash pulling stranded cars out of the mud!
Highlights:

• Jericho Ghost Town Ruins — Explore old foundations, relics, and hints of a once-busy stop.

• Jericho Gap Dirt Alignment — A rough but real glimpse of the old Mother Road, still visible for adventurous travelers.

Groom

History: Groom began as a ranching and railroad town in the early 1900s and became a familiar landmark for Route 66 travelers crossing the open Panhandle plains. Its quirky leaning water tower and giant roadside cross have turned this quiet stop into one of Texas 66’s best photo ops.
Fun Fact: The famous Leaning Water Tower was tilted on purpose by a local business owner to grab the attention of travelers and pull them off the highway!
Highlights:

• Cross of our lord — Standing 190 feet tall, this cross was once the tallest in the Western Hemisphere and includes a peaceful prayer walk and visitor center.

• Leaning Water Tower — An off-kilter icon and classic Route 66 roadside photo stop.

Conway

History: Conway was once a busy shipping hub for cattle and grain but is now a quiet ghost of its old self on the open plains.
Fun Fact: Conway’s stretch of Route 66 still has glimpses of original roadbeds and the old grain elevator towering above the plains.
Highlights:

• Vintage Gas Station Ruins — Photo-ready reminder of classic 66 stops.

• Historic Grain Elevator — A landmark of Panhandle farming history.

Amarillo

History: Amarillo is the largest city on Texas Route 66, known for big roadside attractions, neon diners, and modern twists on classic Mother Road fun.
Fun Fact: Amarillo means yellow in Spanish — named by early settlers for the wildflowers, prairie grasses, and golden open skies that define the Texas Panhandle.
Highlights:

• Cadillac Ranch — Half-buried Cadillacs open for visitors to spray paint.

• Bug Ranch — Serveral VW Beetles and Limos buried nose-down, now next to the Big Texan RV Ranch & Starlight Ranch.

• Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery — Legendary home of the 72-ounce steak challenge — plus local craft brews.

• HistoricRoute 66 District on 6th Ave — An original one-mile stretch packed with Mom and Pop owned shops, restaurants, bars, art galleries, and antique malls — a must for any Amarillo visitor.

• Texas Route 66 Visitor Center — Stop in for maps, souvenirs, stories, and insider tips to plan your Texas 66 adventure.

• Amarillo Boulevard — The original Route 66 alignment through town — once the heartbeat of Amarillo’s roadside motels, diners, and classic town life.

• Downtown Polk Street — Nicknamed Center City, Amarillo’s downtown nightlife hub is lined with neon facades, lively bars, restaurants, and live music venues — perfect for soaking in the city’s energy after dark.

Bushland

History: A tiny grain elevator stop turned ranching community, Bushland is a quick glimpse of the open Plains.
Fun Fact: The town was founded by a Chicago cattleman W. Bush.
Highlights:

• Bushland Grain Elevator — Landmark for travelers passing through.

Wildorado

History: Built on the Rock Island Railroad line in 1900, Wildorado served ranchers and steam trains crossing the Plains.
Fun Fact: Wildorado is sometimes called the “Gateway to the High Plains.”
Highlights:

• Historic Grain Elevator — One of few structures still in use.

• Original Town Site — Quiet reminder of the town’s ranching roots.

Vega

History: Vega, the county seat of Oldham County, grew up on ranching, the railroad, and Route 66 travelers stopping for gas, pie, and a warm Panhandle welcome.
Fun Fact: “Vega” means meadow in Spanish — a perfect fit for this green patch in the wide-open Plains.
Highlights:

• Dot’s Mini Museum — Packed with quirky Route 66 relics and roadside oddities.

• Milburn-Price Culture Museum — Family-friendly stop for local history, cowboy culture, and town mural tours.

• Restored Magnolia Service Station — A classic photo stop that captures the Texas 66 spirit.

• Historic Town Square & Oldham County Courthouse — Explore Vega’s charming courthouse square, the heart of the community since 1915.

Adrian

History: Adrian proudly marks the exact midpoint of Route 66 — 1,139 miles from Chicago and 1,139 miles to Los Angeles!
Fun Fact: The Midpoint Cafe is said to have inspired Flo’s V8 Cafe in Pixar’s Cars.
Highlights:

• Midpoint Cafe & Gift Shop — Famous homemade pie, diner charm, tasty food, and souvenirs from the middle of the Mother Road.

• Route 66 Midpoint Sign — Snap the must-have halfway point photo.

• Bent Door Café & Service Station — Historic café and gas station with a unique bent door salvaged from a WWII air traffic control tower. Though it’s closed today, it’s always worth a stop to grab a fun photo of this classic Route 66 relic.
  

Gruhlkey

History: A ghost town with an old homestead and the dramatic Caprock Escarpment nearby.
Fun Fact: Gruhlkey marks where the Plains suddenly drop — the “edge of the High Plains.”
Highlights:

• Old Homestead Ruins — A glimpse at early Panhandle ranch life.

• Caprock Cut — Scenic drop-off where the West truly begins.

Glenrio

History: One foot in Texas, one in New Mexico — Glenrio once bustled with motels, diners, and a busy filling station straddling the state line.
Fun Fact: Texas bars were built just feet from New Mexico gas stations to dodge liquor laws.
Highlights:

• Glenrio Ghost Town — Classic ghost town with ruins & signs.

• State Line Sign — Snap a photo on two states at once!