Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas

Quay County Deaf Smith County

48-29864

Glenrio is a small, almost deserted town on the old Route 66, right on the border between the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico. He belongs to both the Quay County, New Mexico as well as to Deaf Smith County in Texas.

History

In 1906 Glenrio was founded as a cradle of rock Iceland and Gulf Railway Railway Company of Chicago. The place name is from the Scottish word " glen " ( small valley ) and the Spanish " rio " (river) together. 1920 Glenrio had a hotel, a farm equipment business, several supermarkets, gas stations and cafes. The local newspaper, the Glenrio Tribune, published from 1910 until 1934. Although the post office was one of New Mexico, the mail was delivered but in an office on Texan territory.

Through the construction of Route 66 in 1926, passing led directly through the town, Glenrio decades was an important reference point of travelers on the " Mother Road ". The place is located just ten miles (16 km ) east of the geographic center of Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles, so marked practically half the distance.

The section of Route 66 in Glenrio was the site of a among the travelers well-known motels with the advertising sign " First Motel in Texas" on the western and "Last Motel in Texas" on the eastern side. Moreover, the post office belonged, a Phillips 66 gas station, a diner called " Little Juarez Cafe " and the " Courtyard Motel " to the " crossing point " between Texas and New Mexico. on Texan side, there were no bars, as no alcohol was served in Deaf Smith County, and no gas station on the New Mexico side because of higher gasoline tax in that State.

Glenrio also marked the transition between two time zones from the " Central Time " (UTC -6) in Texas for " Mountain Time " (UTC -7), which applies in New Mexico.

After the bypass of the town by the Interstate Highway 40 in 1973 Glenrio suffered the same fate as many other places on Route 66, which were cut off almost overnight from their source of income and fell into insignificance.

Almost all the inhabitants left the place. There are only a few houses remained. Once there were only two residents in 1985, the post office was closed. In 2000, five residents were counted in Glenrio.

In the area of the former Route 66 are still some decaying remnants of motels, a diner and a gas station to see.

Some scenes in the film The Grapes of Wrath in 1940 were filmed in Glenrio. At this time the place had 30 inhabitants.

Glenrio Welcome Center

On 25 June 2008, the State of New Mexico opened on Interstate 40, a visitor center, the " Glenrio Welcome Center ", on the Texas border. There is a cinema, an animal enclosure, wireless Internet access, and information booths. Since one million visitors per year is expected, it has also paid attention to ecological aspects. The waste water is recycled and a small wind power plant will produce 20 percent of the energy consumed by a visitor center.