Many, many Route 66 enthusiasts know about the landmark Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Smithsonian Magazine once called the 1939 establishment "the last, best and friendliest of the old-time motels." But the Texas Old Route 66 Association recently went through the files of longtime Texas Route 66er Delbert Trew and found an intriguing … Continue reading Did another Blue Swallow Motel exist near Shamrock, Texas?
Tag: Shamrock
Four Route 66 restaurants win $40,000 grants from National Trust fund
Four restaurants with strong Route 66 ties each received $40,000 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. The 25 restaurants receiving the 2023 round of grants were announced Friday by the National Trust. Here are the four along Route 66: Delgadillo's Snow Cap, Seligman, Arizona Mitla Café, … Continue reading Four Route 66 restaurants win $40,000 grants from National Trust fund
U-Drop Inn’s restaurant officially reopens for the first time in decades
The restaurant inside the historic U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, officially opened for business Wednesday after about a one-week trial run. It's the first time a restaurant has operated in the Route 66 landmark in more than 25 years. The U-Drop Inn Cafe will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday … Continue reading U-Drop Inn’s restaurant officially reopens for the first time in decades
U-Drop Inn in Shamrock will reopen its restaurant for the first time in decades
The historic U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, will reopen its diner later this summer for the first time more than a quarter century. Longtime Shamrock resident Baldo de Leon in a telephone interview Wednesday said he's leasing the restaurant space for one year from the city, which owns the Route 66 landmark, to run the … Continue reading U-Drop Inn in Shamrock will reopen its restaurant for the first time in decades
Shamrock cancels St. Patrick’s Day Celebration due to COVID-19
The annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration in Shamrock, Texas, has been canceled this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It's the first time in almost 70 years that's happened. The festival's board and steering committee voted Tuesday to cancel the event scheduled for March 18-21 and announced it would concentrate its energies on the … Continue reading Shamrock cancels St. Patrick’s Day Celebration due to COVID-19
“Two for the Road” episode on PBS-TV features the Texas Panhandle
A PBS-TV show titled "Two for the Road" recently aired a special episode that features the Texas Panhandle, of which a prominent portion includes Route 66 country. The show generously showcases the Route 66 towns of Shamrock, McLean, Groom, Amarillo, Vega, Adrian and Glenrio, along with Palo Duro Canyon, a popular side trip south of … Continue reading “Two for the Road” episode on PBS-TV features the Texas Panhandle
Route 66 in Wheeler County, Texas, added to National Register of Historic Places
About 30 miles of Route 66 in Wheeler County, Texas, from the Oklahoma border to the Gray County line has been designated to the National Register of Historic Places. The listing was effective Sept. 22, according to an email from the National Park Service. The email states the historic designation covers the south outer road … Continue reading Route 66 in Wheeler County, Texas, added to National Register of Historic Places
Bill Mack, R.I.P.
Bill Mack, a songwriter who helped launch LeAnn Rimes' career and a radio deejay whose overnight show proved popular with long-haul truckers, died July 31 of COVID-19 complications. He was 88. Mack, whose real surname was Smith, remains the most famous native of the Route 66 town of Shamrock, Texas. The town even has an … Continue reading Bill Mack, R.I.P.
Fire destroys community center in Shamrock
A fire early Wednesday destroyed the Shamrock Community Center in Shamrock, Texas, a site of a major Route 66 festival in 2018 and a venue for several events at next month's St. Patrick's Day Celebration. Shamrock's mayor lamented the loss of the historic building but vowed to "work through it" for the St. Patrick's event. … Continue reading Fire destroys community center in Shamrock
Hot rodder Ken Block shows his driving skills in Shamrock
This is from the "Don't try this unless you're a pro" chapter. Ken Block of Hoonigan Racing recently showed his driving and burn-out skills on the streets of Shamrock, Texas, including Route 66. It's hair-raising to see how close he comes to slamming into the supports of those old gas stations in town. KAMR-TV in … Continue reading Hot rodder Ken Block shows his driving skills in Shamrock