A former gas station on this famous road has now become a collection of memorabilia (and attached store) celebrating the road’s heyday.
Without looking at an old photo, it’s hard for a lot of us to imagine the famed Route 66 in it’s prime. Now, most of it’s luster has faded, and touristy items (taking advantage of it’s fame) dot the roadside. Since the interstate has taken most of the traffic, the road isn’t used as much as it used to, but it still runs through several towns.
In Williams, Arizona, there is a small, unassuming gas station near the town’s center. With a classic car out front, and a bright orange marker with the markings “Pete’s Gas Station Museum,” you know it’s not somewhere where you can fill your tank anymore. Instead, it’s a combination vintage collection (the “museum” half) and a store, where you can load up on all sorts of Route 66 memorabilia.
When we went, the owner (who we assumed was Pete but never verified) wasn’t visible, but the place looked open for business. We wandered in and snapped a few shots of the collection (see below), then wandered over to the store side (where photography was prohibited) to see what this small place had to offer. We actually picked up a decent Route 66 sticker here, and suddenly the owner presented himself from a side door to complete the sale (must be hidden cameras somewhere, even though we didn’t spot them).
While it wasn’t a big place, it was nice to take a break and wander through both sides of this “museum,” gawking at the vintage signage and old gas pumps, as well the many Route 66 items for sale in the shop. It helps that there was a decent place to park the van, and the place next door (Native America, according to the sign) had a couple of Route 66 miniature displays that were worth checking out as well.
