FORGOTTEN AMERICA: ROUTE 66 SHAMROCK TO AMARILLO
I was
particularly intrigued by Shamrock for one peculiar reason. I knew so little
about Irish diaspora west of the Mississippi. I grew up in the historic
stronghold of Irish immigration and since childhood was immersed in its
heritage, a legacy that can be felt from Maine to Maryland. So intricately tied
to the northeast have I come to see the influence of the Irish in the United
States that I never conceptualized it further west. “Boston Irish” is a term
that carries socio-historic implications as well as a prototype in the cultural
zeitgeist. But what does it mean to be Irish in another state, far away?
Shamrock
was the place to find out, a city that greets visitors with a stone plaque that
could have been interchangeable with any in Southie depicting a leprechaun
stating “Top O’ the Mornin’ to Ya!”. Even more incongruous with a city in the
Southwest is the piece of the Blarney Stone that was shipped from the Emerald
Isle in 1959 and has sat in the center of town since beside a mural recounting
the legend of St. Patrick.
Despite
the seeming misplacement of these tourist points, however, Shamrock is a city
with deep Irish roots in its history. George Nickel, who came to Texas from
Missouri in the late 19th-century, built the local post-office in
the growing city, christening it ‘Shamrock’ as a tribute to his Irish ancestry.
To this day, St. Patrick’s Day is still celebrated with much flare in the city
and Irish Craftfest brings the community together every October.
But the
big draw in Shamrock for me was the iconic U-Drop Inn café. Built in 1936, on
the tenth anniversary of Route 66, U-Drop Inn became a classic example of the
early 20th-century’s love for art deco design and road diner
culture.
Despite
its recognizable towering tulips and unusual design, U-Drop Inn fared but
little better than most businesses with the decline of Route 66, struggling
through a variety of corporate owners throughout the later half of the century
before closing in 1997. But, the citizens of Shamrock were not going to see
such an icon go down without a fight and before the year was over the building
was added to the National Registry of Historic Places and before the century
was over the First National Bank of Shamrock purchased the building and gifted
the once vibrant diner and gas station to the city, which has taken admirable
pains to restore it to its former glory with a new diner and mini museum and
gift shop.
When I
arrived I was told that the diner was closed due to a medical emergency with
the newest owners, but coffee and rolls were available which, honestly,
sufficed for me and I was glad to support this landmark in some way. The staff
was wonderful showing me the seat where Elvis sat when he passed through
Shamrock. To prevent damage the seat is roped off but fully visible to
visitors. The mini museum and store offered souvenirs and a lot of
old-fashioned candy which were staples of gas station pickups in the early days
of highway travel.
After
departing U-Drop Inn I made my way into Gray County and through the town of
McLean, a typical small town with many ghostly markers from Route 66’s lively
past, like a Phillips 66 gas station that has stood frozen in time with the
still-standing pumps not having filled up a car in decades and the giant size
cactus-shaped sign of the Cactus Inn Motel. Thanks to Billy Connolly’s journey
through Route 66 I became aware of the Devil’s Rope Barbed Wire Museum in
McLean, an attraction that would only make sense in Route 66. I was,
admittedly, mildly intrigued after Connolly’s televised visit but I had to make
haste as I had to arrive in Amarillo before the end of the day.
Phillips 66 Gas Station in McLean, Texas
Alanreed,
an unincorporated community with a population of just over twenty people, is
even more of a ghost town. It is, however, worth visiting for the restored 66
Super Service Station. Though it hasn’t been used for nearly half a century,
the small single-pump station, tucked away upon a lonely pathway looks unaware
of the passage of time. Restored with a paint-job and integrity to the
structure, the little station was another salvaged relic that, if visited at
the right time, provides something of a meditative stop for motorists to
reflect on the importance of preserving our heritage and the wonders that
dedicated restoration can do.
When I
arrived in Groom I found a much larger town with a population of over 500.
Nonetheless, no one would mistake Groom as anything other than an agricultural
city with its flowing wheat fields and granaries. Groom, however, has become a
popular stop with Route 66 enthusiasts thanks to the Leaning Tower of Britten a
once-functioning watering tower which saved from demolition by local
businessman Ralph Britten purchased it in the 80s and turned it into a local
landmark. Leaning on a ten degree angle, the tower is one of the many fortunate
oddities that have given the Mother Road her eccentric charm.
By the
time I arrived in Amarillo I was happy to be in a city once more. Solitude is
for me one of the draws of the open road, providing me with an escapism I can
only find in the forgotten highways of America, the abandoned barns and diners
of the roadway, with
their fading paint and ghostly signage, whispering stories of the once vibrant
communities they served. But after a day driving through the desolate lanes of
the past solitude began evolving into loneliness and the comforts and even the
noises of a city proved welcoming.
Of
course, this wasn’t the only reason I was happy to arrive in Amarillo. Here I
was to find one of the most anticipated points of my journey, one I had looked
forward to ever since I watched Billy Connolly’s trip over a decade ago.
Cadillac
Ranch, though opened in 1974 after its heyday, is classic Route 66 and a
masterpiece of American popular art. Created by three innovative designers
(Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels), the ranch consists of ten
scrapped Cadillacs, the models ranging from 1949 to 1963, buried nose-down in
the sand in the style of the Pyramids. Spray painting the cars has become a
rite of passage for locals and lovers of the road. Cadillac Ranch is free to
visit as is the spray painting (though cans of spray paint are sold at a
booth). Over the years, the cars have seen many different coatings as well as
planned community paint jobs such as a restoration to their original colors and
to the scheme of the Pride Flag during Pride Week.
The ten
Cadillacs were never to be restored in the traditional sense. They never saw
the road again, nor did their interiors or exterior shells return to their
former appearances. But by becoming a roadside attraction, one that has allowed
thousands of excited visitors to leave their personal mark, the cars found a
new life in a way only Route 66 can provide.
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