The top 10 icons of Route 66 are …

The readers have spoken. We now know the top 10 icons of Route 66.

About a month ago, we launched an online poll via PollDaddy.com to find out from readers what they considered to be Route 66’s top 10 icons. The criteria were the icon must be a specific place on or near Route 66 and be easily accessible. Voters could cast ballots every 24 hours. The poll also allowed write-in candidates that were duly added if they met the criteria. We figured the poll might be a fun way to involve readers and bring back memories to those who have traveled the Mother Road.

More than 28,000 votes were cast when the poll closed at midnight New Year’s Eve. Quite a few candidates received more than 100 votes. And several spots in the top 20 shifted around until the last minute of balloting.

We’re listing in order of votes the top 20 icons, with capsule descriptions of the top 10.

Here are the first 10:

1. Jackrabbit Trading Post, near Joseph City, Arizona.
2. Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, Texas.
3. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis.
4. Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis.
5. Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon, Missouri.
6. Wigwam Motel, San Bernardino, California.
7. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.
8. Midpoint Cafe, Adrian, Texas.
9. Meteor Crater, Arizona.
10. Oatman, Arizona.

And here are the top 10:

1. Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman, Arizona. It’s hard to believe, but the restaurant’s longtime owner, Juan Delgadillo (whose brother figures in another top 10 entry), died more than 10 years ago. However, Juan’s family has kept the 60-year tradition of practical jokes, whimsical decor and good diner food alive in tiny Seligman — much to the gratitude of Route 66 travelers.

1. Blue Whale, Catoosa, Oklahoma. Less than 15 years ago, it appeared this concrete behemoth created by a zookeeper as gift to his wife would crumble into the pond where it sat since 1970. Since then, however, the Blue Whale has undergone at least two face-lifts that almost guarantee it will keep smiling for several more decades. And a dedicated group of volunteers has spruced up the grounds and built a souvenir shop to help raise revenue for the whale’s upkeep.

1. Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas. It seems nearly miraculous this quirky landmark made the top 10 with all the sexual-abuse allegations that dogged the last year of owner Stanley Marsh 3’s life. But even with scandal amid its 40th anniversary, the popularity of Cadillac Ranch endures, mostly because of its uniqueness plus a bit of help from a popular song by Bruce Springsteen.

1. Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona. It looked iffy whether either of the two surviving Wigwam Motels on Route 66 — the other in San Bernardino, California — would make the list because they might split the vote. But this one nestled into the top 10, probably because the Lewis family has run it for more than a quarter-century and given countless travelers their chance to finally “sleep in a wigwam.” The Patel family, which bought the Southern California version of the Wigwam about a decade ago and restored it, finished in the top 20.

1. Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico. One of the most famous neon signs on Route 66 also comes with the back story of a legend — longtime owner and former Harvey Girl Lillian Redman, who kept the motel going even after the Interstate 40 bypass decimated traffic through town and became known for her warmth and generosity. Even after her death in 1999, a series of conscientious owners — including current proprietors Kevin and Nancy Mueller — improved the historic property and added to its allure.

1. Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California. It never was on Route 66, but this century-old landmark jutting into the Pacific Ocean has become a go-to place for westbound Route 66 travelers finishing their journey. It became even more of a destination when 66-to-Cali owner Dan Rice re-created the “66: End of the Trail” sign that once stood near the pier decades ago.

1. Angel Delgadillo’s barber shop, Seligman, Arizona. The barber shop remains a step back in time and is functional for a shave or a trim. But what has made this place a must-stop for countless number of Route 66 tourists is its owner, Angel Delgadillo. It was he and a handful of locals who began preaching the Route 66 gospel after the town became bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1978. He co-founded the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and led the charge of designating Route 66 as a historic highway in western Arizona. Even in his 80s, Delgadillo continues to greet thousands of tourists each year at his tiny business, which doubles as a souvenir shop.

1. Gay Parita Sinclair station, near Halltown, Missouri. It’s actually a re-creation of a 1930s gas station that stood on that spot until it burned down in the 1950s. But it’s the hospitality of owner Gary Turner that turned it into a Route 66 icon less than a decade after it opened. Many a traveler stopped there for what they anticipated would be a 15-minute visit that turned into two hours — including this one — and didn’t mind.

1. La Posada, Winslow, Arizona. La Posada arguably is the most sumptuous hotel on Route 66 and spearheaded a renewal of interest in other Harvey Houses in the Southwest. Everything about the hotel is first-class, so it’s hard to believe the hotel seemed destined for the wrecking ball during the mid-1990s until Allan Affeldt and his wife Tina Mion bought and restored it. Now Affeldt has set his sights on restoring another Harvey House — La Castaneda near Route 66 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

1. Standin’ on a Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona. This one easily claimed the top spot by more than 250 votes. Maybe it was because of the writing by Jackson Browne. Maybe it was because of The Eagles recorded it. Whatever the reason, a few lyrics from the hit song “Take It Easy” led to the creation of this park on a Route 66 corner in Winslow, Arizona … such a fine sight to see. The site, which has seen improvements since opening in 1999 (despite a fire that gutted a nearby building), remains one of the most-photographed sites on the Mother Road and helped give the town of Winslow a tourism lifeline.

(Photo credits: Blue Whale by Nicolas Henderson; Snow Cap Drive-In by Brett Kiger; Cadillac Ranch by Louis Vest; Wigwam Motel by Brian Butko; Santa Monica Pier by Jimmy Yeh; Blue Swallow Motel by Tim Anderson; Angel Delgadillo’s barber shop by Leo Reynolds; Gay Parita station by Alan Berning; La Posada by Frances; Standin’ on a Corner Park by Arturo Sotillo and Jane Drumsara)