Route 66 Travel Guide for Adrian, Texas
U.S. Route 66 across Texas totaled 186 miles, and closely followed today's Interstate I-40.
The Mother Road crossed the Texas state line at Texola, OK, near Shamrock, and traveled west through McLean, Alanreed, Groom, Amarillo and into Adrian. From there, it continued on to Glenrio and into New Mexico.
Oldham County
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Oldham County, west of Amarillo/Potter County, was formed in 1876 and organized in 1880, and measures 50 miles by 30 miles and is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The terrain is level prairie land broken by the Canadian River and tributaries which form the "breaks". Its history is as vast and diverse as its land. One of the last areas settled in Texas, The Texas Panhandle was marked on maps as the "Great American Desert".
The native grasses were indeed good for grazing, and Oldham County became home to some of the largest ranches in the nation. At the time of its organization, nearly the entire county was a part of the famous XIT Ranch. Oldham County was also home to the 221,000 acre LS ranch and to the Matador Ranch. Today, an average of 90,000 head of cattle are fed in Oldham County per year.
The County seat lies the east of Adrian, in the town of Vega.
Adrian History
Adrian began in 1900 when the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway survey team working west of Amarillo identified it as a future site of a station and shipping point. The town, located in OldHam County, was named for Adrian Cullen, an early farmer in the area, and officially began in the summer of 1909, when the railway was completed through that portion of the county. Adrian survived famines and black dusters to become a stopping place for travelers on Route 66 and a shipping point for area wheat growers.
The railroad ran along the Ozark Trail, which later became Route 66, which was heavily traveled and provided an economic boon for the town. The Giles Hotel was a famous landmark of early Adrian, which later became the Adrian Mercantile and the Adrian Community Center.
Modern-Day Adrian
Today, Adrian is a popular stop for travelers, as it is located at the geo-mathematical midpoint of Route 66, positioned 1,139 miles (1,833 km) from both Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. It is a small community, with only a couple of hundred residents. Various services are available, including the Adrian City Office, fire department, city park, churches, the Midpoint Campground, and the Rose Punjab truck repair shop & road service. A Valero Service Station is also available, on the south side of I-40. The Adrian Independent School District (AISD) operates the local school, home of "The Matadors" sports teams.
Texas Highways 22 and 214 run to the south, and Colorado Avenue runs from the north of town.
The town's motto is "When you are here, you're halfway there."
What to See Along Route 66 in Adrian
Today, three active, Route 66-oriented businesses are located in Adrian, each separately and privately owned, on the north side of I-40 ... see details below on this page:
- Mid-Point Café & Gift Shop
- Fabulous 40s Motel
- Dream Maker Station Route 66 Souvenir & Gift Shop
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Midpoint Café & Gift Shop in AdrianEarlier Years of the CaféThe building that today houses the Midpoint Café was originally built in 1928, ten years before the paving of Route 66 was completed through Oldham County. In the late 1940s it was known as Zella's. It remained under that name until 1956 when new owners Jesse Fincher and Dub Edmunds bought the business and operated it as Jesse's Café, along with Dub's Enco service station next door. Over time it was renamed again as the Adrian Café, and finally to the "Midpoint Café and Gift Shop". Fran Houser, the owner of the Midpoint Café restaurant, antique and souvenir shop from 1990 until 2012, was the basis for the character of Flo of "Flo's V8 Café" in the 2006 Pixar animated movie "Cars". Fran also owned "Sunflower Station", located just to the west of the Café, until she sold the property to new owners who have transformed it into "Dream Maker Station". The Midpoint Café TodayThe Café has become a "must see" destination for roadtrippers traveling on Route 66 in west Texas. Brenda Hammit is the owner of the Café; she started as a cook at the Café in 2013 and took over ownership in 2018. It offers a full, varied menu for breakfast including egg platters, pancakes, hash browns, country bisquits & gravy and much more! Lunch offers many options, including burgers, BLTs, twisted grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs and other delicious items. Save room for dessert as it is widely known for its famous "ugly crust pies"! Be sure to lick the pie plate! The Café is also a popular stop for photo ops and selfies! The café, one of oldest eateries on Route 66, is located at 305 Historic Route 66 in Adrian, about 50 miles west of Amarillo. It is closed during the winter months. For more information and opening dates/times, phone 806.536.6379 and visit the Café on Facebook.
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Read more about the Fabulous 40s MotelThe motel is located at 301 West Historic Route 66 ... "the first and last motel in Texas", at I-40 Exits 22 and 23. Phone 806.214.3043
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Dream Maker Station Route 66 Souvenir & Gift Shop
Dream Maker Station is located at 307 West Historic Route 66 in Adrian, just west of the Midpoint Café. It was originally known as Dub's Enco-Humble Service Station, owned and operated by Dub Edmunds. Later it was owned and operated by Fran Houser, the previous owner of the Midpoint Café, as the Sunflower Station. It was reopened in 2024 by new owners, as Dream Maker Station. Be sure and stop and visit with Kelly Judd Snyder and her husband Jason ... both are super friendly and welcome all Route 66 roadtrippers! On a cold Texas day, enjoy some hot coffee, and on those hot summer days cool down with cold water and ice cream. Phone 937.935.2204 and visit |
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Annual Car Show at Dream Maker Station
Adrian is a popular stop for Route 66 travelers, as it is located at the geo-mathematical midpoint of the Mother Road, positioned 1,139 miles (1,833 km) from both Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. The annual car show in Adrian features entertainment, food trucks, door prizes, trophies for various car categories, and more! More Info: Facebook |
| Vintage picture postcard of Adrian, showing Jesse's Cafe and Dub's Enco Service Station |
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The Bent Door Midway StationThe Bent Door Café and trading post in Adrian was built by Bob Harris in 1947 on the site of the 1940s Kozy Kottage Kamp. The structure incorporates portions of a former air traffic control tower decommissioned after World War II - the tower windows originally slanted toward the runway, so the door is bent to match. The most recent Bent Door restoration efforts were begun in 2009. Read about the status of the Bent Door restoration on Facebook |
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| Welcome to Adrian, Texas, home of the Matadors, on Historic U.S. Route 66 |
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| Earlier times in Adrian during our September, 2003 Route 66 road trip ... Texas Bar-B-Q & Antiques ... Later Brenda's Cafe (Staff Photo) |
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Interactive Map of Adrian, Texas
More Adrian Information and Resources |
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Other Popular Destinations in Texas on Our Other Website |
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