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Glen Rio, TX and NM
 
Glenrio in sight
 
Entering Glenrio from the west
 
Looking back to the west from "downtown" Glenrio
 
The first building on the west end. Whatever it was. A bar?

I was amazed to see a wide, divided highway when entering Glenrio on the New Mexico side. After passing through Endee and Bard on the way from San Jon, NM, this looked like an oasis. Until I realized there was no town in the town. I finally found ONE inhabited house; all the other buildings were museum pieces.

 

This town once had 350 people. I'd guess there are less than a dozen now and most of them no longer live on the "strip" but across the tracks in ranch houses.

 

Glenrio was a major stop on Route 66 and the old CRI&P (Chicago Rock Island & Pacific) RR line. The town was founded in 1901 to serve the RR and it was only natural that Route 66 would pass through it since there was little between San Jon, NM and Adrian, TX.

 
The obligatory classic diner. With the welcoming signs in front. :)
 
The art deco station next to the diner.
 
With some classic cars in front.

All the pictures to this point are on the New Mexico side of town. If you look at the larger pictures by clicking on them, a lot more details are apparent. The one with the "classic cars" also has the only inhabited home on 66 in it on the right. I probably wouldn't have noticed except for the barking dog.

 

One major industry in the NM portion of Glenrio was alcohol. The Texas Panhandle, across the state line was "dry", no alcohol could be sold. Even today, many counties in the Panhandle are still "dry". By offering legal liquor sales, a steady source of cash flow was assured. In fact many enterprising individuals would buy large quantities and take it home for resale. In Texas, this was still "bootlegging", even if it was legally purchased!

 
He's got a long wait for gas . . . (note the antenna tower in the background for the only home in town )
 
This was a motel office.
 
Some kind of store. Maybe a "package" (liquor) store.
 
The signs at the state line. "QR A" is Quay County Road A.

Driving on along Old 66, I reached an odd point. Everything seemed to change: the highway, the signs, and even the "roadside attractions". I was in Texas! I wasn't sure until I saw the "Best In Texas" Motel sign. Neither state bothered to put up a "Welcome to" sign!

 

There was obviously a serious competition between the two towns but the federal government put a stop to that by routing I-40 around the town which subsequently died. To hasten the death, only one interchange, on the Texas side, is provided for Glenrio.

 

This is sad. Further evidence of a disregard for the Route 66 history is visible along the freeway in Texas: the old route is the drainage for the Iway for about 10 miles before all traces disappear for a long way.

 

 

 
This is one place where a state line is a color change on the ground! NM (foreground) obviously "put on the dog" here with the concrete dividers!
 
The "Best In Texas" motel office and cafe.
 
The "Best" motel units.
 
The "station" and office at the "Best" motel.
 
The "Best" motel office from across the state line. The post on the left is in close up below.
 
Remains of small buildings between Route 66 and the old RR right of way.
 
Glenrio still has some transcontinental claim to fame!
 
Looking east from Glenrio toward the end of the real old Route 66.
 
The foundation for the CRI&P water tank for the steam engines.
 
This sign is on the NORTH side of I-40 where the two states think Route 66 was.
 
Glenrio south from the I-40 interchange on the east end of town.
 
This is all that's on the north side of I-40: two abandoned gas stations. This could hardly be Route 66 in any incarnation. The signpost above is at the intersection on the left in the full-sized version of this picture.
COMMENTS
Jerii said at 9:50 a.m. on Jun 3, 2007:
Great Tabblo and fun history! Only the trees in some of the pictures give a hint of what used to be there. It is sad to see the abandoned places but it is also comforting to see that there are areas of our beautiful country that are still wide open spaces.
Eskarp said at 3:54 p.m. on Jun 3, 2007:
Glen Rio was added to the National Register of Historic Places as an entire Historic District in early 2007. The nearby (for New Mexico---remember we drive 60 miles to shop out on the eastern Plains) movie theaters in Tucumcari, Clayton, Clovis, and Santa Rose were also named as Historic Places this spring. The Luna Theater in Clayton is particularly wonderful. It's been in continuous operation since 1916 and features a rising full moon, hence the name, on the marquee.
Oldbogus said at 9:35 p.m. on Jun 3, 2007:
I keep forgetting how different the western US looks to urbanites!


Thanks, Sharon, for the historical note. I wasn't aware of Glenrio's status. And I've never noticed the Luna Theater in Clayton. My bad.
Love2laugh said at 11:35 p.m. on Jun 3, 2007:
Enjoy seeing your history about it too. Not a big TOURIST ATTRACTION.. though. :)
Katkee said at 9:02 a.m. on Jun 11, 2007:
Great stuff. I love this and thanks to the link, as I visited the your other Tabblo first!
Htravis0021 said at 11:09 p.m. on Sep 27, 2007:
My husband is actually from Glen Rio, NM.... Some of these pics show his mom's house. She is one of seven that still live in Glen Rio, NM.... Just a bit of info I wanted to ad. The pic of the first building actually the origional post office. (the one commented as maybe a bar) Farther down is another pic of maybe a motel office, this is actually the second post office. The old well was poluted by a bird and never used again. The pontiac out front is my husbands. It is in front of the old Texico Station his grandfather use to run. We have the 59 chevy apache that sat there. We moved it to our home in Amarillo, TX. There was also about 10 other old cars including a 1929 Diamond T, we sold off. If you visit Glen Rio, Nm, please just observe and dont bother the people that live there. I don't know how many times I have heard his mom complain people stealing things off of her land. It's not nice to ruin other poeples things. How would you like it if someone trampled over your rosebushes to steal the license plate off of your car. Believe me its happened!! Anyway hope you enjoy this piece of history. But remember if everyone takes from it, soon there will be nothing left.
Oldbogus said at 11:20 p.m. on Sep 27, 2007:
Htravis--
Thanks for this wonderful footnote! Often the details of a place's history is filled by those who know it intimately but haven't passed the information to others! I assure you (although you aren't really addressing me, i hope!), all I have ever taken is pictures!
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