Glenrio Smoke Stop, a cannabis dispensary on the New Mexico side of the Texas border town of Glenrio, recently held a lighting ceremony for its re-created “First/Last Stop in Texas” sign along Route 66.
The business uploaded a bunch of photos and clips from the ceremony to Instagram:
A similar sign that stated “First Stop in Texas” or “Last Stop in Texas” — depending on which side you faced — stood at the long-defunct Texas Longhorn Motel and Cafe.
According to the Glenrio Smoke Stop, the original sign was erected in 1955.
The original sign fell into decay after the restaurant and motel closed in 1976, after Interstate 40 bypassed Glenrio.
Glenrio Smoke Stop took a page from the Texas Longhorn’s “First/Last” signage and has incorporated the slogan into its merchandising and publicity campaigns.
The dispensary sits just a few yards west of the border of Texas, where recreational marijuana remains illegal. New Mexico legalized it in 2021.
Glenrio, though its population seldom exceeded 100, remained a busy roadside stop along Route 66 for decades.
Gas stations set up shop along the Texas side due to lower fuel taxes, while taverns and liquor stores opened on the New Mexico side because many counties in the Texas Panhandle didn’t allow the sale of alcohol.
Glenrio shrunk to ghost-town status after it was bypassed by Interstate 40 during the 1970s. It was a key inspiration to Pixar animators as they researched Route 66 for their 2006 film “Cars.”
(Excerpted image of the new sign in Glenrio via Glenrio Smoke Stop account on Instagram)