Route 66 Museum Shares History of The Mother Road

With the centennial celebration of Route 66 kicking off in just over a year, businesses and organizations along the iconic Mother Road are already planning for the influx of tourism and travelers from around the world. Our long-time client Larry West is among them.

Larry, who had purchased a large collection of restored antique gas station items and Route 66 memorabilia from Duane Campbell of Union, MO, had a vision to convert an old 2,400 SF church located along the “Main Street of America” in Pacific, MO, and next door to his contracting business, NB West, into a museum where the collection could be shared with other Route 66 aficionados, like himself. Cochran’s architecture department helped him make that vision a reality.

Many of the exterior windows were replaced with overhead garage doors. The flooring throughout was removed down to the concrete slab. An old stage area and some partition walls were taken down, and outside, a canopy was added to complete the historic gas station image. The result is a building designed to invoke a classic service station from the 1950s.

Campbell’s Service Station at 18625 Historic Route 66 in Pacific, MO is now open for visitors, although currently by appointment only. However, if you drive by and see the gate open, Larry invites you to pull over and come inside! The space, which can hold up to 65 people and includes a kitchenette, also is available to rent as an event venue.

For more information on the museum, the collection and Larry, go to https://tourroute66.com.