GLEN RIO, TEXAS-NEW MEXICO
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GLEN RIO, TEXAS-NEW MEXICO |
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NAME: Glen Rio, Texas-New Mexico COUNTY: Deaf Smith, Texas ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Cold snowy winters, hot summers, mild falls and springs BEST TIME TO VISIT: Fall |
COMMENTS:
No known residents remain, just wild dogs
and cats - Update - 1 resident as of 2001. REMAINS: Many buildings, a water well house, a motel, post office, train tracks, convenience store |
| Born in 1903 when the PCI&P Railroad came through (two years earlier), Glen Rio, Texas, often called Glenrio, Texas, and Glen Rio, N.M. was one town that bordered the state line and was the subject of a long battle between both states for tax rights. A combo of English (Glen--valley) and Spanish (Rio-river), it is neither in a valley nor along a river. Instead, it is the midpoint between Amarillo and Tucumcari, N.M., and 10 miles from the Chicago-LA midpoint of Route 66--and was a popular stopping place for Route 66 travelers. The post office was on the New Mexico side, while the train depot was on the Texas side. In 1938, just months after the final pavement through Llano Escalado terrain was finished, making convenient and safer travel, THE GRAPES OF WRATH was filmed there for 3 weeks. The population then numbered 30, its maximum (but as many as 80 when the First/Last Motel on Texas on 66 was still open and full and more during the filming!). A newspaper was published for 24 years between 1914 and 1938. The town and highway both died, however, like so many other Route 66 towns, when the interstate opened between 1968-84; by 1985 only two residents remained, along with the post office (now closed) and a convenience store on the interstate that also went out of business. One can travel on decrepit asphalt down the remains of 66 (once called MAIN STREET 66 through Glenrio). The cement is much covered by grass, and 4WD should be driven through Glen Rio, N.M. It is difficult to tell where the Mother Road/Main Street of America is except there remain signless posts along several stretches of land. Be careful that you do not drive off onto someone's ranch, though the population out there numbers less than a dozen. Visit the old motel--furnishings and windows still exists, though the roof is slowly collapsing. Submitted by: Robin Fletcher |
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