Explore Route 66 Through Picture Postcards
A curated selction of postcards from the Newberry Library’s James R. Powell Route 66 Postcard Collection
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Allison Lehn
Route 66 Postcards: Copper Cart Postcard (Front) (1950/1959) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
In 1907, a new craze was taking over the nation: picture postcards. Businesses along Route 66 and beyond used this momentum to advertise their services with vibrant, photographic prints.
As part of our Preserve Route 66 initiative, The National Trust for Historic Preservation transcribed and located each postcard in the Newberry Library’s James R. Powell Route 66 Postcard collection. We’ve curated a selection of these postcards—one from each of the eight Route 66 state—as a preview of our entire map.
Route 66 Postcards: Inn of the Lamplighter Postcard (Front) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Inn of the Lamplighter (Illinois)
The Inn of the Lamplighter was an unexpected oasis in Springfield, Illinois. With its kitschy tropical décor, Route 66’s (potentially) first indoor pool, and endless other amenities, it was a welcome respite for traveling families.
Route 66 Postcards: Inn of the Lamplighter Postcard (Back) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The motel has since been converted into more permanent housing, and its residents rally around its iconic pool. They have sought landmark status for the pool and worked together to make necessary repairs to its tiled floor.
Route 66 Postcards: Sterling’s Hillbilly Stores Postcard (Front) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Sterling’s Hillbilly Stores (Missouri)
Highway tourism was the Wells family business, and Sterling Wells, a roadside entreprenuer, spent his whole life changing alongside the route. Pictured here is the second of four locations of his iconic gift shop.It remained a mainstay of both Route 66 and the local community unt
Route 66 Postcards: Sterling’s Hillbilly Stores Postcard (Back) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The store’s iconic “hillbilly” signs with their windmill arms drew in countless customers through the years. The larger one was eventually moved to the former Mule Trading Post (and future Old Mule Axe House) seen here in Rolla, Missouri, where it remains to this day.
Route 66 Postcards: Old Riverton Store Postcard (Front) (1990/1999) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Old Riverton Store (Kansas)
Kansas boasts a short but proud stretch of Route 66, with 13.2 well-marked miles to its name. The Old Riverton Store has been continuously operating in the eponymous town for a century, offering groceries, general goods, and homemade sandwiches to locals and tourists alike.
Route 66 Postcards: Old Riverton Store Postcard (Back) (1990/1999) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The store has passed through different owners, from the original Williams family to the Eislers. Today, the store is owned by the Eislers’ nephew Scott Nelson, who also serves as the president of the first Kansas Route 66 Association.
Route 66 Postcards: Suntide Inn Postcard (Front) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Suntide Inn (Oklahoma)
In August 1960, Miss Oklahoma was on site to dedicate the new Suntide Inn in Oklahoma City. The motel and its iconic Googie-style neon sign were built alongside the existing motel, Major Court; combined, they once offered 75 rooms.
Route 66 Postcards: Suntide Inn Postcard (Back) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The building was sold to the state in 1976 and was turned into a correctional facility. Iit was put up for sale and eventually demolished in 2017. New development has been spotted on the site in 2024.
Route 66 Postcards: Ding How Restaurant Postcard (Front) (1960/1969) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Ding How Restaurant (Texas)
The Route 66 food scene offered much more than stereotypical diner fare. The Ding How Restaurant was a staple from 1957 to 1995, offering American Chinese food to Amarillo residents and tourists alike.
Route 66 Postcards: Ding How Restaurant Postcard (Back) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The building and its sign are still standing today, although they have apparently been abandoned. The sign has lost its neon but still shows a shadow of what once shone brightly.
Route 66 Postcards: Club Cafe Postcard (Front) (1990/1999) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Club Cafe (New Mexico)
The Club Cafe remained a beloved Route 66 food spot for over fifty years. Famed for its ubiquitous branding, the “Fat Man” logo and sourdough biscuits were promoted on billboards along the route until the restaurant’s closure in 1991.
Route 66 Postcards: Club Cafe Postcard (Back) (1990/1999) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The building was torn down in 2015, and four years later its remaining neon was (controversially) moved to a future neon park in Albuquerque. The “Fat Man” logo is seen in use here by the neighboring Joseph’s Bar and Grill, whose owners unsuccessfully tried to save Club Cafe.
Route 66 Postcards: Copper Cart Postcard (Front) (1950/1959) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Copper Cart (Arizona)
The Copper Cart Restaurant opened in 1952 and operated for 60 years in Seligman, Arizona. The city is known as the “Birthplace of Historic Route 66” for its efforts toward dedicating the route as a historic highway.
Route 66 Postcards: Copper Cart Postcard (Back) (1950/1959) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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Nowadays, the building hosts a gift shop and vehicle museum with Route 66 memorabilia, and its iconic neon still shines on. Alongside the Seligman Historic Commercial District as a whole, the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Route 66 Postcards: The Pottery Ranch Postcard (Front) (1954) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The Pottery Ranch (California)
The Los Angeles basin was once a hotspot for pottery, from dishware and figurines to sewer pipes and roof tiles. The Pottery Ranch was a major outpost for these potteries, selling their slightly flawed “seconds” at major discounts.
Route 66 Postcards: The Pottery Ranch Postcard (Back) (1954) by Powell Route 66 Collection at the Newberry LibraryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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The domestic pottery market took a plunge in the 1960s, but the Pottery Ranch held on for decades, selling discounted “first” quality wares instead. After seventy years in business, the building was bought and demolished in 2011 to make way for a Jack in the Box.
To uncover even more of the route’s hidden histories through this postcard collection, be sure to take the Postcard Road Trip and explore the complete Route 66 Postcard Map.
Learn more about the National Trust for Historic Preservation's campaign to preserve Route 66, sign our petition to advocate for the Mother Road, and then share your Route 66 story with us.
Explore other stories on the Mother Road
Drawing the Asian Pacific Islander American Experience on Route 66 with Sammy Yuen
The Legacy of Segregation on Route 66
Allison Lehn is the GIS Analyst at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This story is made possible by the generosity of David and Julia Uihlein.
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