PBS station interviews Delbert Trew, a figure in Route 66’s renaissance

Delbert Trew

Do yourself a favor and watch this delightful 13-minute interview with Texas Panhandle rancher Delbert Trew and his wife by a local PBS station. The talk reveals a lot of Trew’s homespun sense of humor.

Trew probably is best-known for shepherding the founding of the Devil’s Rope and Route 66 Museum in McLean, Texas, which he talks about in the interview.

In addition to his role with the museum, old Route 66 ran right through his ranch, so he holds firsthand knowledge about its history. An eastbound Interstate 40 rest area near Alanreed, Texas, used some of that land and, as a result, has a Route 66 theme.

At one of the annual Route 66 gatherings about 15 years ago, Trew was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in helping revive Route 66. Accepting it, he got choked up for a bit and said, “I remember when he had to make our own (Route 66) souvenirs.”

Trew also wrote a column for the Amarillo Globe-News for many years, titled “It’s All Trew.” The Texas Escapes website has archived some of the columns here. Trew also donated many of his papers to a university library.

(Image of Delbert Trew via the Texas Tech University National Ranching Heritage Center)

One thought on “PBS station interviews Delbert Trew, a figure in Route 66’s renaissance

  1. The religious talk reminds me of a joke:
    Q: Why do Southern Baptists new have sex while standing up?
    A: Why, good heavens! That might lead to dancing!

    A married couple addresses their preacher before the Sunday morning service:
    MC: Parson, is it permissible to have sex on Sunday before church?
    P: I reckon so, as long as you don’t block the aisle.

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