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Barstow Route 66
This mural depects the interesting places and people of Barstow Route 66.
On the far left of the mural you will see a 1947 three wheeled Harley Davidson Service Car used by Barstow Police department for parking enforcement to collect money and carry tools to repair the parking meters on Main Street Route 66. The Harley & the featured Model T are displayed at the Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum at the Harvey House.
Next to the Harley is a Barstow neon sign and lyrics for Bobby Troup’s “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” made famous by Nat King Cole.
Across the top of the mural are popular places found along Barstow Route 66. From the left you see the Beacon Tavern, the El Rancho whose six story sign has welcomed travelers on Route 66 since the 40s, Del Taco which was started and continues to be run by Barstow’s Hackbarth family, Fosters Freeze was a stand that at one time used car hops, and the Skyline Drive-In one of the last operating drive-in theaters in Southern California.
In the center is Frank Sinatra’s 1966 Cadillac, which drove through and was repaired in Barstow and a Ford Mustang, one of the most popular cars made in the U.S.
On the far right of the mural is a 1915 Ford Model T Touring. The Model T was featured in John Steinbeck’s classic book “Grapes of Wrath.” Steinbeck is credited with first calling Route 66 the “Mother Road.”
The small crowd in front of the mural are all interesting visitors to Barstow and are arranged for you to take pictures wit the stars. First up is Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd, Winston Churchill, Mockey Rooney, Victor Mature and Jeanne Crain who was born in Barstow and was nominated for an Oscar.
Around the edge of the mural are road signs steering travelers to safety.
“Get your kicks on Route 66”
Master Mural Artist: David Brockhurst.
Artists: Ray Valles, Juliette Tison, Nicole Monae, Lino De Leon.
(December 2015)
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