Adrian and Glenrio, Texas, and Endee, New Mexico

Route 66 in the western Texas Panhandle is a study in contrasts: the thriving Midpoint Café in Adrian and the ruins of Glenrio.

From Amarillo’s Route 66 Historic District, we continued west on 6^th Avenue, which becomes Bushland Boulevard and then Southwest 9^th Avenue. Immediately after the Bell Street underpass, we turned left (southwest) on Amarillo Boulevard (Business I-40). Just before Amarillo Boulevard bends southwest to join I-40, we turned right (west) on Indian Hill Road. When Indian Hill deadends at Blessen Drive, we doglegged left then right to join the North Frontage Road of I-40.

We continued on the North Frontage Road about 20 miles into Vega, Texas, where we saw Rooster’s Mexican Restaurant, originally a service station built in 1945, at 1300 Vega Boulevard.

Rooster's in Vega, Texas

We stayed on the North Frontage Road another 14 miles into Adrian, Texas. Our first stop was the Bent Door Cafe.

Bent Door Cafe in Adrian, Texas

The Bent Door Café was built in 1948 and, as you can see, it was once a Phillips 66 gas station. And, yes, it has a bent door!

The Bent Door Cafe's bent door

Legends say that the windows next to the door were from a surplus World War II airport control tower and that the door was added in the 1970s.

There’s also an old Coke machine out front.

Old Coke machine in front of the Bent Door Cafe

There’s also a cool milepost—the Bent Door Café is definitely a great photo stop!

Signpost at the Bent Door Cafe

Sadly, the western half of the building looks in danger of collapsing.

Bent Door Cafe in Adrian, Texas

A few hundred feet past the Bent Door Café is one of the most famous cafes along Route 66: the Midpoint Café.

Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas

Inside, the Midpoint Café has a great retro vibe and friendly service.

Midpoint Cafe

The Midpoint Café is especially famous for its pies, so we had pie for lunch! My husband had the coconut cream pie.

Coconut cream pie at the Midpoint Cafe

We definitely weren’t hungry when we left!

On the left side of the Midpoint Café is the Fabulous 40 Motel

Fabulous 40 Motel in Adrian, Texas

And on the right is an old gas station.

Gas station next to the Midpoint Cafe

Across the street is a sign marking the midpoint of Route 66.

Midpoint on Route 66 in Adrian, Texas

And, in case you have any doubts about where you are, there’s also a shield in the road!

Route 66 road shield in Adrian, Texas

Obviously Adrian is a must-stop for any Route 66 enthusiast!

We continued on the I-40 Service Road another five miles to Gruhlkey Road (TX 18). The service road peters out after here, so we got on I-40. We stayed on I-40 about 18 miles to the Glenrio exit, just before the New Mexico state line.

If you’re intrigued by ghost towns, Glenrio, which straddles the Texas-New Mexico state line, is a fascinating stop on Route 66. In the 1920s it had a railroad depot, hotel, and newspaper. It thrived until I-40 was built in 1975 then, like so many other small towns along Route 66, went into decay. Today about 15 abandoned buildings remain, and the population is about 5.

You’ll start to see ruins as soon as you exit I-40. The interchange has the ruins of an old Chevron station and an old Texaco station.

Abandoned Chevron station at the Glenrio interchange on I-40

Abandoned Texaco station at the Glenrio interchange on I-40

Cross I-40, then turn right (west) into Glenrio. There’s a cluster of ruins here.

The building pictured below was once the State Line Bar.

Former State Line Bar in Glenrio

The ruins pictured below were once the State Line Cafe.

Former State Line Cafe in Glenrio

The sign once said the cafe and the motel behind it were the first or last in Texas, depending on the sign’s direction.

A couple of months before we visited, there were announcements that Glenrio had been purchased by a developer. The demolition pictured above looked fairly recent to us.

The building below is the motel part of the State Line Café and Motel.

Former State Line Motel in Glenrio

The building pictured below was built in the 1950s as a Texaco gas station. There are some Streamline Moderne curves along the canopy and above the roof.

Former Texaco station in Glenrio

The diner next door also has Streamline Moderne curves. I've heard it called the Little Juarez Diner and the Brownlee Diner.

Former diner in Glenrio

If I could choose one building to restore in Glenrio, it would be this diner! It's a gem.

Just past Glenrio, Route 66 becomes a gravel road. This was Route 66 until 1952, and it WAS paved in the 1930s. The macadam was supposedly removed by the county to make the road easier to maintain. Drive slowly along this 18-mile gravel stretch, so you don’t kick up stones and damage your vehicle. And if it’s rained recently, take I-40 instead; you don’t want to get stuck in mud.

This is a beautiful stretch of Route 66—the road seems to go on forever.

Route 66 west of Glenrio

In a few miles, we reached Endee, another ghost town. Here there are just a handful of buildings.

Endee, New Mexico

The building pictured below was once a motel.

Former motel in Endee, New Mexico

The most famous building in Endee is an outhouse ironically described as Modern Restrooms (apparently they DID flush).

Endee's "Modern Rest Rooms"

After Endee, the gravel alignment of Route 66 continues.

Route 66 west of Endee, New Mexico

Outside of San Jon (pronounced San Hone), Route 66 is once again paved. About 6 miles past San Jon is the remains of the Cedar Hill Grocery Store.

Former Cedar Hill Grocery Store west of San Jon, New Mexico

Past Cedar Hill, we could see Tucumcari Mountain in the distance.

Route 66 east of Tucumcari with flat-topped Tucumcari Mountain to the left

For us it would be, as billboards once proclaimed, “Tucumcari Tonight!”