U-Drop Inn facts for kids
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Tower Station
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The U-Drop Inn (2018)
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 Tower Station
Location in Texas
Tower Station
Location in the United States
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| Location | 101 E. 12th Street, Shamrock, Wheeler County, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | multiple |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001160 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1997 |
The U-Drop Inn is a famous building in Shamrock, Texas. It was built in 1936 along the historic Route 66 highway. The building was designed by J. C. Berry. Its unique look was inspired by a nail stuck in the ground.
This building is a special example of Art Deco style. It was used as a gas station and a restaurant. It has two tall towers with cool geometric shapes. The walls are made of shiny ceramic tiles. Bright neon lights used to glow around it at night. The western side was the "Tower Station" gas station. The eastern side was the "U-Drop Inn" café.
Over the years, the U-Drop Inn changed owners many times. But it always kept its original purpose. When Route 66 was no longer used, the building became old and worn out. It closed in the late 1990s.
In 1997, the U-Drop Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This helped save it. The city of Shamrock bought the building. They used a US$1.7 million federal grant to fix it up. Now, it is a museum, a visitors' center, and a gift shop. It also houses the city's chamber of commerce. The U-Drop Inn's unique design even inspired a building in the 2006 animated movie Cars. It looks like Ramone's auto body shop in the movie.
Contents
The Story of the U-Drop Inn
How it Began
The U-Drop Inn opened on April 1, 1936. J.M. Tindall built it. The design came from his friend, John Nunn. Nunn drew the idea in the dirt with a stick! Then, architect J.C. Berry made the official plans.
The building was put at a busy spot where Route 66 and U.S. Route 83 met. Nunn's family ran the business. They held a contest to name the new building. An eight-year-old boy won with the name "U-Drop Inn." He won about $50, which was a lot of money back then!
The building had a café, a Conoco gas station, and a store. The store never opened. Instead, it became a ballroom and extra dining space for the café.
A Popular Stop
When it first opened, the local newspaper called it "the most up-to-date" building of its kind. The café was seen as a very fancy place to eat. For a long time, the U-Drop Inn was the only café for about 100 miles around Shamrock. It was very busy and successful.
John Nunn sold the Inn after some years. But he bought it back in 1950. He renamed it Nunn's Café. After Nunn died in 1957, his wife sold it. The new owner, Grace Brunner, changed the name again to Tower Café. She also added a Greyhound bus station.
Falling Apart
After Nunn's death, the building had a few more owners. Different companies sold gas there. In the 1970s, a company called Fina painted the building red, white, and blue.
In the early 1980s, James R. Tindall, Sr. bought the building. His father had helped build it originally. He repainted it to its first colors. He also changed the name back to U-Drop Inn. But in the mid-1990s, the bank took over the building. It closed completely in 1997. Even until it closed, people loved the café's cheap and tasty "home cooking."
Route 66 started to lose importance after 1956. New highways like Interstate 40 were built. These new roads bypassed towns like Shamrock. So, the U-Drop Inn, which once served many travelers, became neglected. In 1984, Route 66 was officially closed. This seemed like the end for the U-Drop Inn. But in the 1990s, groups started working to save old buildings along the route.
Bringing it Back to Life
The Texas Historical Commission called the U-Drop Inn "one of the most impressive examples" of Route 66 architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1997. In May 1999, the First National Bank of Shamrock bought the building. Then, they gave it to the city of Shamrock.
The city wanted to bring the old building back to life. In 2000, they hired experts to restore it. These companies specialized in fixing up old buildings. They planned to make the old gas station and café into a community center. It would be a place for visitors and the city's chamber of commerce.
They used old photos and talked to local people to find out how the building looked originally. They peeled off many layers of paint and fabric. This helped them find the first colors inside and out. Restoring the neon lights was hard. Photos showed where the neon was, but they were taken during the day. So, it was tough to know what colors the lights used to be.
The restoration also made the building a museum about its own history. It now looks like a working 1940s gas station. With $1.7 million in funding, the work finished in July 2003.
In 2013, a hailstorm damaged the restored neon lighting. The damaged parts were replaced with LEDs in 2014. The café also started serving fountain drinks, coffee, and floats again that year.
Building Design
The U-Drop Inn is a great example of the Art Deco style. This style uses glazed brick, zigzag patterns, and strong vertical lines. Art Deco was usually seen in big city buildings. So, it was rare to see it in a gas station and roadside restaurant. The U-Drop Inn stands out from other cafés built in the 1930s. Most of them were much simpler.
John Nunn and architect J. C. Berry designed the building. It is one story tall and made of concrete and brick. It has a flat roof. A tall, flared tower sits over the gas station. Two canopies (roofs) extend out from the gas station office. One canopy faces Route 66, and the other faces Highway 83. At the back, a shorter tower held the restaurant.
The main parts of the building are made of clay tiles with shiny brick. The two towers are covered in stucco. They have green and gold tiles and stepped concrete shapes. These towers were made to catch the eye of drivers passing by. They also have cool geometric details and curved shapes. Neon lights outlined them, making the building even more unique.
The U-Drop Inn had two separate businesses inside, sharing one wall.
- The west side was called "Tower Station." It has a large, four-sided tower that looks like a tall monument. A metal "tulip" sits on top. The word "Conoco" was written in big letters on each side of the tower. Neon lights ran along its corners.
- Two canopies extend from this tower. Under them were fuel islands with three gas pumps each. Today, 1960s-style pumps are there. Large windows surround the glass doors of the office. Two service bays with roll-up doors are between the office and the café.
The east side was the "U-Drop Inn café." It has a shorter, three-sided tower. The word "Café" is written on it in green paint. A small metal ball sits on top. Below the tower, a metal and wooden sign points to the entrance. This sign was added in 1950. The café side also has tiled details. It once had a neon "starburst" around the sign and entrance. Inside the café, booths line the eastern and southern walls. The kitchen was in the northeastern corner. The building's outside is painted beige with dark green details. The original brick on the northern side is still unpainted.
See also
