Google map labels going East to South on what Google Maps calls U.S. Bicycle Rt 66.
Hogs & Hot Rods on Stateline Old Rt. 66 Blvd: (
Satellite)
Route 66 Giant Drive-Thru Shield: (
Satellite)
Gearhead Curios (Texaco Station): (
Satellite)
Galena Mining & Historical Museum: (
Satellite)
I'm starting with the Texaco Station because this post is what taught me about this town. Then I'll do a street view tour of the route through this town.
Gearhead Curios
posted two photos with the comment: "Humble beginnings, seeing something others didn't then making it reality. First pic Oct 2018, second pic Jan 2026."
Kimberly Bertel: First time I traveled through Galena you told me about your BIG dreams and your future vision for this Texaco Station. I have witnessed you making your dreams into reality! You turned it into a must stop when traveling through Galena, KS.
Dennis DeBruler: Kimberly Bertel Thanks for providing the town's name.
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
Patty Eggers commented
Stopped there in August of 2022 with my Holiday House. Great place! |
 |
Laurie Kern Tener commented
One of our favorite stops on Route 66, September 2025. |
 |
| Dan Grelk commented, cropped |
 |
Rick Dettwiler commented
A must stop on everyone's Rt 66 Journey. |
 |
John Grant commented, cropped
We loved stopping there in October. We are bringing a large group of Corvettes in Oct 2026. |
I didn't realize that the canopy was a car hood until I saw the logo in this photo.
 |
Randy-Cynthia Drake commented, cropped
The place looks amazing, your commitment to the route is a testament to your hard work over the years. I see how you promote over ambassadors of the route in your posts. The route is better because of your efforts |
 |
Ross D. Lewis commented
June 2025 |
 |
| Olga Schultz commented, cropped |
Jan 24, 2026: Gearhead Curios
posted five photos with the comment: "Snowy cold Gearhead Curios."
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| 4 |
 |
| 5 |
 |
George Fireball Hale commented on the above post, cropped
Our grandkids love it |
 |
| George Fireball Hale commented on the above post, cropped |
 |
| George Fireball Hale commented on the above post |
Jan 27, 2026: Gearhead Curios
posted seven photos with the comment: "Yeah buddy, we are open. Back to normal hours, come on over."
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| 4 |
 |
| 5 |
 |
| 6 |
 |
| 7 |
 |
John W Bratcher commented on the above post
Got a few things to remind us of our stop at Gearhead Curios. |
Luckily, I saw the "Cars on the Route" map label before I "cruised" down what Google labels U.S. Rte 66 and KS-66 because the eastern part of that route was added since 1962. This topo map confirms that it used to come into the north part of town along the M-K-T tracks, South on Main Street and then West on 7th Street. Since the texaco station is on a 45-degree diagonal, it implies the corner is important. But it is on 6th instead of 7th. This map shows that 6th used to be more important because it connected with 7th on the west side of town.
 |
| 1959/60 Baxter Spring Quad @ 24,000 |
Our cruise of Route 66 actually starts a few feet in Missouri.
The drive-thru shield is on the left and what is labeled Route 66 Cruisers is on the right. In the May 2023 street view, the Shield does not appear, and only Betty Boop is painted on the side of the building. Also note that US-66 is painted on the road.
It looks like they painted sunflowers on the side of the building.
And, of course, that is The Sheriff on the left.
The next stop on the route is Cars on the Route.
I have never heard of the Kanotex brand of gasolene.
The Route 66 Wedding Chapel label is on the building that is for sale in this view.
It got sold.
More sunflowers.
The next stop is the restored Texaco Station. I got this view because I was trying to find the ice cream shop that I saw in Randy-Cynthia Drake's comment above. I'm glad I got this view because I hadn't noticed the glass-top pump on the side of the building in the other photos. Looking closer at the photo with the ice cream stand, it is in the road. So, it was a temporary stand.
The Katy depot had to be moved to attract Route 66 tourists because the Missouri-Kansas-Texas tracks are north of town. The caboose pays homage to Frisco, another railroad that was north of town.
The depot is labeled Galena Mining & Historical Museum. I didn't see anything in the photos about mining, but I did see cars.
Just like Galena, IL, they mined for lead.
When I studied the satellite map, I noticed a lot of vacant lots. I hope their effort to reinvent themselves as a tourist town pays off. The other Route 66 town in Kansas is
Baxter Springs.
No comments:
Post a Comment