Vintage Businesses on Historic Route 66, 3-8

In this section, you'll find about more fascinating stops along historic Route 66, starting with Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard.

3. Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard (St. Louis, Missouri)

Ted Drewe started selling frozen custard (his own concoction) in Florida in 1929. The ever-busy entrepreneur split his time between midwestern carnivals during the summer and Florida beaches in the winter, finally opening a permanent stand in St. Louis in 1931. In 1941, he opened another store in St. Louis along Route 66. Despite offers to franchise, the business has remained family-owned and operated. During the winter season -- a less appealing time to down a cup of frozen custard -- they sell Christmas trees.

4. 66 Drive-In Theater (Carthage, Missouri)

In 1949, when drive-in movies were as hot as buttered popcorn, the 66 Drive-In Theater was a new attraction. Along with most drive-in theaters across the country, it fell into disrepair until the Goodman family bought it and set out to return it to its former glory. They started work in 1996 and finished renovations in 1998. During the summer months, feature films are still shown under the stars. Today there are only around 800 drive-in theaters still operating in the United States out of about 5,000 that existed in the '50s and '60s.

5. Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park (Foyil, Oklahoma)

What better place to stretch your legs on a road trip than at the park that boasts the world's largest totem pole? It's 90 feet tall, made of 200 carved pictures, and was sculpted by Ed Galloway between 1937 and 1948. He used 28 tons of cement, 6 tons of steel, and 100 tons of sand and rock to pay tribute to Native American culture. Galloway's creation was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

6. Lucille's (Hydro, Oklahoma)

Lucille's is currently one of only two porch-style gas stations still operating on Oklahoma's portion of Route 66. Lucille Hamons and her husband bought the structure (originally built in 1927 and called the Provine Station) in 1941, and she operated it herself until she died in 2000. Lucille was known as "the Mother of the Mother Road" because of her many stories of the people who stopped by for a tank of gas or a snack.

7. Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, Texas)

Artists and auto enthusiasts alike will appreciate the beauty of ten Cadillacs, buried halfway into the ground, nose first. Passersby are encouraged to add a personal touch by wildly decorating the vehicles, which span the model years 1949 to 1963. In fact, the cars are frequently painted over to create a fresh canvas for road-weary artists. Created in 1974 by the Ant Farm, a San Francisco art collective, Cadillac Ranch has become part of the nation's kitschy culture. The unusual attraction was the subject of a Bruce Springsteen song and was even depicted in the 2006 animated film Cars.

This indoor swimming pool opened in 1922, but by 1926 it had been purchased by J. D. Tucker, who converted it to a dance hall. Tucker covered the pool with a wooden dance floor and hosted flappers during the Roaring Twenties. Musical legends such as Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Buddy Holly, and Roy Orbison came to play, and, at one time, it took a staff of 52 to serve the crowds. It is said that several apparitions, including a ghostly couple, can be spotted dancing among today's dancers. In 1996, the Nat conducted an all-night "ghost-busting" of sorts. The cameras mysteriously turned themselves off, but a solo drummer and a female vocalist were recorded on audio. The Natatorium has been meticulously restored to reflect the whimsical roadway architecture of Route 66. It still hosts musical acts and is a popular entertainment venue, attracting artists such as the Dixie Chicks.

On the next page, you'll find the last of our vintage businesses that can be found on Route 66.