Club Cafe, Original Home Of The "Fat Man", Santa Rosa New Mexico
The Club Cafe was opened in 1935 and a few years later, the famous "Fat Man" logo was created. The smiling portly figure in jacket and...
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In my travels on the back roads doing genealogy research, I’ve seen hundreds of remnants of times gone by. These iconic symbols of "Americana" inspired me to create this blog. By documenting them, I'll remember and maybe you'll find something interesting to hunt down next time you are in one of these areas!
You can use the search feature in the blog to look for specific cities or states. Enjoy!
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Mar 25, 2023
The "Fat Man" Has Been Saved, Santa Rosa New Mexico
While driving by, I snapped a photo of the neon sign in front of Joseph's Bar & Grill because I liked the retro look of it. The...
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info543130
Mar 25, 2023
The Sun 'N Sand Motel & Restaurant, Santa Rosa New Mexico
The motel, built in the 1950's, was in pretty bad shape when we saw it, but the neon sign is still standing. The restaurant is still in...
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Mar 25, 2023
Iconic Route 66 Neon Sign Falling Into Disrepair, Santa Rosa New Mexico
I was so sad to see this iconic neon sign abandoned and falling apart. Those yellow diamonds, spelling out RESTAURANT are another classic...
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Mar 25, 2023
La Mesa Motel Vintage Neon Sign, Santa Rosa new Mexico
The La Mesa Motel was built in the 1940's and added on to in the 1960's. It is still operating today and you can see the neon sign on...
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Mar 25, 2023
1931 Bright Yellow Ford on a Sixteen Foot Pole, Santa Rosa New Mexico
This old ford sits in front of the Route 66 Auto Museum where you can see more than 30 antique cars and trucks from the Route 66 heydays....
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Mar 25, 2023
Abandoned building in a near Ghost Town, Newkirk New Mexico
This building from 1910 was originally a gas station and store, then the post office and a bus stop. An early alignment brought Route 66...
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Mar 25, 2023
The Former Coronado Court Motel Now Trading Post, Tucumcari New Mexico
The Coronado Court Motel opened in the 1930's and had a cool neon sign. Sadly, it was replaced by the Trading Post sign in the 1970's...
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Mar 25, 2023
Buckaroo Motel, Tucumcari New Mexico
Not the original neon sign, but still an eye catcher. It's a combination of neon and incandescent lighting with a buckaroo on a bucking...
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Mar 25, 2023
Thunderbird Neon Sign, Tucumcari New Mexico
I love this neon sign. It sits out front of the Pow Wow Restaurant and Lizard Lounge. This establishment was added to the Congress Inn...
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Mar 25, 2023
Tribute to a Whiting Bros. Gas Station, Tucumcari New Mexico
I thought that I was seeing my first Whiting Bros. gas station, but as it turned out, this station was never a Whiting Bros. It was part...
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Mar 25, 2023
30 Foot Tall Giant Sombrero, Tucumcari New Mexico
The La Cita restaurant, which opened in 1940, has a great neon sign and neon lettering on the giant sombrero, which was added in 1959. It...
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Mar 25, 2023
Doesn't Get Better Than Seeing a Neon Camel On Hump Day, Tucumcari New Mexico
No joke, it was Wednesday when I snapped this photo. The Motel Safari was built in 1959 and has maintained it's original neon sign. It...
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Mar 25, 2023
Another Iconic Route 66 Attraction, Tucumcari New Mexico
I was really excited to see the neon sign at the Blue Swallow Motel. I've seen images of it in relation to Route 66 many times and I was...
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Mar 25, 2023
TePee Curios Souvenir Shop, Tucumcari New Mexico
My first thought was, it is a shame that such a great vintage neon sign needed a spell check. As it turns out, tepee (not teepee) is the...
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Mar 25, 2023
Roadrunner Lodge, Tucumcari New Mexico
While the sign is not vintage neon and the place has been restored and updated, I included this motel because of what's inside. We stayed...
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Mar 8, 2023
Tribute to Vintage Texaco Station, Tucumcari New Mexico
The Trade Station Gift Shop is located in a vintage gas station that was restored to look like a Route 66 era Texaco Station. The...
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Mar 8, 2023
Great Vintage Chinese Restaurant Sign, Tucumcari New Mexico
Although we opted for steaks on our stop in Tucumcari, this great old sign for the Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant did get our...
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Mar 8, 2023
Life-like Cow Atop a Neon Sign, Tucumcari New Mexico
Just what we hungry road worn travelers wanted to see when we rolled into Tucumcari, a huge cow on top of a restaurant sign. Of course,...
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Mar 8, 2023
Ken's Ice Cream Sandwiches, Tucumcari New Mexico
Just before you get to the main Route 66 strip in Tucumcari, you'll see this classic neon sign and giant ice cream cone, which used to be...
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