For more than sixty years traffic has ebbed and flowed along Route 66 in front of the window of this service station. Packard’s and Fords, Studebaker’s and Edsel’s all filled their tanks here before rolling east or west on US 66.

For more than a half century weary travelers and locals alike sipped their morning coffee, watched the shadows creep across the flanks of the Hualapai Mountains as the sun rose in the east, and guests at the Siesta motel across the highway prepare for another day on the road.

By this time next week that era will be little more than a memory. An entire block of Route 66 landmarks will be swept from the stage. Only faded photos, vintage post cards such as this one on loan from Route 66 enthusiast Mike Ward, and the old signs will remain to mark its passing.

In addition to the City Cafe and this vintage Texaco station, a small warehouse to the west and the Imperial Motel, an establishment that has met the needs of Route 66 travelers for more than forty five years, will also vanish. In their place will rise a new Walgreen’s and the face of Route 66 will forever be altered.

A special thanks needs to be given to Lewis Construction, the demolition company handling the project, Walgreen’s, and the efforts of the Route 66 Association of Kingman. With their combined efforts the City Cafe and Imperial Motel will be memorialized by more than post cards and faded photographs.

The signs for both establishments will be restored and take their place with other historic signs in the forthcoming neon, outdoor museum planned for the Kingman historic district. For more detail please click on either the photographs or post cards.