The owner of an RV park in Vega, Texas, has launched an online fundraiser to restore a 1950s Gulf station along Route 66 and convert it into a museum or visitors center.
James Gorman, who operates the Walnut RV Park in Vega, has started a GoFundMe campaign for the station, with a goal of $1,500.
Here’s some local lore about the station:
One of the most cherished stories passed down through locals involves none other than Dean Martin and Jerry Lee Lewis. While on their way west, the duo stopped at the café next to the gas station. A young man named Melvin Williams was bussing tables that day. Jerry Lee Lewis was remembered as a bit rough around the edges, but Dean Martin? A true gentleman. He left young Melvin a silver dollar as a tip—a small act that became a big story in our town’s memory.
Here’s what Gorman wants to do to the building:
- Restore the original structure using historically accurate materials
- Preserve its unique mid-century architecture
- Create a small museum or visitor stop highlighting stories like Melvin’s and other local legends
- Celebrate the cultural history of Route 66 and bring this place back to life for the next generation
According to Route 66 Times, the building was once known as Krohn’s Texaco & Cafe. A search on Newspapers.com indicates the business operated in the mid-1960s.
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It was Krahn’s Texaco and Cafe, and still in operation when I stopped there for pie in 1983. A photo of this place appears in the1963 book “TwentySix Gasoline Stations” by Ed Ruscha.
Are you SURE it was Jerry LEE Lewis? Jerry Lewis – without the Lee – was Dean Martin’s partner in the 50s. I would suspect that Jerry Lewis would be traveling with Dean Martin, not the wild musician Jerry LEE Lewis.