Tucumcari is a city with 5.989 inhabitants in the northeast of the state of New Mexico.
The city is located on the historic Route 66 and is probably one of the most popular towns on Route 66, next to the cult sites in Arizona.
The first settlement in the area along the Chicago-Rock Island and Union Pacific Railroad was created in 1901 as a tent city and under the name “Six Shooter Siding”, later Tucumcari.

In 1902, four passenger trains, two postal and two freight trains were already operating daily in the small town. The railway company began in 1908 with expansion of the place.

From 1910 Tucumcari was a center of rail transportation and had a large railway depot and a water tower.
After 1926, Route 66 reached the place, the importance of car traffic increased. More and more travelers use the town to stay overnight and so motels and gas stations were built.

The most famous hotel, far beyond the borders of Tucumcari, is the Blue Swallow Motel.
In the town along the Route 66, the visitor will find some beautiful old motels, restaurants and petrol stations with some very beautiful and still intact neon signs. Unfortunately, much has come down over the years, but the inhabitants of the small town are trying to preserve the Route 66 flair.

The whole town is a big open air museum and has many roadside attractions to offer. Some of them are listed here.

old Motels: still in business

• Blue Swallow Motel
• Motel Safrai
• Buckaroo Motel
• Tristar Inn Express
• Roadrunner Lodge
• Palomino Motel
• Bright Morning Motel
• Historic Route 66 Motel
• Americana Motel

old Motels (gone)

• Lasso Motel
• Paradise Motel
• Apache Motel
• Vorenburg Hotel

Signs

• Drive Inn – Westerner
• Ranch House Café

Shops

• Tee Pee Curios
• Tucumcari Trading Post

old Gas Stations

• Phillips Gas Station
• Oil Company
• Texaco Station/Trade Station
• Old Esso Gas Station
• Magnolia Station