Whiting Brothers Gas (Closed)
Yucca, AZ Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Cruising along historic Route 66 through Yucca brings you past the haunting ruins of the Whiting Brothers Gas Station and Motel. Also check out this old motel sign on the same lot. Back in the golden age of the Mother Road, the vibrant yellow and red signs of the Whiting Brothers chain were a welcome sight for weary desert travelers. 06-06
The complex sprang up during the 1950s boom following the 1952 realignment of Route 66 through Yucca. At its peak, this bustling stop featured a full-service gas station, a modern motor court, and the only swimming pool in town. After Interstate 40 diverted traffic away, the business declined and finally closed around 1990, with the buildings bulldozed to concrete slabs around 1996.
While the structures are gone, the vintage signs still stand as isolated sentinels over the desert. Over time, the lower "Groceries" panel fell from the main billboard, and the classic script "Motel" sign lost its top "WB" shield and neon panels. Even in their weathered state, they remain iconic checkpoints for Route 66 road trippers.
UPDATE: The Whiting Brothers gas station and motel structures were demolished in 1996. The weathered billboard and motel signs remain standing on the empty lot with missing panels. 08-26
Old 66 Visitors Center
Hackberry, AZ Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Winding along the scenic, isolated curve of historic Route 66 through Hackberry brings you straight to one of the most celebrated shrines of Mother Road culture in the entire country: the Old Route 66 Visitors Center, known to highway travelers worldwide as the Hackberry General Store. For anyone who lives for the open asphalt, vintage Americana, and dusty desert miles, rolling up to this visual wonderland packed to the rafters with sun baked signs, antique petrol pumps, and forgotten classic steel feels like finding the ultimate roadside oasis. 10-06
The building originally got its start back in 1934 as the Northside Grocery and Conoco service station, greeting generations of cross country motorists making the trek through northwestern Arizona. When the opening of Interstate 40 completely bypassed this northern mountain loop in 1978, the pumps ran dry and the entire complex sat abandoned for over a decade. Its legendary rebirth began in 1992 when iconic itinerant Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, son of Ed Waldmire Jr. who famously invented the Cozy Dog on a stick at his drive in back in Springfield, Illinois, stepped in and bought the derelict property.
Burma Shave signs
Hackberry, AZ Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Waldmire converted the dusty structure into the Old Route 66 Visitor Center, turning it into a living gallery filled with his intricate pen and ink postcards, hand drawn travel maps, and historic road relics. Waldmire famously lived right on the grounds, cementing a free spirited lifestyle and driving an orange Volkswagen bus that would later serve as the direct inspiration for the character Fillmore in the hit animated movie Cars.
When Waldmire decided to return to the road in 1998, he passed the torch to passionate caretakers who continued expanding the sprawling roadside museum. The property soon filled with an evocative graveyard of classic 1940s to 1960s automobiles, a vintage Corvette, ancient wooden phone booths, disconnected fuel pumps, and dozens of weathered porcelain trade signs, all anchored by the signature red neon Mobil Pegasus mounted high above the roof. The store has welcomed travelers from every corner of the globe, remaining one of the most vibrant and photographed stops along the entire length of the Mother Road.
Old 66 Visitors Center
Hackberry, AZ Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
UPDATE: Bob Waldmire passed away on December 19, 2009 in Springfield, IL. 02-11
UPDATE: The Old Route 66 Visitors Center remains open and thriving as the Hackberry General Store, serving as an active souvenir outpost, museum, and premier gathering point for Route 66 road trippers. 08-26
Canada Mart Gas
Kingman
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here's a night shot of the iconic Canada Mart Gas located off Route 66 in Kingman, AZ. Or if it's not directly on Route 66 it is a block away so let's count it. The gas station is a popular stop as it is located close off the I-10 as you head into downtown Kingman. It is also a pretty fine sight to see like the Eagles said in Take It Easy, though the Eagles were not referring to a gas station. 11-20
Canada Mart Gas
Kingman
, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Rolling along Andy Devine Avenue after dark brings you face to face with one of the most vibrant and welcoming beacons in northwestern Arizona: the Canada Mart Gas station in historic downtown Kingman. Anyone who loves the pure romance of an open desert night drive knows the magic of watching a colorful roadside outpost suddenly light up the windshield, and this lively stop positioned right on the asphalt of historic Route 66 delivers that classic Mother Road spirit in spades.
Long before gasoline was pumped on the parcel, this corner at 210 W. Andy Devine Avenue was originally home to the Kingman Steam Laundry, which opened in 1903 to serve early rail workers, miners, and frontier town residents. As post war automotive travel exploded along Route 66 in the mid 1950s, local operator Tommy T. Hafley redeveloped the corner into a bustling full service filling station. Over the decades, veteran local operators like E.J. "Charlie" McCarthy kept travelers fueled as downtown Kingman cemented its reputation as a major highway hub.
Canada Mart Gas in Day
Kingman, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The site entered its defining modern chapter in 1985 when the current family owned operation took the reins. Rejecting the sterile, cookie cutter look of modern mega travel plazas, the family gradually transformed the old service garage into an authentic roadside trading post. The forecourt features unbranded pump terminals beneath an illuminated canopy, framed by glowing neon roofline accents that trace the building contours and large outdoor Southwest murals that give the whole corner lot an unmistakable sense of place.
The defining visual wonder on the property is a towering 60 foot hand carved wooden totem pole that stands guard right alongside the refueling bays. It serves as an eccentric highway landmark that you can spot from down the block, perfectly capturing the quirky programmatic roadside charm that made mid century road trips so memorable. The station also honors time tested highway traditions, maintaining a beloved cash discount policy for drivers topping off their tanks before tackling long, dark stretches of Arizona blacktop.
Canada Mart Gas at Night
Kingman, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Step through the front doors and you will find an interior packed to the brim with road trip treasures. Beyond everyday cold drinks and highway snacks, the shop functions as a bustling tourist center and retro trading post. Shelves and display cases are filled with Route 66 memorabilia, regional highway kitsch, and an extensive collection of authentic Native American sterling silver jewelry prominently featuring locally mined Kingman turquoise.
While Jackson Browne and the Eagles famously sang about standing on a corner roughly two hundred miles further east in Winslow, pulling into this neon trimmed oasis under the quiet Arizona stars is truly a fine sight to see for any traveler living for the magic of the open road.
UPDATE: Canada Mart Gas remains open, thriving, and active as an independent family owned service station, convenience market, and Route 66 souvenir shop along Andy Devine Avenue in downtown Kingman. 08-26
Cruising along historic Route 66 through Yucca brings you past the haunting ruins of the Whiting Brothers Gas Station and Motel. Also check out this 
Burma Shave signs
Old 66 Visitors Center
Canada Mart Gas
Canada Mart Gas
Canada Mart Gas in Day
Canada Mart Gas at Night
