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TEXAS LEGENDS
Adrian - Midpoint
USA |
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Adrian,
Texas
began in 1900 when the Rock Island Railroad established a station in
Oldham County. Calvin G. Aten, a former
Texas Ranger, first built a
dugout for his family west of the site. The town gained an
official status in the summer of 1909 when the railway was completed
through that portion of Oldham County and was named for an early
farmer by the name of Adrian Cullen. Promotion by an Iowa based Town site Company quickly attracted
prospective farmers and businessmen.
By 1910 Adrian had a post office, a
school, a general store, a bank, a blacksmith shop, a pool hall, a
lumberyard, a brick factory, and a newspaper called the Adrian Eagle. Just five years later the settlement had added two churches, a
drugstore, and telephone service. The Giles Hotel was a famous
landmark of early Adrian, which later became
the Adrian Mercantile and the Adrian Community Center.
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Welcome to Adrian, Texas, courtesy
Chris McGovern.
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Vintage picture of the Giles Hotel in
Adrian,
Texas,
courtesy
Oldham
County Chamber of Commerce
Though
populated with businesses, Adrian's
early years saw a slow growth in population due to severe droughts and
difficulties in maintaining sufficient water supplies.
But, Adrian survived to become the
midpoint of
Route 66 between
Chicago and
Los Angeles, a popular stopping place
for Mother
Road travelers.
One of
the most popular stops in
Adrian
was, and still is, the MidPoint Café which was first constructed in
1928, a full ten years before paving of
Route 66
was completed through Oldham County. The original greasy spoon
was known as "Zella’s,” which was a one-room eatery with a dirt floor. Later the café was sold to Dub Edmonds and Jess Fincher, who moved
into a modernized the building next door and changed its name to
"Jesse’s Café.” Though it has changed hands many times over the
years, it is one of the few businesses still alive and kicking in
Adrian.
The town was not incorporated until 1953
and never maintained a population of more than a few hundred.
Today, Adrian is home to just twelve
businesses and a little over 150 people. The Midpoint Café remains
open and provides a collection of
Route 66 memorabilia in the
original site of Zelda’s just next door.
The oldest continuously
operating café on the
Texas
Mother Road,
café's name has changed over the years, but the service has remained
the same where home-style cooking is served with a smile.
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Old Bent Door Trading Post, courtesy
The Road Wanderer |
While you’re in
Adrian, take a look
at the many old buildings that line its main street including the Bent
Door Trading Post, once a lively tourist stop that has long since fallen
into disrepair. Also visit The Antique Ranch, which has converted an old
mechanic’s shop into an antique store and eatery where you can feast on
real
Texas barbeque. And, don't forget to check out the Mid-Point Water Tower.
Beyond
Adrian,
you will continue on the old road for just a few short miles before
rejoining I-40 until you reach the
Glenrio exit
at the
New Mexico border.
©
Kathy Weiser/Legends
of America, updated January, 2009.
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See Adrian
Sights and Attractions Next Page
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Midpoint Cafe Sign in
Adrian,
Texas,
December, 2004, Kathy Weiser. |
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From the Rocky Mountain General Store
Route
66 Bumper Stickers - Show the
world your enthusiasm and support of
Route 66
with our new
Route 66 Bumper Stickers!
Made of durable vinyl and measuring a generous 10" x 3" these stickers are
made for adding style to any surface. Printed using UV resistant inks
means no fading in the sun or bleeding in the rain. Click
HERE to see them all!
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