The Outpost Gas (Closed)
Kingman, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Located along Highway 68 between Kingman and the Colorado River is an old roadside filling station known as The Outpost. For years, this quiet high-desert stop looked frozen in time, appearing closed with a set of old, weathered gas pumps still standing out front. It was the kind of rugged, sunbaked outpost that made you feel like you were traveling through an older, slower Arizona, sitting quietly against the vast desert backdrop beneath the Cerbat Mountains. 09-21
The Outpost
Kingman, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Later it became an unmistakable desert watering hole known as Mike's Route 66 Outpost Saloon. Complete with old wooden wagon wheels, western facade trim, and a full-size pinto horse perched proudly on the roof, the Outpost looked like something straight out of an old roadside postcard. For decades, it was a beloved desert rest stop where thirsty travelers, bikers, and road-trippers could step out of the sun and take in true Mother Road character.
Sign on property showing property for sale
Golden Valley, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Inside, the rustic saloon was legendary for its walls covered in signatures and hundreds of dollar bills stapled to the ceiling by travelers from across the globe. Serving cold beer, local wines, and classic tavern fare, the Outpost also featured a small RV park out back, hosting weekly community dart tournaments, taco nights, line dancing, and pool games for locals and wandering tourists alike.
The pumps
Golden Valley, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: After serving the desert community and Route 66 travelers for years, the property was sold in the fall of 2024. Mike's Route 66 Outpost Saloon officially poured its last drinks and closed its doors on October 26, 2024. According to a sign in the front, a place named The Spot may soon be coming. 08-26
Will be showing photos that have been taken here over the years since 1998.
Gas Station
Williams, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Cruising along the western edge of Williams brings you past this classic mid-century automotive survivor, the former West End Service Station. Positioned right near the western gateway of the historic Route 66 town alignment, this quiet relic once welcomed eastbound travelers rolling off the high desert into the heart of town. 09-21
Originally operating as a Signal Oil & Gas outpost, the location sported the brand's iconic black and yellow stoplight livery during the golden era of Mother Road motoring. The building features a classic mid-century utilitarian layout with low-slung concrete block construction and side-by-side mechanical service bays designed for quick auto repairs. The old mechanical fuel dispensers still stood bolted to the concrete pump islands, looking as though they had just finished fueling up a mid-century cruiser.
UPDATE: The former Signal service station on West Route 66 in Williams is closed and vacant. The original brand signage has been removed, but the vintage mid-century concrete block building shell remains standing along the historic highway corridor. 08-26
Gas Station
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here is an old mid-century gas station located in Tucson, AZ, featuring a massive overhang canopy stretching far out over the former pump islands. 09-21
Built during the post-war roadside boom, the oversized canopy was designed both as an eye-catching visual draw from down the street and as essential shade against the intense southern Arizona desert heat. The clean, utilitarian structure reflects the mid-century era when bold architectural lines and expansive drive-under overhangs defined independent service stations across the Southwest.
UPDATE: This vintage Tucson gas station is no longer in service as an active fuel depot, but the distinctive building and its large overhang canopy may still be standing as a classic piece of regional roadside architecture. 08-26
Kester's Volkswagenwerks
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Cruising along the west end of historic Route 66 in Holbrook brings you past one of the most colorful and eccentric sights on the Arizona Mother Road: Kester's Volkswagenwerks along West Hopi Drive. Positioned just down the road from the famous Wigwam Motel, this vibrant outpost instantly grabs the attention of passing road trippers with its wild, eye-catching automotive displays. 09-21
Originally operating as a mid-century gasoline service station during the highway's post-war heyday, the property found a lively second act when local air-cooled specialist Earl Kester converted the old filling depot into an independent vintage Volkswagen repair and fabrication shop. To flag down passing motorists, Kester transformed the property into an open-air roadside gallery—most notably mounting a real classic VW Beetle directly on top of the building's roof.
The front driveways of the former gas station feature an assortment of unique custom builds, including a chopped VW microbus trailer and the famous "Bugaroo," a custom camper crafted from an upcycled Beetle shell. It stands as a prime example of playful, programmatic roadside folk art that keeps the quirky spirit of Route 66 thriving.
UPDATE: Kester's Volkswagenwerks remains open and active along West Hopi Drive in Holbrook, operating as a working specialty auto repair shop and a beloved roadside photo stop with its iconic rooftop bug in place. 08-26
John Osterman Gas Station
Peach Springs, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Cruising along historic Route 66 brings you to the John Osterman Shell Gas Station at Diamond Creek Road in Peach Springs, AZ. As a prominent landmark on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the station is known for its massive concrete block canopy extending out over the driveway. 09-21
Built in 1929 by Oscar Osterman for his brother John, the structure features a "House with Bays" design made from vernacular concrete blocks cast on site using Sears & Roebuck forms. It operated under the Shell Oil banner for decades before ending fuel service in 1999, when it was acquired by the Hualapai Tribe for preservation.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, the property is currently being restored and adapted into a community visitor asset for the Route 66 Centennial.
UPDATE: The John Osterman Gas Station in Peach Springs is preserved as a tribal historic landmark, undergoing structural restoration and adaptive reuse. 08-26
The Outpost Gas (Closed)
Located along Highway 68 between Kingman and the Colorado River is an old roadside filling station known as The Outpost. For years, this quiet high-desert stop looked frozen in time, appearing closed with a set of old, weathered gas pumps still standing out front. It was the kind of rugged, sunbaked outpost that made you feel like you were traveling through an older, slower Arizona, sitting quietly against the vast desert backdrop beneath the Cerbat Mountains. 09-21 
The Outpost 
Sign on property showing property for sale
The pumps
Gas Station
Gas Station
Kester's Volkswagenwerks
John Osterman Gas Station
