28
Mar
Top 4 Stops On Route 66 In Kansas
The Old Kan-O-Tex Service Station is another of the original businesses that still stands on the Mother Road as you slip through Kansas. You will see it changing soon as it has been bought by a group called “The 4 Women On The Route” that have plans to restore it to its original luster and keep everything as close to its original state as possible. Of course it could use some new windows and some tender loving care as it has been standing for many years now. This little station sits in the city of Galena, Kansas. The buildings of this town attributed to the fictional city reconstructed in the moved Cars. The old tow truck that still is in its original state next to the Old Kan-O-Tex Service Station actually inspired the moviemakers of the popular movie Cars to come up with the character “Tow Mater” as well.
The town of Galena is very proud of its Route 66 Heritage and even has the “Route 66” highway sign stenciled on its roads to show their respect for the Mother Road. It is interesting how even the smallest spots on Route 66 can make such a big impact in our daily lives. So don’t let this bit of history and movie magic pass you by on your drive.
The Eisler Brothers General Store is located in downtown Riverton, Kansas and is one of the old mom and pop shops that you usually only see only in movies, but this one is real. From flowers to fresh meat, you will find it here. This shop has been open since 1925 and has changed very little. Having the honor of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places makes The Eisler Brothers General Store a must stop for Route 66 cruisers looking for a little history. This small little hometown shop still serves locals and Route 66 cruisers. You can stop by and grab a sandwich made fresh from their deli or you can pickup the makings and put them together on the road.
The Rainbow Bridge is named after its shape not the color. An arched shape bridge build out of concrete in 1923 will take you over the water between Riverton and Baxter Springs, Kansas. This is nothing fancy, but it is a very scenic view from this old classy bridge. This was made a Nation Historic place and put on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983 and was given a complete overhaul in 1994. So if you are cruising through Kansas on Route 66 you may want to take a stop and make this a photo opportunity for you and who ever you brought along with you.
The Baxter Springs Heritage Center is a museum that has some exhibits of preserved pieces of history from this old cow-town. Included in the displays here you will find part of an old bank counter window. This town is known for being the “most robbed town” in Kansas. As the story goes, Bonnie and Clyde hit this town twice in one week and that was only one of the many instances that give this small town its namesake. There are many building in the downtown area of Baxter that still to this day look much like they did when Route 66 first cut through this town in 1926. So stop on by the Crowell Bank turned café and grab a bite to eat now, because this Is our last stop in Kansas.
There are only 12.8 miles of Mother Road to travel in this state, so there is not a lot to see, but we hope you enjoyed the stops we have discussed here and are ready for more to come. We will be making our way through Oklahoma on Route 66 next and there is plenty to see there. Now it’s time to put the top down, turn up the music and keep on cruising!
Originally posted 2010-01-05 04:28:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 28th, 2010 at 4:23 pm and is filed under Kansas Route 66. Follow the comments through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or leave a trackback.
