Tucumcari is another Route 66 town that owes its beginnings to the railroad. Back in the very early 1900s, the Rock Island Railroad had a work camp in the area, which later became known as "Six-Shooter Siding," which later came to be known as "Douglas" and eventually the town was renamed after Tucumcari Mountain.

The railroad, ranching and Route 66 kept Tucumcari prosperous over the years, and still does today. It's home to some 6,000 residents and is the county seat of Quay County, NM. There's a five-mile-long stretch of Route 66 (Tucumcari Blvd.) running through town, and a drive along it is almost like going back in time fifty years. Here are some of the places I stopped at to take some photos.