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All the United States New Mexico San Jon Glenrio Ghost Town

Glenrio Ghost Town

The old Route 66 town straddling Texas and New Mexico died along with the Main Street of America.

San Jon, New Mexico

Added By
catboom
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An abandoned café in Glenrio.   Christian M. Mericle
An abandoned café in Glenrio.   Christian M. Mericle
The ghost town of Glenrio.   Peer Lawther
7-13-24   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
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  bluemiller / Atlas Obscura User
The State Line Motel in Glenrio.   Christian M. Mericle
Deteriorating motel rooms in Glenrio.   el toro
Abandoned building in Glenrio.   Barbara Brannon
An abandoned building on Route 66 in Glenrio.   Barbara Brannon
An abandoned building in Glenrio.   Barbara Brannon
The State Line Motel—either the first or the last in Texas, depending on which direction you’re heading.   Maggie
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Old post office   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
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Inside one of the abandoned Hotels   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
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1980s car seat in front of an abandoned hotel room   LeslieDriskill / Atlas Obscura User
A new dispensary sits at the site of the old post office.   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Glenrio, a Route 66 town straddling the state borders of Texas and New Mexico, was founded in 1901 by the various railroads that crossed through it. Despite the fact that its name drew from the Scottish word "glen" and the Spanish word "rio," Glenrio is nowhere near a valley or a river. Wheat and cattle farmers settled on expansive plots, and a little community grew up. 

Being divided between two states made for some unusual customs in Glenrio. The mail would arrive at a train depot on the Texas side but would have to be transported to the post office on the New Mexico side. The Texas side was part of a dry county so all the bars were on the New Mexico side. Because the gasoline tax was higher in New Mexico, all the service stations were on the Texas side.

When Route 66 paved its way across the Southwest, Glenrio provided a popular stopping point between Amarillo and Tucumcari. Though Glenrio's actual population never exceeded a few dozen, motels, diners, and cafes could stay afloat thanks to the steady influx of Route 66 tourists. The Grapes of Wrath even shot a scene on Glenrio's single dusty road.

When the Rock Island Railroad depot closed in 1955 Glenrio was struck hard, but not as hard as when it was replaced by Interstate 40. Unlike the slower-paced, scenic Route 66, this new highway was meant to get you from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. Traffic through Glenrio dried up. By the 1980s only two residents remained. Now only one full-time resident lives here and Glenrio has been a ghost town ever since.

Today, all that remains of the town are a few derelict structures. The diner still stands as does the State Line Motel. Its sign reads, "First in Texas" or "Last in Texas," depending on which direction you're driving. A Streamline Moderne Texaco service station once had cars lined up for hours. Now it sits deteriorating on the side of Route 66, a reminder of Glenrio’s prosperous past. 

However, a new structure has joined their ranks in recent years. Recreational marijuana was legalized in New Mexico in 2022, and its continued illegality in Texas has caused a dispensary to pop up on the New Mexico side of the border,  the Glenrio Smoke Stop. Though its days as a Route 66 stop may be over, Glenrio continues to benefit from its unique location. 

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Ghost Towns Film Locations Route 66

Community Contributors

Added By

catboom

Edited By

Eirik Gumeny, Molly McBride Jacobson, Edward Denny, Dimsum...

  • Eirik Gumeny
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Edward Denny
  • Dimsum
  • bluemiller
  • williamf
  • an
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Darrell Powers
  • LeslieDriskill
  • angienturner
  • 7326sr

Published

May 2, 2017

Edit this listing

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Sources
  • https://glenriosmokestop.com/
  • Roxann Travis, longtime resident of Glenrio
  • http://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-glenrio.html
  • http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/glenrio-ghost-town-route-66
  • http://www.theroute-66.com/glenrio.html
  • https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/glenrio_historic_district.html
Glenrio Ghost Town
San Jon, New Mexico
United States
35.17842, -103.043038

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Mexico

New Mexico

United States

Places 179
Stories 20

Nearby Places

World's Largest Branding Iron

Vega, Texas

miles away

Floating Mesa

Bushland, Texas

miles away

Cadillac Ranch

Amarillo, Texas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Mexico

New Mexico

United States

Places 179
Stories 20

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